Professor Ann Marie Leshkowich
Beaven 230 and Fenwick 116
508-793-2788
aleshkow@holycross.edu
Office Hours:
Monday 4:15-5:00pm (in person, Beaven 230)
Tuesday 9:00-10:30am (via Zoom, link available via Moodle)
Wednesday 2:00-3:00pm and 4:15-5:00pm (in person, Beaven 230)
Other times by appointment

 

Course Description

Anthropological research methods -- participant observation, ethnographic fieldwork, thick description -- are perhaps what most distinguish anthropology from other fields of study. These methods are often highly personal, as each researcher develops particular relationships and perspectives that profoundly shape fieldwork and the conclusions to be drawn from it. Because of this, anthropologists have often thought that methods couldn't be taught. Training to be an anthropologist consisted of studying other people's ethnographies, formulating your own research questions, and then going to "the field" to find out what you could about those questions. One could only learn how to do research by doing research, the conventional wisdom held, so why bother teaching it? You went to the field, dove into your project, and either sank or swam. If you swam, you came back and were treated by your professors as a full-fledged anthropologist; you had survived the rite of initiation and would now tell your own students that the only way to learn anthropology was to do it on your own.

This course takes a different approach. While anthropological research is best learned by doing, there is absolutely no reason why one needs to do this alone. Our shared goal for this semester is for you to learn how to do anthropological research step-by-step through different ethnographic research exercises. We'll consider how one formulates research questions through conducting preliminary fieldwork and engaging with relevant scholarship. We'll talk about how one builds relationships in the fieldsite(s) and explore the scholarly and ethical dilemmas that accompany fieldwork. You'll learn and practice a variety of methodological techniques in different contexts, including participant observation, various forms of interviewing, diaries, use of documents, autoethnography, and social media. Working both individually and with a research group, you'll produce a proposal for ethnographic research that places your topic in dialogue with relevant scholarly literature, states your central questions, and identifies specific methods to address them. Your research group will present your proposal at the College-wide Academic Conference on Wednesday, April 27. By the end of the semester, you will be well on your way to becoming an anthropologist.

In addition to formulating and discussing research projects, we will read a variety of ethnographic texts to evaluate the approaches to research and writing that anthropologists have commonly used. While we will focus on what the authors argue, much like in any anthropology class, our reading will also be guided by questions of how they did what they did: How did they position themselves in a scholarly conversation? What methods did they employ? How did they organize and structure their presentation of evidence and analysis in written or visual form?

 

Learning Objectives

Students completing this seminar in ethnographic field methods will be able to:
(1) Identify the different ways that culture has been defined and used by anthropologists to analyze social phenomena;
(2) Conduct ethnographic research from a culturally relativist perspective that recognizes that no one worldview should be the norm from which others are judged;
(3) Think beyond individualistic explanations to interpret specific human experiences in their social, political, economic, and historical contexts;
(4) Critically read and interpret anthropological studies;
(5) Formulate productive research questions within anthropological frameworks of understanding;
(6) Use ethnographic research methods, especially participant observation and interviewing, to address theoretical questions.

 

Class meetings

The first three class sessions (1/26, 1/31, and 2/2) will be held synchronously via Zoom. For class on 1/26 and 2/2, use the link associated with this class and sent to you via a Google calendar invitation. The link is also available on the Moodle site for the course. For class on 1/31, we will attend a public Zoom lecture at the link provided on the syllabus below. Unless otherwise announced, all other class sessions will be held in person. The class meets two times per week and follows a seminar format. Students will be expected to attend class meetings (attendance will be taken), to complete the readings and writing assignments as scheduled on the syllabus, to come to class prepared to engage in a focused discussion of the issues raised by the readings, and to report on your own fieldwork exercises.

 

Course Requirements

This course focuses on building your analytical and methodological skills as an anthropologist. Like other skills, ethnographic research skills are best learned through practice. Learning them involves taking risks, getting feedback from others, failing to achieve your goals, and trying again and again. Conventional grading, in which everything you do receives a grade based on its quality, focuses less on practice, and more on product. It assesses how well you do each specific task asked of you. As a result, you can easily find yourself focusing on doing everything perfectly. But is that how you best learn? Think about some of the other things you've learned how to do, such as play an instrument, cook, or play a sport. Were you given grades on each step that you took to learn those things? If you had received grades, would you have found that encouraging or discouraging? If we think of skills in research and analysis as something that one builds over time through practice and effort, does it make sense to assign a grade to every step along the way?

