Ethnographic Fieldwork II
Code: 107247Credits: 6
| Degree programme | Type | Course |
|---|---|---|
| Social and Cultural Anthropology | OB | 3 |
Contact lecturer
- Name :
- Beatriz Ballestin Gonzalez
- Email :
- beatriz.ballestin@uab.cat
Teaching staff
- Daniel Ahmed Fernandez Garcia
- Virginia Fons Renaudon
Group languages
You can consult this information at the end of the document.
Prerequisites
According to the 2023 Curriculum, students must have previously taken the following courses (without the requirement of having passed them): Ethnographic Fieldwork I (second year, first semester); Epistemology and Research Methods in Social and Cultural Anthropology (second year, second semester); Research Techniques in Social and Cultural Anthropology (third year, first semester).
Objectives
Ethnographic Fieldwork II is the fourth course in a four-course research sequence delivered over the second and third years of the Bachelor's Degree. This sequence culminates in the Bachelor's Thesis (Final Degree Project), which is completed in the fourth year.
The objectives of the course are:
-To consolidate and complete, through the continuation of a prospective fieldwork project initiated in Ethnographic Fieldwork I, a first-hand understanding of the advantages, potential, limitations, and risks associated with classical ethnographic fieldwork.
-To develop practical skills in designing data collection instruments and applying the various techniques involved in ethnographic fieldwork, with particular emphasis on qualitative interviewing in its different forms (in-depth and semi-structured interviews), given their central role in ethnographic research alongside participant observation.
-To collect, through these techniques, the data required to address the research questions and objectives established in the Research Techniques in Social and Cultural Anthropology course, as well as to test the hypothesis developed from a methodological and technical perspective throughout the research sequence. These data will subsequently be analysed in the Bachelor's Thesis (Final Degree Project).
Learning outcomes
- CM15 (Act with ethical responsibility and respect for basic rights and responsibilities, diversity and democratic values in professional activity.) Act with ethical responsibility and respect for basic rights and responsibilities, diversity and democratic values in professional activity.
- CM16 (Apply knowledge of cultural variability, principles, values and procedures that govern the discipline in order to avoid ethnocentric, sexist or discriminatory projections when carrying out fieldwork in anthropology.) Apply knowledge of cultural variability, principles, values and procedures that govern the discipline in order to avoid ethnocentric, sexist or discriminatory projections when carrying out fieldwork in anthropology.
- CM17 (Carry out ethnographic research, selecting and handling the appropriate techniques for each research design.) Carry out ethnographic research, selecting and handling the appropriate techniques for each research design.
- CM18 (Autonomously produce anthropological research, using appropriate procedures, techniques and instrumental resources.) Autonomously produce anthropological research, using appropriate procedures, techniques and instrumental resources.
- KM19 (Recognise the most relevant methodological and technical and instrumental resources procedures for ethnographic field work and empirical research in diverse contexts.) Recognise the most relevant methodological and technical and instrumental resources procedures for ethnographic field work and empirical research in diverse contexts.
- SM26 (Use specific tools and technologies to carry out anthropological and multidisciplinary research, adapted to the situation of each group.) Use specific tools and technologies to carry out anthropological and multidisciplinary research, adapted to the situation of each group.
Contents
The course objectives will be achieved progressively through the successive development of research instruments (interview guides and protocols) and the collection of data by applying each of the selected research techniques in accordance with the technical research design. The course will conclude with a preliminary descriptive analysis of all the data collected through triangulation, which will serve as the starting point for the Bachelor's Thesis (Final Degree Project), where the interpretation of the findings will be further developed.
The course will address the following aspects:
-Qualitative interviews with varying degrees of structure and depth: design of data collection instruments based on the previously completed operationalization; critical revision of these instruments; conducting the interviews; transcription of at least two interviews; and preliminary analysis.
-Focused participant observation as a complementary research technique: conducting several observation sessions aimed at triangulating the information obtained from the interviews. This technique will therefore play a secondary and contextualizing role.
-Application, if appropriate, of other qualitative techniques, such as focus groups.
-Integration of the different research techniques and overall assessment of the information obtained, leading to the initial systematization of the collected data.
-Preparation of a research report including the analysis and reflection on the data, following the prescribed guidelines.
The course will be taught bilingually in Catalan and Spanish.
Learning activities and methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fieldwork: data recording, systematization and continuous analysis, and preparation of the final ethnographic report. | 66 | 2.64 | CM15, CM16, CM17, CM18, KM19, SM26 |
| Supervised one-to-one sessions | 34 | 1.36 | CM15, CM16, CM17, CM18, KM19 |
The teaching methodology is predominantly practical and is based on experiential learning through the development of an individual ethnographic fieldwork project. The course is organized around regular tutorials, conducted individually or in small groups, aimed at providing continuous supervision of the research process. These sessions combine methodological guidance, review of data collection instruments, discussion of the findings obtained, and support in addressing challenges encountered during fieldwork. Students progressively apply a range of qualitative research techniques, primarily in-depth interviews, semi-structured interviews, and focused participant observation, advancing from the design of research instruments to data collection, transcription, coding, triangulation, and an initial analysis of the data. The learning process is based on supervised independent work, continuous feedback from the teaching staff, and the sequential submission of practical assignments, culminating in a final report that will serve as the basis for the Bachelor's Thesis (Final Degree Project).
