Writer’s Journal #13 – Practicing Ethnography
OVERVIEW Developing an “ethnographic eye” (learning to read spaces like an ethnographer) is a skill that ethnographers develop over a lifetime. Like all skills, practicing to see with an “ethnographic eye” makes one better at observing the world in this way. DIRECTIONS In this Writer’s Journal, you will begin to develop an “ethnographic eye.” In order to do so, please complete the following activities and respond to the questions for each activity: - Select a space: Identify a public space in your community that you often frequent (e.g., a market, a park, a shopping mall, a restaurant, coffee shop, university/college). Take your research notebook and visit that space. Your purpose is to merely observe objects, actions, and language used in this space. - Read the space: What do you notice? Who is present? Who is absent? What language is spoken? What characteristics do you notice about the people in the space (gender, age, dress)? What objects are in the space? How are they used? Are there flags, statues, books, technology? Only write what you can see. Try not to make any value judgments. Description is the object of this practice exercise. - Analyze the Space: Who is not allowed in the space and why? What does the dress of the people “say” about them? Why do they use the space in the particular ways you observed? Who would likely feel uncomfortable in the space? Who would stand out in this environment? Who would blend in in this environment? Why? What cultural values are represented in the objects, people, and/or purpose of the space? What story does this space tell about your culture or community? Be sure to be as detailed and thorough as possible, and use examples to help explain your responses. Space: A kids' playground in my apartment complex 1) Who is not allowed in the space and why? As the place is in the apartment complex, the place is open to residents only. Yet, there is no walls or fence around the place. 2) What does the dress of the people “say” about them? People are wearing casual, training pants and ball caps, easy t shirts and jeans, and leggings, etc. 3) Why do they use the space in the particular ways you observed? Parents or babysitters with kids. Adults are watching their kids playing absent mindedly and kids are doing their duty : playing. 4) Who would likely feel uncomfortable in the space? A few daddies who apparently do not seem to have many babysitting experience before. 5) Who would stand out in this environment? No one stands out while I am observing. 6) Who would blend in in this environment? Why? Kids. This place is built for their fun. 7) What cultural values are represented in the objects, people, and/or purpose of the space? What story does this space tell about your culture or community? I can think of many cultural values and stories as I can see there are patterns in the people who are babysitting kids. The majority of residents are young double income family with one or two kids so that grandparents or babysitters are taking care of kids during weekdays. On the other hand, busy parents are taking care of kids during weekends. I could observe many fathers spending precious weekends with their kids in the playground. In addition, I could see a plenty of mothers gathered and exchanging kids related information.
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저자자신에 대한 소개를 작성하십시오. 화려할 필요는 없습니다. 간단해 개요 정도면 됩니다. 아카이브
November 2017
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