My answer to the final question in the paragraph above is, "No." In this course, all of us are going to focus on process and practice, rather than product. Your grade in this course will be determined through a contract, outlined below, that reflects the amount of work that you do and whether that work meets the expectations outlined for the assignment. The different activities in the course offer points that will determine your grade. A maximum of 22 points may be earned by completing different activities and meeting expectations for them. While I as your professor ultimately determine the terms of this contract, you can request that we collectively revise it as the semester unfolds.

1. Assignments on Reading and Fieldwork Exercises (Maximum 8 points)

Throughout the semester, you will submit two-part writing assignments on the readings and a fieldwork activity inspired by it. The reading portion (Part 1) will be due prior to class discussion of the readings on a Wednesday. The fieldwork portion (Part 2) will be due prior to class the following Monday.

Points (up to 8)
Each assignment (Part 1 and Part 2 together) is worth one point. You are expected to complete and meet expectations for a minimum of 6 (out of 8) assignments.

"Complete" means that you have submitted both parts of the assignment (i.e., reading and fieldwork) by the due dates. Extensions will not ordinarily be granted. You will have answered all questions or completed all steps for both portions of the assignment. Partial credit will not be provided; if you complete the reading portion, but not the fieldwork portion, you will not receive credit for the assignment.

To "meet expectations," you need to address all the questions posed by the assignment thoughtfully and substantively. To meet expectations for reading portions, your assignment needs to demonstrate that you are engaging in a dialogue with the reading. The specific steps of each assignment will help to structure that dialogue. You will be asked to identify and summarize important ideas, provide details or examples from the reading to support your statements, elaborate upon your ideas to explore their implications, apply ideas from the reading to your own experience or research contexts, raise questions about the reading, identify things you aren't sure you understand, or explain the particular methods the author used. To meet expectations for fieldwork portions, you need to complete all the steps in the fieldwork assignment, provide documentation of your fieldwork activities, answer the assigned questions to analyze the fieldwork experience, and do so clearly and substantively.

Two Revision Opportunities: If you submit an assignment that does not meet expectations, you will be given the opportunity to revise it within one week of receiving feedback on it. You may have two revision opportunities over the course of the semester. If you have already used those two revision opportunities, an assignment that does not meet expectations will not receive credit. (If there are circumstances that prevent you from completing work as assigned, please let me know so that we can figure something out.)

Extra points: If you submit more than the required 6 assignments, you will receive one additional point per assignment that meets expectations, up to the maximum of 8 points.

Point deductions: If you do not complete 6 assignments that meet expectations, one point will be deducted for each uncompleted assignment. For example, if you complete 5 assignments that meet expectations, you will receive 5 points, but lose 1 for not completing a 6th assignment = 4 points total.

2. Class Discussion and Participation (Maximum 3 points)

This seminar promotes an active approach to learning. Not only are you required to attend all class meetings, but you will also be expected to engage actively in group discussions in ways which demonstrate your critical reflection on the readings and ethnographic fieldwork exercises. You will also be expected to provide feedback on classmates' research.

Mask policy: With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, class discussion and participation includes proper observance of masking policies, as determined by the College and your professor. On January 7, 2022, President Rougeau announced, "All students, faculty, staff and visitors will be expected to wear surgical-style masks, KN95, KF94 or N95 masks." Unmasked or persistently improperly masked students will be asked to leave the classroom. Improper wearing of masks will be considered disruptive behavior and will ultimately result in the loss of points for attendance and/or quality of participation. To assist in proper wearing of masks, this class has a no eating and no drinking policy. Finally, even if the College mask mandate is lifted, proper wearing of masks will be required in this class until further notice.

Points (up to 3)
Attendance: 1 point for having no more than 3 unexcused absences
Quality of participation: 1 point for attentive, regular participation in all classes attended; active and engaged participation in some classes
2 points for attentive, regular participation in all classes attended; active and engaged participation in most classes

3. Research Group Project (Maximum 5 points)

Throughout the semester, you will be part of a research group that will choose a topic to study, review relevant scholarship on that topic, present your proposed research topic at the Academic Conference (April 27), and submit a complete draft of a research proposal (May 6).