The teaching methodology and assessment system described in this course guide may be subject to modification in response to restrictions on face-to-face teaching resulting from force majeure circumstances.
Assessment
Continuous assessment activities
| Title | Weight | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practical exercises aimed at applying research techniques and analysing data | 50% | 25 | 1 | CM16, CM17, CM18, KM19, SM26 |
| Compulsory supervision sessions (tutorials) | 10% | 5 | 0.2 | CM15, CM17, CM18, KM19, SM26 |
| Individual work process | 10% | 5 | 0.2 | CM15, CM17, CM18, KM19, SM26 |
| Ethnographic report including preliminary research findings and a review of the research sequence. | 30% | 15 | 0.6 | CM15, CM16, CM17, CM18 |
This course is assessed through continuous assessment and ongoing supervision by the teaching staff during mandatory face-to-face tutorials. Attendance and participation in these tutorials account for 10% of the final grade. Unexcused absences will affect the grade for this assessment component by reducing the attendance mark in proportion to the percentage of mandatory tutorials missed without justification. Excused absences, including those due to illness, will not result in any penalty. Tutorials cannot be reassessed or made up as an independent assessment activity.
The assessment is distributed as follows:
- Attendance and participation in mandatory supervision tutorials: 10%.
- Individual work process: 10%.
- Submission of all written assignments required during the tutorials: 50%.
- Final report: 30%.
Total: 100%.
The practical exercises and the ethnographic report containing preliminary research findings are eligible for reassessment.
Should assessment activities be unable to take place in person, their format will be adapted (while maintaining the same weighting) to the possibilities offered by the UAB's virtual learning environment. Assignments, activities, and class participation will be carried out through forums, wikis, exercise discussions via Microsoft Teams, or other equivalent online tools. The teaching staff will ensure that students are able to access these resources or, where necessary, will provide alternative means within their possibilities.
The student will receive a "Not Assessable" grade if they have completed or submitted assessment activities representing 30% or less of the final grade.
This course does not provide for a single-assessment system.
Plagiarism and the Use of Artificial Intelligence
If a student commits any irregularity that may lead to a significant distortion of the assessment of an evaluation activity, that activity will be graded 0, irrespective of any disciplinary procedures that may be initiated. If multiple irregularities are detected in the assessment activities of the same course, the final grade for the course will be 0.
This course permits the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies exclusively for literature searches, information retrieval, text proofreading, or translation. Any other use requires the prior express authorization of the teaching staff. Students must: (i) identify any parts of their work that have been generated using AI; (ii) specify the AI tools used; and (iii) include a critical reflection on how these tools have influenced both the process and the final outcome of the assignment. Failure to disclose the use of AI in an assessed activity will be considered a breach of academic integrity and will result in a grade of 0 for that activity, with no possibility of reassessment, and may lead to more severe disciplinary sanctions where appropriate.
Bibliography
GENERAL REFERENCES (Please also consult the references used in the course Research Techniques in Social and Cultural Anthropology):
Angrosino, Michael (2012). Etnografía y observación participante en investigación cualitativa. Ediciones Morata.
Atkinson, Paul; Coffey, Amanda; Delamont, Sara; Lofland, John y Lofland, Lyn (2011). Handbook of ethnography. SAGE Publications.
Ballestín, Beatriz y Fàbregues, Sergi (2018). La práctica de la investigación cualitativa en ciencias sociales y de la educación. Editorial UOC.
Bertaux, Daniel (1993 [1980]). "La perspectiva biográfica: validez metodológica y potencialidades". En Marinas, J. M. y Santamarina, C. (eds.), La historia oral: métodos y experiencias (pp. 149-171). Debate.
Cea D'Ancona, María Ángeles (1996). Metodología cuantitativa. Estrategias y técnicas de investigación social (pp. 239-291). Síntesis.
Denzin, Norman K. (1970). "Participant Observation: Varieties and Strategies of the Field Method". En The research act (pp. 185-218). Aldine.
Domínguez Mon, Alba (coord.) (2017). Trabajo de campo etnográfico: Prácticas y saberes. Metodología y técnicas de la investigación de campo. Editorial de la Facultad de Filosofía y Letras, Universidad de Buenos Aires.
Emerson, Robert M.; Fretz, Rachel I. y Shaw, Linda L. (2011). Writing ethnographic fieldnotes (2.ª ed.). University of Chicago Press.
Flick, Uwe (ed.) (2022). The SAGE handbook of qualitative data collection (2.ª ed.). SAGE Publications.
