Essay about Ethnography

At TEDxBroadway Ellen Isaacs discusses ethnography. She starts off engaging her audience with an example of old and new computer technology. Where new technology is more visual and easier to use and that people often take it for granted. That computer scientist such as Doug Engelbart and Alan Kay and other influential people wanted to make technology more easier and accessible to use. The evolution of the original giant and heavy computers to the smaller and more conviene computers known today. And then she started discussing another example. Of a ethnographer who invented a new technology and observed how people used it. The men in the observation video were struggling to make copies with her invention. It was difficult and

In this light the readings forced me to re-examine positionality, especially in the framework of auto-ethnography. At first I thought this was too obvious but in light of the titular question Stacey asks – “Can There Be a Feminist Ethnography?” – the feminist researcher’s proximity to the data and interpretation positionality becomes the fraught answer to consider, Her awkwardness (if that’s the right word) in balancing the tightrope as an ethical researcher between product and personal integrity feels unexpected yet palpable. The dilemma she faces “forced my recognition that conflicts of interest and emotion between the ethnographer as authentic, related person (i.e. participant), and as exploiting researcher (i.e. observer)” (23). I feel as if she as a feminist researcher was startled by the dilemma she faced and wonder if her surprise was compounded by not anticipating it . How much an epiphany is it to learn that participants come with their own agendas? Therefore participants come with their own inherent powers which threaten to usurp the researcher and her own objectives. In the wake of this surprise she asks the provocative introspective question

Ethnographic research is the scientific description of specific human cultures, foreign to the ethnographer. Each ethnographer has his or her own way of conducting research and all of these different ideas can be transmitted and understood in a number of different ways. Because there is no one set idea of how an ethnographer should go about his or her research, conflicts arise. In Reflections on Fieldwork in Morocco, Paul Rabinow uses a story like process to discuss his experiences during his research in Morocco. This makes it easier for the reader to understand his ideas then just having a technical book about the many different aspects of Moroccan life that he may have discovered. In Writing Culture: the Poetics and Politics of

Ethos, an appeal to ethics, is a main theme utilized through out Rhodes argument. She uses this literary device as a means to convince her audience of a specific viewpoint by using credible sources and specific examples. The use of ethos parallels Toulmin’s model of argument, which examines the criticality in the use of the data, showing specific facts, and Backing, which are points that prove the warrant, which is defined as a logical statement that serve as bridges between the claim and the data, true. Ethos proves necessary within an argument and offers critical data and statistics, which adds and fortifies an argument in this case, adds to this article. Ethos and data is extraordinarily

I set out to find a place to begin my observations, not knowing what to fully expect, what I may find. So I decided to look around at what is close to my home that isn’t a place I frequent or have even visited at all. Then it came to me, the Starbucks that is only about a mile away is a perfect place for me to observe subjects that I would consider different from myself, seeing as how I consider such obscene prices for coffee ridiculous. Starbucks is a very popular chain of coffee vendors that describe their product as more about quality than what Americans are used to in typical coffee joints.

James P. Spradley (1979) described the insider approach to understanding culture as "a quiet revolution" among the social sciences (p. iii). Cultural anthropologists, however, have long emphasized the importance of the ethnographic method, an approach to understanding a different culture through participation, observation, the use of key informants, and interviews. Cultural anthropologists have employed the ethnographic method in an attempt to surmount several formidable cultural questions: How can one understand another's culture? How can culture be qualitatively and quantitatively assessed? What aspects of a culture make it unique and which connect it to other cultures? If

It is first important to define what ethnography is because it is a prominent method that social scientists use in their research (Roy, lecture 4). Professor Roy defines ethnography as looking at culture – a methodological skill of observation in a natural setting. Chambliss was able to do this with his qualitative research at Hanibal. Qualitative research, compared to quantitative, is often characterized by a depth of information from a limited number of cases (Ragin & Amoroso 28). This type of study relies on the human component of interaction in the real world. Chambliss actively engaged with

For example, the Apache do not believe an individual can claim land, which is not a universally shared sentiment. On that same note though, as stated in lecture, ethnography is always: partial, positioned, provisional, and based on dialogue. So, Basso’s stance on place-names being a universal idea is not necessarily a fault in his studies, but instead, his position in his studies and the position of those whom he studies.

This is my first time that I come to New York, so I am curious about many things in this new place, such as the famous resorts, and the people here. As we know, the Times Square is very famous in New York. When I was in China, I hope I can visit Times Square, because I saw Times Square was very great in some of the opening of American series. Now, I am in New York, and I have enough chances to visit Times Square whenever I want. In there, it gives me a new horizon to understand the culture that is different from China.

What intrigued me about this ethnography so far, is the analysis from both the ethnographer and people being observed. An example of this was when the anthropologist described the area for boarder crossers and how to him it seemed so obvious that it was a place for

Renato Rosaldo is one of the most highly acclaimed, contemporary anthropologists. He is also one that has sought a new style of writing to give his ethnographic accounts. In his celebrated work, Grief and a Headhunters Rage, Rosaldo uses the traditional "rules of anthropology" as the

Our memories often time embellish the memories we once had of such great people, places, times, and etc. We live these times up to standard that makes us reminisce, hurt, contemplate and so much more. The power of a photograph has been described to have worth a thousand words, metaphorically meaning of course, that what an image can capture in one instance, something that may not ever be captured through words. For too many centuries we have been without, what many of us now take for granted, the photograph. What we capture in a picture, has much more value than we often time see in our commercials, people, places, they tell a story to the ignorant, paint a picture for blind, give the deaf something to listen to, and so much more.

People who are ethnocentric are judging other on the basis of their own culture, especially for language, behavior, customs, and religion.

While others claim that photography captures the inner soul of a person, or deliberately defines it as painting or writing with light, but in my case, it is just simply a newfound love hobby. I undeniably adore and look up to expert photographers I encounter down the road may it face-to-face or the other way around. In my heart, I silently desire that someday, with hard work, determination, and perseverance, I will become professional and famous as they are. Since my husband bought a Digital Single-Lens Reflex (DSLR) as an anniversary gift, my penchant for photography commenced and ignited. Let me detail the essential truths behind my passion over photography.

Anthropology is field where research plays the biggest part in dissecting and understanding a topic. Surveys and questionnaires, are not as effective in this field as it would have been in engineering is because, anthropology deals with people. According to me people would not be slight bit interested divulging the details of their life with a stranger, whom they just met on a piece of flimsy paper. Even if they are willing to do that, they may only give a vague sketch of their life or the worst case scenario, where the participants are illiterate. Thus Field work regardless how excruciatingly long and hard it is, it is very important because it gives the holistic view on a topic as an outsider as well as an insider.