Points (5)
Participation in all aspects of the research group project is expected and is worth 5 points. Each phase of the project will also require that the group describe how you approached your shared work. Not participating fully in the group project may result in a loss of points. But, don't worry, if things seem in danger of going off track, we will meet to discuss the situation and address it right away.

4. Peer review (Maximum 1 point)

An important part of learning is getting feedback from multiple sources. Learning how to give constructive feedback on others' research is also central to the scholarly process. On May 2 (M) and May 9 (M), you will provide written feedback and discuss with peers their group project presentations and drafts of their portfolio essays.

Points (1 or -1)
1 point for meeting expectations
-1 point for not completing this assignment

5. Portfolio (Optional) (Maximum 5 points)

Anthropologists typically employ multiple methods in their research. The goal of the portfolio is for you to integrate what you've learned across different fieldwork activities. The possible components of your portfolio are 1-3 revised fieldwork assignments and a 3-5 page essay in which you reflect on what you learned through each assignment and from considering them together. You may choose to submit only 1-3 revised fieldwork assignments or 1-3 revised fieldwork assignments AND the reflective essay. You cannot submit only the reflective essay. The portfolio is due by 5:00 pm on Wednesday, May 18.

Tip #1: Focus your fieldwork exercises on similar topics, locations, or people in order to aid you in creating a portfolio.

Tip #2: Don't procrastinate! Although the portfolio is due at the end of the semester, do not wait until then to work on it. Take some time at the start of the semester to think about your goals in terms of a grade and what your portfolio would need to contain as a result. If, for example, you plan to submit 2 revised fieldwork assignments, you could work on the revisions for those assignments at any point after you receive feedback. The same goes for the reflective essay: if you plan to submit it, you can start thinking about and drafting it earlier in the semester.

Points (up to 5)
Fieldwork exercise revisions: 1 point (up to 3) for each revised exercise that meets the expectations for revision.
Reflective essay: 1 point for meeting expectations; 2 points for exceeding them.

Course Grades will be determined as follows:

20-22 points = A
18-19 points = A-
16-17 points = B+
15 points = B
14 points = B-
13 points = C+
12 points = C
11 points = C-
10 points = D+
9 points = D
8 points or below = F

NOTE: As the semester proceeds, if we find that the terms of the grading scheme need to be reconfigured, we will discuss them as a class.

 

Diversity and Inclusion

Our diversity is a strength that is critical to the educational mission of the College of the Holy Cross overall and to this class in particular. In joining this community, we have each committed to building an inclusive and respectful environment for all. Dimensions of diversity can include sex, race, age, national origin, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, intellectual and physical ability, sexual orientation, income, faith and non-faith perspectives, socio-economic class, political ideology, education, primary language, family status, cognitive style, and communication style. The individual intersection of these experiences and characteristics must be valued in our community; doing so is also central to anthropological inquiry.

On-campus resources related to diversity, equity and inclusion include:
Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Office of Multicultural Education

 

Accessibility Resources and Requests for Reasonable Academic Accommodations

The College of the Holy Cross is committed "to providing students with disabilities equal access to the educational opportunities and programs available at Holy Cross in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 as amended, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and Massachusetts laws." (https://catalog.holycross.edu/requirements-policies/academic-policies/#coursepoliciestext).

Any student who feels the need for accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the Office of Accessibility Services to discuss support services available. Once the office receives documentation supporting the request for accommodation, the student would meet privately with Accessibility Services to discuss reasonable and appropriate accommodations. The office can be reached by calling 508-793-3693. Students can also consult the "Remote Environment Accommodations" page.

If you are already registered with Accessibility Services, please be sure to get your accommodation letter and deliver it to me in a timely fashion. If you encounter any barriers to your learning, please let me know immediately so that we can determine together what steps to take. These may include changing an aspect of the course design or accessing additional campus resources. I am always happy to consider creative solutions as long as they do not compromise the intent of the assignment or learning activity. I welcome feedback that will assist me in improving the usability and learning experience of this course for all students.

 

Holy Cross Academic Resources
Academic Services and Learning Resources
Center for Writing
Writers' Workshop
Class Deans
Library

 

Holy Cross Student Support Resources
I recognize the additional challenges the pandemic has created. Please know that confidential support is available on and off campus.