Guber, Rosana (2011). La etnografía: método, campo y reflexividad. Ediciones de la Flor.
Guest, Kenneth J. (2023). Essentials of cultural anthropology: A toolkit for a global age (4.ª ed.). W.W. Norton.
Hammersley, Martyn y Atkinson, Paul (1994a [1983]). "Etnografía. Métodos de investigación" (pp. 121-142). Paidós.
Krueger, Richard A. (1991 [1988]). El grupo de discusión. Guía práctica para la investigación aplicada. Pirámide.
Kvale, Steinar (2011). Las entrevistas en investigación cualitativa. Ediciones Morata.
Lareau, Annette (2021). Listening to people: A practical guide to interviewing, participant observation, data analysis, and writing it all up. University of Chicago Press.
Lofland, John; Anderson, Leon; Snow, David A. y Lofland, Lynn (2008). Analyzing social settings: A guide to qualitative observation and analysis (4.ª ed.). Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
Oehmichen Bazán, Christina (ed.) (2022). La etnografía y el trabajo de campo en las ciencias sociales. Instituto de Investigaciones Antropológicas, UNAM.
Okely, Judith (2012). Anthropological practice: Fieldwork and the ethnographic method. Berg Publishers.
O'Reilly, Karen (2024). Ethnographic methods (2.ª ed.). Routledge.
Bryman, Alan (ed.) Ethnography. Vol. II: Ethnographic Fieldwork Practice (pp. 106-121). Sage.
Peterson, Kristin y Olson, Victoria (2024). The ethnographer's way: A handbook for multidimensional research design. University of California Press.
Roigé, Xavier, Estrada; Ferran y Bertrán, Oriol (1999a). Tècniques d'investigació en antropologia social. Publicacions de la Universitat de Barcelona.
Sampieri, Roberto Hernández; Collado, Carlos y Lucio, Pilar Baptista (2010). Metodología de la investigación (4.ª ed.). McGraw-Hill.
Delgado, Juan Manuel y Gutiérrez, José (coords.) Métodos y técnicas cualitativas de investigación en ciencias
Delgado, Juan Manuel y Gutiérrez, José (coords.) Métodos y técnicas cualitativas de investigación en ciencias sociales (pp. 259-285). Síntesis.
Schensul, Jean J. y LeCompte, Margaret D. (2012). Specialized ethnographic methods: A mixed methods approach (2.ª ed.). AltaMira Press.
Spradley, James P. (1980). "Doing Participant Observation". En Participant Observation (pp. 53-62). Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
Spradley, James P. (2016 [1979]). The ethnographic interview. Waveland Press.
Valles, Miguel S. (1997). En Técnicas cualitativas de investigación social. Reflexión metodológica y práctica profesional (pp. 109-139). Síntesis.
Velasco Maillo, Honorio y Díaz de Rada, Ángel (1997). La lógica de la investigación etnográfica. Trotta.
GENDER PERSPECTIVE:
Ambujam, Meena N. (2021). "Navigating the field: Exploring gendered dimensions of fieldwork". Tsantsa, 26, pp. 186-194.
Cermeno, Juliette; Loizeau, Julie y Dorion, Laurence (2023). "Doing feminist ethnography collectively". En Handbook of feminist research methodologies in management and organization studies (pp. 328-342). Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781800377035.00031
Craven, Christa y Davis, Dána-Ain (2022). Feminist ethnography: Thinking through methodologies, challenges, and possibilities (2.ª ed.). Rowman & Littlefield.
DeVault, Marjorie L. (2018). "Feminist qualitative research: Emerging lines of inquiry". En The SAGE handbook of qualitative research (5.ª ed.).
Hall, Kira y Davis, Jenny L. (2021). "Ethnography and the shifting semiotics of gender and sexuality". En Angouri, J. y Baxter, J. (eds.), The Routledge handbook of language, gender and sexuality (n.º 6, pp. 93-107). Routledge.
Pérez Sanz, Pilar; Quiñimil Vásquez, Daniela; Espinosa-Spínola, María y Gonzálvez Torralbo, Helena (2022). Etnografía y feminismos. Peter Lang Verlag.
Stacey, Judith (1988). "Can there be a feminist ethnography?" Women's Studies International Forum, 11(1), pp. 21-27. https://doi.org/10.1016/0277-5395(88)90004-0
Su, Pei-Ning y Su, Pei-Hsuan (2023). "Discomforting surplus: Gender, sexualization, and omissions in ethnographic fieldwork". Frontiers in Sociology, 8.
Software
Word processing software (e.g., Microsoft Word). Optionally, qualitative data analysis software (e.g., ATLAS.ti, NVivo, etc.).
Course groups and languages
The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE
| Type of teaching | Group | Language | Semester | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (PETNOintern) Pràctiques etnogràfiques (amb supervisió interna) | 99 | Catalan/Spanish | second semester | morning-mixed |