Ethnography Essays

Dunning, E. (2001) Sport matters : sociological studies of sport, violence, and civilisation. London : Routledge.

This case study will to examine wheelchair rugby, and how Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby Limited organises play, qualifications, the specialist equipment used in the sport, as well as the development of the sport with in the UK. This is due to the author’s ability to rugby and interest in how rugby has been developed into a disability sport.

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

As the nation’s gender inequality continues to diminish, things like sports stereotypes, and labour force conflict cannot be understood without understanding the term of identity. Identity work is explained by Schwalbe and Mason-Schrock in 1996 as “anything people do, individually or collectively, to give meaning to themselves or others” (as cited in Ezzell, 2009, p. 1). I propose to examine inequality based on gender identity and in depth the process of stereotype issues, - how people construct stereotypes in gender inequality in the context of sport- among women Rugby. The academic literatures are based on gender identity/ inequality, where it provides many examples of individuals deflecting the norms “by ... creat[ing] a unique identity as heterosexy-fit— simultaneously tough, heterosexual, and conventionally attractive” (Ezzell, 2009, p. 14). With the intention of deflecting/ creating an exception to these norms, it only creates greater issues as not only does society view them in a certain way, but also the player themselves. The overarching goal of the proposal is to address the social issue and understand why society to this date gives harsh views towards women’s rugby with a common stereotypical view. As an illustration the views were described by Ezzell (2009) who conducted a personal communication with some female rugby players who stated that other views them as: “scary, butch lesbians,” “she-males,” “he-shes,” “lesbian man-beasts,” and “butch,

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.

As told from interviews with the players and coaches in the documentary, the West Magpies style of football brought on by the new coach Roy Masters has made the Magpies one of the most feared upon teams to play against. The community believed it was much more entertaining to watch the Magpies “play to hurt the opposition without getting sent off”, then seeing the real skills of rugby league win games. Magpies players kicked, punched, stomped, eye gouging and even hair pulling was used to win games as well as support within their community. The Fibros verse the Silvertails become some of the most violent yet favourite games to be watched from the everyday rugby league lover.

Upon analysing equity and access in sport, it is important that I am aware of what levels of the framework have influenced my sport participation. In Queensland especially, the sport of AFL comes with primarily negative connotations. These preconceived notions about the sport and the cultural have had a negative effect on my participation and approach towards the sport. Gender stereotypes have also been a deterrent in my participation. Sports, such as AFL, require participants to be competitive, courageous, powerful and strong. These qualities are largely associated with male gender stereotypes. Sport reinforces hegemonic masculinity by celebrating stereotypically masculine and activities and attributes, and restricting the behaviour of women.

Technology has made me a cynic. With advances like CGI and even simple Photoshop we have come to know that seeing isn't necessarily believing. our eyes can be fooled. Things are not, we have come to believe, what we see them to be. Models are airbrushed movies are enhanced, photos will fool us.

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.

The question remains how to get past the natural biases one may have when interpreting cultures different from one’s own. While it is crucial to approach any study of another culture with an objective and critical view, one is able to further avoid bias by practicing how to interpret the meaning that is carried within the behaviours and symbols rooted in that society . (CA, 25) If we could understand the meaning behind our own symbols, we can then “take the abilities that have enabled us to dwell in our own culture and use them to understand the cultures of others” (CA, 26) Perhaps this idea could be understood by comparing it to Clifford Geertz’s analysis of the Balinese cockfight. When examining the Balinese cockfight, Geertz describes what appears to be a rather meaningless, barbaric activity, until he discovers how much the activity actually means to the Balinese, as it acts as a symbol of status, achievement, and masculinity. (CA, 27) These symbols only become familiar to us when we compare it to a phenomenon in our own culture that share similar meanings, such as a hockey game. By objectifying the practices of both our culture and another’s, the other culture’s behaviours become more familiar to us, thus limiting our cultural bias. (CA, 37) When examining the cock fight in the same context of a hockey game, the cock fight suddenly does not appear as bizarre or exotic. This is also true when comparing the Nacerima and North American culture. Whether or not we are brushing our teeth with a toothbrush and toothpaste, or “inserting a small bundle of hog hairs along with certain magical powers”, we are less instinctive to criticize the activity when we understand that both cultures simply view dental hygiene as something of value and importance. Thus the different behaviours are functional and logical in the context of each

Anthropology is defined, in the most basic terms, as the study of other cultures. This field can subsequently be divided into more specific sects, and contain more precise defining characteristics, but this definition is essentially all that is needed. Anthropology is a science that attempts to look at other cultures and draw conclusions to questions that are raised while studying. An anthropologist is someone who accepts what is presented before them and is driven by an urge to understand each presentation as thoroughly as possible. Once the concept of anthropology is accepted, one must identify the means of reaching the goal of this field. In the sect of social anthropology, this vehicle is known as

Many people forget about rugby when they are asked to name sports. Rugby is very much a sport. A reason why this is forgotten may be because it is a European sport. Rugby is a very intense sport that causes countless injuries. One out of four rugby players are hurt on a team per season. A rugby player tackles twenty to forty times per match on average. Various neck injuries happen during a game. More injuries happen in the second half of the game. Rugby injury rates are three times high than

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.

Ethnographic study started in the early 1900s with researchers like Malinowski exploring the natives of the Trobriand Islands off the coast of New Guinea in the 1920s where he engaged in participant observation of the natives (Duncan 2004). Participant observation requires that the researcher be the prime and direct instrument of data collection, and this inevitably involves the researcher’s self or subjectivity in the fieldwork (McNamee 2005). Some ethnographic researchers in sports used their own embodied sporting experiences to produce a range of thorough ethnographies or self-narratives regarding various sporting and physical activities (Sparkes 2000). Wacquant (2004) described sport as an embodied practice and in

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.