Sources of Help at Holy Cross (developed by, and shared with the permission of, Professor Scott Malia)
Students experiencing personal distress or a crisis while at Holy Cross should know that assistance is always available. Depending on personal preference, students may:

Call or visit the Counseling Center
The Counseling Center provides confidential assistance to students who have a wide range of problems or concerns, such as stress, adjustment difficulties, grief, relationship problems, anxiety, and depression. Students can make an appointment by calling (508-793-3363) or stopping by Hogan 207, Monday-Friday from 9:00am-12:00pm and 1:00pm-5:00pm. For psychological crises necessitating assistance the same day, students can access Urgent Care Monday-Friday at 10:00am and 3:00pm. These are in-person meetings, requiring the proper use of masks, and may be scheduled by calling 508-793-3363. For psychological crises that occur when the Counseling Center is closed, an on-call crisis counselor can be reached by calling 855-418-7282. For mental health emergencies on campus, call Public Safety at 508-793-2222. For mental health emergencies off campus, call 911.

Call or visit the Office of the College Chaplains
The office provides pastoral counseling and conversation for any issues of concern to students. All discussions are confidential. The office is located in Campion House. Students may call (508-793-2448) or come in to make an appointment on weekdays from 8:30am to 5:00pm. Campion House does remain open as a place to study or relax until 10:00pm Monday-Friday and re-opens on Sundays from 12:00pm-10:00pm. Should you need to speak to a Chaplain during the evening or on a weekend, please call Public Safety and they can assist you in reaching one.

Call or visit Health Services
Health Services is conveniently located on campus in Loyola and provides urgent care, limited primary care, and specialty referrals to providers in the community. All discussions and treatment of medical conditions are confidential. The office is located in Loyola Hall. Office Hours are Monday-Friday 9:00 am-12:00 pm & 1:00 pm– 5:00 pm. Appointments can be made by calling 508-793-2276. After hours, there is an on-call physician available at 508-334-8830 for urgent needs. Call Public Safety for on campus medical emergencies at 508-793-2222.

Call or visit the Residence Life & Housing Office
The Residence Life & Housing staff members work with RAs to provide an atmosphere in the residence halls conducive to academic and personal growth. The office coordinates all residential aspects of the campus. The office is located in Hogan 122; or call 508-793-2411. Evening and weekend accessibility to a professional staff member on call is available by calling Public Safety (508-793-2222). RAs are on duty seven nights a week.

Talk to a Class Dean
Your Class Deans are here to assist you in multiple ways, including getting you connected to available supports on campus. To schedule an appointment, call 508-793-2532.

Talk to Resident Assistants
Resident Assistants are readily accessible in each residence hall and are capable of quickly directing students to appropriate campus resources.

Talk to Peer Educators
Peer educators are available to provide information and referral sources on topics related to their respective organizations. Peer educator organizations include: Counseling Outreach Peer Educators (COPE), Relationship Peer Educators (RPE), Multicultural Peer Educators (MPE), Students for Responsible Choices (SRC), Student Health Awareness Peer Educators (SHAPE), and Disability Rights, Education, Activism and Mentoring Peer Educators (DREAM).

Refer to the Title IX Office
The College is committed to providing an environment of wellbeing, learning, and accountability for its members by preventing the occurrence of sexual misconduct and addressing its effects. For an appointment, please email: TitleIX@holycross.edu or call 508-793-3336.

In the evenings or in case of an emergency, students should:
-Contact a Resident Assistant or call Public Safety (508-793-2222). They will direct students to the appropriate form of assistance.
-In the case of a medical emergency on campus, students should contact Public Safety (508-793-2222).
-For emergencies off campus, call 911.

Some Off-Campus Hotline Telephone Services
-National Suicide Prevention Lifeline; Call 1800-273-TALK (8255)
-Suicide, Despair, Loneliness; The Samaritans; Call or Text 1-877-870-4673 or access Lifeline Crisis Chat
-Rape, Sexual Assault; Pathways for Change; Call 1-800-870-5905
-Relationship Abuse; Daybreak Domestic Violence Services; Call 508-755-9030; 24 Hour Chat line
These services are staffed 24 hours a day by trained individuals. They provide information and telephone support to those in crisis as well as to friends seeking advice on how to help.

