233050 SE Ethnographic methods (2021S)
Continuous assessment of course work
Labels
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).
- Registration is open from Mo 01.02.2021 09:00 to Su 21.02.2021 23:59
- Deregistration possible until Su 21.03.2021 23:59
Details
max. 25 participants
Language: English
Lecturers
Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N
- Tuesday 23.03. 12:00 - 14:00 Digital (Kickoff Class)
- Tuesday 13.04. 12:00 - 14:00 Digital
- Tuesday 20.04. 12:00 - 14:00 Digital
- Tuesday 27.04. 12:00 - 14:00 Digital
- Tuesday 04.05. 12:00 - 14:00 Digital
- Tuesday 11.05. 12:00 - 14:00 Digital
- Tuesday 18.05. 12:00 - 14:00 Digital
- Tuesday 01.06. 12:00 - 14:00 Digital
- Tuesday 08.06. 12:00 - 14:00 Digital
- Tuesday 15.06. 12:00 - 14:00 Digital
Information
Aims, contents and method of the course
This course explores ethnography as an object that changes in practice while performing what it studies. Abandoning traditional and disciplinar understandings of ethnography, the sessions of this course aim at exploring three questions: 1. the potential uses of ethnography beyond the study of the 'ethno', 2. the theoretical (epistemic) and practical implications of engaging with experimental or less conventional forms of ethnography 3. how ethnographers are transformed by the very ethnographic practice. Although we draw on recent empirical and theoretical work on ethnography as an interface between anthropology and STS, our reflections, readings and cases are not limited to these two fields. Hence, our course includes readings reflecting on ethnography as practice, and timely examples of ethnography of documents, digital technologies, affect, fiction, among others.The basic assumption of the course is that ethnography is better understood/embodied/learnt by reading, designing and writing it. Therefore, students are expected to actively engage in the readings of the course and the discussions, propose in groups an ethnographic research project inspired by the contents of the course, and individually write an ethnographic text (considering the practicalities of fieldwork during Covid-19 restrictions) of personal preference.
Assessment and permitted materials
To pass the seminar, students are expected to complete the following tasks:- Active participation in seminars and group work. Students should be prepared to present and discuss
key points from the obligatory readings. Two students will present the obligatory readings at the beginning of each session.- Develop, as part of a group (of 3 students), a research mini-proposal choosing an ethnographic method/object related to the ones discussed in the seminar. Drawing on the materials of the seminars, every group must develop a concise, clear and feasible ethnographic research mini-proposal specifying the research questions, theoretical framework, ethnographic method, ethical considerations, potential sites, practices, objects or cases. This research mini-proposal must be presented in the last session (see dates in session information). A 3700-4000 words summary of the proposal must be submitted via Moodle by June 9, 2021.- Submit a 3200-3500-word individual assignment consisting of writing an original piece of ethnographic work choosing between a) autoethnography or b) digital ethnography c) ethnography of documents (or other that you discuss in advance with the course leader) with images, videos or audios. The use and relevance of references and in this ethnographic piece is an important part of the assessment. The submission date of this assignment via Moodle is June 11, 2021.
key points from the obligatory readings. Two students will present the obligatory readings at the beginning of each session.- Develop, as part of a group (of 3 students), a research mini-proposal choosing an ethnographic method/object related to the ones discussed in the seminar. Drawing on the materials of the seminars, every group must develop a concise, clear and feasible ethnographic research mini-proposal specifying the research questions, theoretical framework, ethnographic method, ethical considerations, potential sites, practices, objects or cases. This research mini-proposal must be presented in the last session (see dates in session information). A 3700-4000 words summary of the proposal must be submitted via Moodle by June 9, 2021.- Submit a 3200-3500-word individual assignment consisting of writing an original piece of ethnographic work choosing between a) autoethnography or b) digital ethnography c) ethnography of documents (or other that you discuss in advance with the course leader) with images, videos or audios. The use and relevance of references and in this ethnographic piece is an important part of the assessment. The submission date of this assignment via Moodle is June 11, 2021.
Minimum requirements and assessment criteria
The grading scheme is based on a total of 100 points. These points will be awarded in relation to students’ performance in meeting the course learning aims in the different obligatory tasks.
