Universität Wien

160145 PS Digital Ethnography (2025S)

6.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 16 - Musikwissenschaft und Sprachwissenschaft
Continuous assessment of course work
Moodle
Mo 28.04. 16:30-18:00 Seminarraum 3 Sensengasse 3a 1.OG

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 40 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Monday 03.03. 16:30 - 18:00 Seminarraum 3 Sensengasse 3a 1.OG
  • Monday 10.03. 16:30 - 18:00 Seminarraum 3 Sensengasse 3a 1.OG
  • Monday 17.03. 16:30 - 18:00 Seminarraum 3 Sensengasse 3a 1.OG
  • Monday 24.03. 16:30 - 18:00 Seminarraum 3 Sensengasse 3a 1.OG
  • Monday 31.03. 16:30 - 18:00 Seminarraum 3 Sensengasse 3a 1.OG
  • Monday 07.04. 16:30 - 18:00 Seminarraum 3 Sensengasse 3a 1.OG
  • Monday 05.05. 16:30 - 18:00 Seminarraum 3 Sensengasse 3a 1.OG
  • Monday 12.05. 16:30 - 18:00 Seminarraum 3 Sensengasse 3a 1.OG
  • Monday 19.05. 16:30 - 18:00 Seminarraum 3 Sensengasse 3a 1.OG
  • Monday 26.05. 16:30 - 18:00 Seminarraum 3 Sensengasse 3a 1.OG
  • Monday 02.06. 16:30 - 18:00 Seminarraum 3 Sensengasse 3a 1.OG
  • Monday 16.06. 16:30 - 18:00 Seminarraum 3 Sensengasse 3a 1.OG
  • Monday 23.06. 16:30 - 18:00 Seminarraum 3 Sensengasse 3a 1.OG
  • Monday 30.06. 16:30 - 18:00 Seminarraum 3 Sensengasse 3a 1.OG

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

Originating in anthropological work, ethnography is a qualitative research approach that allows researchers to gain in-depth understanding of people’s life-worlds from an “insider” perspective. Ethnographic work can be found across disciplines and can rely on various methods, typically including participant observation and communicating/working closely with participants. Linguistic ethnography allows (applied) linguists to examine communicative behavior by systematically examining the communicators’ perspectives.

This course will cover the applications of (linguistic) ethnography in the study of communication via digital media. This approach – digital ethnography – has been gaining ground in the last decades, particularly for studying Internet-based communication. After a more general introduction to linguistic ethnography, in this course we will ask questions like: What does it mean to do “participant observation” in online spaces? Is there a clear division between online and offline methods? How can we study people’s behavior online ethically? We will engage with such questions by examining and discussing both texts on methodology and empirical studies with a digital ethnographic orientation.

The course has two main aims:
a) students should gain an in-depth understanding of the theoretical foundations of (digital) ethnography, including considerations of how social life operates in an online-offline world;
b) students should acquire practical knowledge and hands-on experience on how to design and conduct digital ethnographic studies, familiarizing themselves with established data collection strategies and learning to make informed methodological decisions.

In achieving these two aims for students of the linguistics programme, the course will focus primarily on the relevance of digital ethnographic approaches to (applied) linguistics research, while also problematizing disciplinary labels and promoting an interdisciplinary research ethos.

Practically, the course’s sessions will consist in: a) presentation and discussion of relevant concepts and debates in digital ethnography; b) weekly readings and discussions of theoretical or empirical work; c) students’ own presentations of ideas for a small research project they will conduct for their final paper.

The course will be taught primarily in English, but contributions in German are also welcome.

Assessment and permitted materials

The course will rely on a continues assessment scheme. The students’ final grade will be determined by:

a) their weekly reading and participation in class discussions (10%);
b) their participation in 5-6 forum-style discussions on assigned readings (30%);
c) a final project (60%), which will consist in a final paper (50%) and an early presentation of the students’ chosen topic for the paper (10%). The latter will be done either as a class presentation or a short written exposé, depending on the number of students enrolled in the course.

Detailed information on the course’s assessment scheme can be found on Moodle.

AI tools can be used in students' work as long as the way in which and the purpose for which they were used are both clearly disclosed.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

To pass the course, students need to score a minimum of 51% in the grading scheme outlined above.

Attendance is mandatory with a maximum of 3 absences allowed.

Examination topics

Students will be assessed on the basis of their contributions to the course and their engagement with the material throughout the semester. Student contributions will take the following forms: class discussions; readings; discussion-oriented assignments; preliminary presentation of research plans; final research paper.

Reading list

A full reading list for the course can be found on Moodle.

Association in the course directory

BA-M12
MA2-M3-2

Last modified: Mo 03.02.2025 16:46