 

Student Emergency Aid
College resources are available to help students who face an unforeseen emergency or have financial barriers that hinder their ability to be academically successful. To request support, please complete this form: Student Emergency Aid.

 

Academic Integrity

In coming to Holy Cross, students and faculty have joined an intellectual community dedicated to learning together through the open exchange of ideas. For us to feel comfortable sharing our perspectives, we need to be confident that our ideas will be respected as our own. All of us share responsibility for creating an environment conducive to open exchange by holding to principles of trust, integrity, and honesty. Academic dishonesty, including plagiarism, fabrication, cheating, and collusion, violates these fundamental principles. As a student, you are responsible for reading and knowing the College Policy on Academic Integrity, as stated in the College Catalog and available here: https://catalog.holycross.edu/requirements-policies/academic-policies/#academicintegritytext. As your professor, I am available to help you understand this policy and to guide you in following appropriate methods of research and citation.

This class adheres to a zero-tolerance policy for academic dishonesty. Any work that, upon investigation, is found to violate the College policy will receive no credit and a report will be submitted to the College administration.

 

Attendance Policy

Students are expected to attend class regularly and to fulfill all obligations of the course, including proper masking, as outlined on this syllabus and discussed during class. Students should also read and abide by the College's Attendance and Excused Absence Policies.

The ongoing pandemic and our mutual responsibilities to each other mean that all of us must exercise caution and flexibility to protect the health of all members of our community. With this general principle in mind, if you need to miss class for health reasons, please communicate that to me as soon as possible. We will make arrangements so that you can keep up with the work in the class in ways that will support your learning, including participation via Zoom, meeting with your professor in person or on Zoom, or engaging in an asynchronous activity. If I as your professor need to miss class for health or safety reasons, I will let you know as soon as possible what alternative arrangements we will make. As a learning community, we will check in throughout the semester about how things are going.

 

Discussion as a Way of Learning (developed by, and shared with the permission of, Professor Daina Cheyenne Harvey)

This course is designed not only to engage substantive material, but also to complement your education here at Holy Cross and to prepare you to contribute to discussions outside of college. The benefits of participation in a discussion include:
-Studies show students learn as much from their peers as from professors.
-Discussion helps increase awareness of and respect for diverse opinions and ideas.
-Discussion forces you to more fully develop your ideas.
-Discussion encourages you to listen to others and to be more empathetic.
-Studies show students learn more from talking than from simply listening.
-Perhaps most importantly, discussion promotes co-ownership of the course and material.

We will critically discuss readings and fieldwork activities each week. You are free to voice your educated opinion, but you should respect the right of others to do so as well. As all knowledge is socially constructed, it is our job to examine the construction process. To do so we must be open to examining taken-for-granted assumptions we have about a multitude of ideas, decisions, actions, etc. This will require us to rethink, question, argue, counter-argue, rebut, and often question again. An essential tool for discussion is mental flexibility. You will have to consider viewpoints or ideas that are sometimes antithetical to your own and be flexible enough to adjust your views if necessary. At the very least we should be able to agree to disagree.

 

Electronic Devices

The intellectual community that this class seeks to foster requires that you be an active participant and careful listener. Employed judiciously, technology can enhance our ability to learn interactively through having a wealth of knowledge and perspectives at our fingertips. Whether we meet online or in person, use of computers, tablets, and/or smartphones will be crucial to our work together. You must, however, use these devices in a way that facilitates the learning objectives of the class by allowing you to contribute actively and substantively to discussions and activities. For example, while laptops can be useful for taking notes, scholarly studies suggest that handwritten notes, when and if possible, better promote active learning and retention. During class, you may not use devices to check email, monitor social media, or engage in any kind of interaction unrelated to class.

 

Recording of Classes

Consistent with applicable federal and state law, this course may be video/audio recorded as an accommodation only with permission from the Office of Accessibility Services. If you receive permission to record classes as an accommodation arranged through the Office of Accessibility Services, please work with me and with the office to make sure that such recording meets the requirements of Massachusetts law.