The maximum number of points to be acquired for each task is:Active seminar participation: 20 points, assessed individually,
feedback by lecturer;
Mini-research proposal: 30 points, assessed as group work,
feedback by lecturer and classmates;
Ethnographic writing: 50 points, assessed individually, feedback on request;Minimum requirements
A minimum of 50 points is necessary to successfully complete the course. Failure to meet the attendance regulations, to deliver course assignments on time or to adhere to standards of academic work may result in a deduction of points.Grades
100-87 points Excellent (1)
86-75 points Good (2)
74-63 points Satisfactory (3)
62-50 points Sufficient (4)
49-0 points Unsatisfactory (5) (fail)Attendance
Presence and participation is compulsory. Absences of four hours at maximum are tolerated, provided that the lecturer is informed about the absence. Absences of up to eight hours in total may be compensated by either a deduction of grading points or/and extra work agreed with the lecturer. Whether compensation is possible is decided by the lecturer.Absences of more than eight hours in total cannot be compensated. In this case, or if the lecturer does not allow a student to compensate absences of more than four hours, the course cannot be completed and is graded as a ‘fail’ (5), unless there is a major and unpredictable reason for not being able to fulfil the attendance requirements on the student’s side (e.g. a longer illness). In such a case, the student may be de-registered from the course without grading. It is the student’s responsibility to communicate this in a timely manner, and to provide relevant evidence to their claims if necessary. Whether this exception applies is decided by the lecturer.Important Grading Information
If not explicitly noted otherwise, all requirements mentioned in the grading scheme and the attendance regulations must be met. If a required task is not fulfilled, e.g. a required assignment is not handed in or if the student does not meet the attendance requirements, this will be considered as a discontinuation of the course. In that case, the course will be graded as ‘fail’ (5), unless there is a major and unpredictable reason for not being able to fulfill the task on the student's side (e.g. a longer illness). In such a case, the student may be de-registered from the course without grading. It is the student’s responsibility to communicate this in a timely manner, and to provide relevant evidence to their claims if necessary. Whether this exception applies is decided by the lecturer.
If any requirement of the course has been fulfilled by fraudulent means, be it for example by cheating at an exam, plagiarizing parts of a written assignment or by faking signatures on an attendance sheet, the student's participation in the course will be discontinued, the entire course will be graded as ‘not assessed’ and will be entered into the electronic exam record as ‘fraudulently obtained’. Self-plagiarism, particularly re-using own work handed in for other courses, will be treated likewise.
The maximum number of points to be acquired for each task is:Active seminar participation: 20 points, assessed individually,
feedback by lecturer;
Mini-research proposal: 30 points, assessed as group work,
feedback by lecturer and classmates;
Ethnographic writing: 50 points, assessed individually, feedback on request;Minimum requirements
A minimum of 50 points is necessary to successfully complete the course. Failure to meet the attendance regulations, to deliver course assignments on time or to adhere to standards of academic work may result in a deduction of points.Grades
100-87 points Excellent (1)
86-75 points Good (2)
74-63 points Satisfactory (3)
62-50 points Sufficient (4)
49-0 points Unsatisfactory (5) (fail)Attendance
Presence and participation is compulsory. Absences of four hours at maximum are tolerated, provided that the lecturer is informed about the absence. Absences of up to eight hours in total may be compensated by either a deduction of grading points or/and extra work agreed with the lecturer. Whether compensation is possible is decided by the lecturer.Absences of more than eight hours in total cannot be compensated. In this case, or if the lecturer does not allow a student to compensate absences of more than four hours, the course cannot be completed and is graded as a ‘fail’ (5), unless there is a major and unpredictable reason for not being able to fulfil the attendance requirements on the student’s side (e.g. a longer illness). In such a case, the student may be de-registered from the course without grading. It is the student’s responsibility to communicate this in a timely manner, and to provide relevant evidence to their claims if necessary. Whether this exception applies is decided by the lecturer.Important Grading Information
If not explicitly noted otherwise, all requirements mentioned in the grading scheme and the attendance regulations must be met. If a required task is not fulfilled, e.g. a required assignment is not handed in or if the student does not meet the attendance requirements, this will be considered as a discontinuation of the course. In that case, the course will be graded as ‘fail’ (5), unless there is a major and unpredictable reason for not being able to fulfill the task on the student's side (e.g. a longer illness). In such a case, the student may be de-registered from the course without grading. It is the student’s responsibility to communicate this in a timely manner, and to provide relevant evidence to their claims if necessary. Whether this exception applies is decided by the lecturer.
If any requirement of the course has been fulfilled by fraudulent means, be it for example by cheating at an exam, plagiarizing parts of a written assignment or by faking signatures on an attendance sheet, the student's participation in the course will be discontinued, the entire course will be graded as ‘not assessed’ and will be entered into the electronic exam record as ‘fraudulently obtained’. Self-plagiarism, particularly re-using own work handed in for other courses, will be treated likewise.
Examination topics
Reading list
Association in the course directory
Last modified: Fr 12.05.2023 00:20