 

Confidentiality and Mandatory Reporting

As an instructor, one of my responsibilities is to help create a safe learning environment on our campus. It is my goal that you feel able to share information related to your life experiences in classroom discussions, in your written work, and in our one-on-one meetings. As researchers, we are all ethically required to keep such information confidential. As a professor, however, I also have a mandatory reporting responsibility. Any information that you disclose that addresses sexual misconduct or relates to a prior suicide attempt or an intention to attempt suicide requires my sharing that information with those on campus who are able to provide you with necessary resources.

Following the College's Sexual Misconduct Policy, I will share information about sexual misconduct with the College's Office of Title IX Initiatives. If you would to talk to Title IX directly, they can be reached at 508-793-3336 or titleix@holycross.edu. For more information, please visit https://www.holycross.edu/office-title-ix-and-equal-opportunity. If you would like to discuss the matter confidentially, the following confidential resources are available to you: the Chaplains' Office, 508-793-2448; Counseling Center, 508-793-3363; Health Services, 508-793-2276.

Following the College's Suicide Protocol, if you disclose a prior suicide attempt or an intention or plan to attempt suicide, I will share that information with the Chair of our student CARE Team, who will engage in appropriate outreach.

 

Office Hours

My office hours are listed at the top of this syllabus, and I encourage you to visit with me during the semester. Please note that office hours occasionally must be changed due to meetings or other commitments related to my role as Dean of the Faculty. I will announce such changes in class or by email. Office hours are first come, first served and are a great chance to discuss specific issues arising from the course, as well as to exchange more general insights and chat about experiences from your studies or my research. Tuesday morning office hours will be via Zoom; the link is available on the course Moodle site. If you need to meet with me outside of office hours, please email me to set up an appointment.

 

Course Website (http://college.holycross.edu/faculty/aleshkow/methods/methods.html)

Here's where you'll find the course syllabus and links to assignments.

 

Course Google Drive (https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1VfRSBjEBbvK5C0cDVexupWQlu4mJnIh6?usp=sharing)

Here's where you'll find detailed information about all course assignments and discussion activities. Google Drive is also the location in which we will conduct the work of the class, from submitting and providing feedback on assignments, to working on your group project, to taking notes during discussion activities. Access to the course Google Drive is restricted to enrolled students only.

 

Course Moodle Site (https://lms.holycross.edu/hcmoodle/course/view.php?id=19959)

Here's where you'll find links for Zoom class sessions and office hours, as well as readings that are not available via Dinand Library. Access is restricted to enrolled students only.

 

Course Library Guide (https://libguides.holycross.edu/anth310)

This page serves as a convenient portal to databases and journals in anthropology.

 

Professor Leshkowich's Homepage http://college.holycross.edu/faculty/aleshkow/homepage.html

 

Readings

It is expected that you will have access to assigned readings in order to achieve academic success. None of the readings for this class require you to spend money. For articles, full bibliographic citations are provided on the syllabus. You will be expected to locate the article and download it via the Holy Cross library website. The reason for this is that scholars are increasingly asked to provide evidence of the impact of their work. If each of you downloads or views each article you read directly, authors can gain more accurate measure of the audience for their work. If a reading is not available via the library database or via a link on this syllabus, I will post it to the Readings section of Moodle. In addition, your research group will need to create a bibliography of readings for your project. Some of the texts important for your research may need to be acquired through interlibrary loan. Be sure to plan ahead so that you can receive these texts in a timely fashion. If accessing necessary materials poses any problems, please consult with me as soon as possible!

 

Course Schedule

 

OVERVIEW: DOING ANTHROPOLOGY

January 26 (W)
Course structure
View in Class: MIT fieldwork video (https://techtv.mit.edu/videos/315-doing-anthropology)
Research Group: Between now and Monday, February 7, convene a group meeting to pick your research topic from the following: Campus community, religion, art, consumption (clothing, food), social media. Each topic can be explored through consideration of dynamics of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and/or class. Be prepared to discuss your ideas in class on February 7 (M).

January 31 (M)
Attend Zoom lecture: Jafari S. Allen, "The Anthropology of 'What is Utterly Precious': Black Gay Habits of Mind and the Ends of Ethnography," Hosted by Harvard University. Zoom Link (Password: 716427)
Reading: Allen, Jafari S. 2022. "An Invitation" and "Introduction: Pastness Is a Position" in There's a Disco Ball between Us: A Theory of Black Gay Life. Durham and London: Duke University Press (Moodle).
Writing: As you read, begin to answer the questions on the reading assignment due on February 2 (W).

February 2 (W)
Discussion of Allen reading/lecture and Holmes reading. What is participant observation? What are fieldnotes?
Reading: Holmes, Seth M. 2013. "Introduction: 'Worth Risking Your Life?'" in Fresh Fruit, Broken Bodies: Migrant Farmworkers in the United States. Berkeley: University of California Press (ebook available through Dinand Library; read introduction only).
Writing: Assignment 1 (Field Notes): Reading portion due before class on February 2.

February 7 (M)
Discussion of participant observation and fieldnotes exercise.
Writing: Assignment 1 (Field Notes): Fieldwork portion due before class on February 7.
Research Group: Be prepared to discuss your research group's project ideas in class on February 7.

February 9 (W) and February 14 (M)
Vignettes, Theory, Positionality
Reading: Jarrin, Alvaro. 2017. "Introduction: The Biopolitical and Affective Dimensions of Beauty." In The Biopolitics of Beauty: Cosmetic Citizenship and Affective Capital in Brazil. Berkeley: University of California Press, pp. 1-27. (ebook available through Dinand Library; read introduction only)
Class activity: Discussion with Professor Alvaro Jarrin (February 9)
Vignette Peer Review (February 14)
Writing: Assignment 2 (Vignette): Reading portion due before class on February 9. Fieldwork portion due before class on February 14.
Research Group: Make an appointment to meet as a group with Prof. Leshkowich during office hours on February 14, 15, or 16.

 

CULTURE AS TEXT: EVENT ANALYSIS

February 16 (W) and February 21 (M)
Reading: Geertz, Clifford. 2005 [1972]. "Deep Play: Notes on the Balinese Fight." Daedalus 134 (4): 56-86. (Dinand Library)
Writing: Assignment 3 (Culture as Text): Reading portion due before class on February 16. Fieldwork portion due before class on February 21.
Research Group
1. By February 21, your group should have selected an article from Annual Review of Anthropology that is relevant to your group research project. Please consult with Prof. Leshkowich for assistance in selecting an article. Enter the citation for the article under Step 2 in the document, "Literature Review Article, Abstract, and Annotated Bibliography" in your Group folder.
2. Make an appointment as a group to meet with a research librarian during the week of February 21 or early in the week of February 28.

 

SPATIAL ANALYSIS

February 23 (W) and February 28 (M)
Reading: Basso, Keith H. 1988. "'Speaking with Names': Language and Landscape among the Western Apache." Cultural Anthropology 3 (2): 99-130. (Dinand Library)
Ingold, Tim. 1993. "The Temporality of the Landscape." World Archaeology 25 (2): 152-174. (Dinand Library)
Writing: Assignment 4 (Spatial Analysis): Reading portion due before class on February 23. Fieldwork portion due before class on February 28.

 

RESEARCH GROUP PROJECTS

March 2 (W): Literature Review
Reading: Ganti, Tejaswini. 2014. "Neoliberalism." Annual Review of Anthropology 43: 89-104. (Dinand Library)
Mariner, Kathryn A. 2022. "Citation." Feminist Anthropology, forthcoming. (Online resource: https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/fea2.12074)
Reading and Discussion Questions

March 7 (M) and March 9 (W): No class, Spring Break

March 14 (M): Ethics
Reading: Code of Ethics of the American Anthropological Association (2012)

March 16 (W): Class presentations on Research Group Projects
Writing: Research Group Literature Review, Abstract and Annotated Bibliography due before class on March 16. Detailed instructions for this assignment are located in the folder for each research group.

 

AUTOETHNOGRAPHY, ACTIVISM, PRAXIS, KNOWLEDGE

March 21 (M), March 23 (W), and March 28 (M)
Reading: (for March 21) McClaurin, Irma. 2001. "Theorizing a Black Feminist Self in Anthropology: Toward an Autoethnographic Approach." In Black Feminist Anthropology: Theory, Politics, Praxis, and Poetics, edited by Irma McClaurin. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, pp. 49-76. (Moodle)
(For March 21) Review Allen, Jafari S. 2022. "Invitation" and "Introduction" in There's a Disco Ball between Us: A Theory of Black Gay Life. Durham and London: Duke University Press (Moodle).
(For March 23) Ihmoud, Sarah. (Under Review). "Love is Our Method for Liberation: Kinship, Care and Abolition in Palestinian Feminist Praxis." In Anthropology of White Supremacy, edited by Jemima Pierre, Aisha M. Beliso-De Jesus and Junaid Rana. (Moodle)
(For March 23) Taylor, Janelle S. 2008. "On Recognition, Caring, and Dementia." Medical Anthropology Quarterly 22 (4): 313-335. (Dinand Library)
Class activity: Discussion with Professor Sarah Ihmoud (March 23)
Writing: Assignment 5 (Autoethnography): Reading portion due before class on March 23. Fieldwork portion due before class on March 28.

 

SOCIAL MEDIA

March 30 (W) and April 4 (M)
Reading: Bonilla, Yarimar, and Jonathan Rosa. 2015. "#Ferguson: Digital Protest, Hashtag Ethnography, and the Racial Politics of Social Media in the United States." American Ethnologist 42 (1): 4-17. (Dinand Library)
Jones, Carla. 2017 "Circulating Modesty: The Gendered Afterlives of Networked Images." In "Piety, Celebrity, Sociality: A Forum on Islam and Social Media in Southeast Asia," Martin Slama and Carla Jones, eds., American Ethnologist website, November 8. (online resource: https://americanethnologist.org/features/collections/piety-celebrity-sociality/circulating-modesty)
Writing: Assignment 6 (Social Media): Reading portion due before class on March 30. Fieldwork portion due before class on April 4.

 

DIARIES

April 6 (W) and April 11 (M)
Reading: Kenten, Charlotte. 2010. "Narrating Oneself: Reflections on the Use of Solicited Diaries with Diary Interviews." Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung Social Research 11 (2). (online resource: https://www.qualitative-research.net/index.php/fqs/article/download/1314/2989?inline=1)
Jones, Jeremy L. 2019. "Headless queues: Disorder and disorientation in a Zimbabwean market, 2007-2008." HAU: Journal of Ethnographic Theory 9 (3): 545-564. (online resource: https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdfplus/10.1086/706803)
Class activity: Discussion with Professor Jeremy Jones (April 6)
Writing: Assignment 7 (Diaries): Reading portion due before class on April 6. Fieldwork portion due before class on April 11.

 

DOCUMENTS

April 13 (W)
Reading: Mariner, Kathryn. 2019. "'Who You Are in These Pieces of Paper': Imagining Future Kinship through Auto/Biographical Adoption Documents in the United States." Cultural Anthropology 34 (4): 529-554. (online resource: https://doi.org/10.14506/ca34.4.03)
Optional: Leshkowich, Ann Marie. 2014 "Standardized Forms of Vietnamese Selfhood: An Ethnographic Genealogy of Documentation." American Ethnologist 41 (1): 143-62. (Dinand Library)
Class activity: https://culanth.org/fieldsights/teaching-kinship-as-a-crossroads-with-kathryn-mariner.
Writing: Assignment 8 (Documents): Reading portion due before class on April 13. Class activity portion to be completed in class on April 13.

 

April 18 (M): Easter Break, no class

 

RESEARCH GROUP PRESENTATIONS

April 20 (W) and April 25 (M): Practice Presentations
Research Group: Instructions for Group Presentations on Research Proposals
Portfolio: Please let Prof. Leshkowich know by April 25 if you intend to submit a portfolio consisting of 1-3 revised fieldwork assignments and an optional reflective essay.

April 27 (W): No class, Academic Conference Presentations: 10:00-11:30 AM, Hogan 401

 

PEER REVIEW: PRESENTATIONS AND PORTFOLIOS

May 2 (M): Group Projects
Writing: Peer review of one research project group's presentation due before class on May 2.

May 4 (W): Group Projects
Class session will be used for meetings and work on Group Project Research Proposal
Writing: Draft of at least one revised essay for your portfolio due before class on May 4. Portfolio drafts will be shared with a peer by 5:00pm on May 4.

Group Project Research Proposal due Friday, May 6 by 5:00pm.

May 9 (M): Portfolio
Writing: Peer review of a classmate's portfolio due before class on May 9.

Portfolio due Wednesday, May 18 by 5:00pm.

 

For more information, contact:  aleshkow@holycross.edu