ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF ANTHROPOLOGY
ASB 302/583: ETHNOGRAPHIC FIELD STUDY IN MEXICO
 
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OUTLINE
 
INSTRUCTOR:  Dr. Michael Winkelman CREDIT HOURS: ASB 302-(3), ASB 583-(1-7)
INSTRUCTOR'S OFFICE:  TBA OFFICE HOURS: TBA
MEETING TIMES:  8-10:30 a.m.

This course is held on site in Ensenada, B.C. Mexico. The course will be conducted partially in Spanish as part of the cultural immersion process. You are required to complete reading of the three texts before beginning the program and complete the pre-program exam. During the program you will be required to maintain 4 notebooks detailing your activities and experiences. Course requirements include a variety of structured inquiries into local cultural behavior, written descriptions of your experiences, analysis and evaluation of ethnographic evidence, and presentation of findings in class.

Students who are enrolled in this class for the second session will participate in class activities through Monday of the second week and resume the course during the fifth week.

This course is designed to meet several objectives:
1) assist you in adaptation to living in Mexico, particularly in terms of culture shock adaptation and cultural learning;
2) provide instruction in Mexican cultural patterns, particularly family and social life, and their potential conflicts with U.S. cultural patterns; and
3) introduction to basic ethnographic research methods used to learn about other cultures (participant observation and interviewing) and their application to learning about Mexican cultural life.

Course Requirements:
1) Pre-program exam (20%)
2) Class attendance, preparation, and participation, including presentation of findings from assigned research activities (20%)
3) Maintain positive relations with placement family and acceptable social behavior (20%)
4) Maintain field notes (jottings and notes) of your class assignments and activities (20%);
5) Research paper (20%)

Texts:
Condon, J. Good Neighbors. Intercultural Press, Yarmouth, Me. (C)
Crane, J. and M. Angrosino. 1992. Field Projects in Anthropology. Waveland Press: Prospect Heights, Ill. (C&A)

Notebook Assignments for Review
Quien soy; "Quienes son mis familiares?" (in Spanish)
Culture shock adaptation strategies
Proxemics and gestures observations;
Non-verbal communication interviews

Project Components: (at least 5, 6 if no life history): Spatial organization (mapping), proxemics, temporal patterns, sex roles, social roles, personal documentation, cultural history, semantic domains, formal organization, community dynamics

Note on Life History Interview: Two interviews with focal person, initial and follow-up. Focus for research topic primary. Also provide analysis of life chronology, most significant events, exemplification of cultural values, norms and themes; deviation from normative patterns.

Notebooks
- Leave pages in front for index
- Provide pertinent but protective identifying information
- You may add to your jottings information from class and other students which is relevant to your notebook assignments; the source should be identified
- Your Notes write-up of these assignments should be located in contiguous pages as a report integrating and summarizing all of the information available to you on the topic.

ETHNOGRAPHIC FIELD STUDY
LECTURE OUTLINE

Week/Day*
TOPICS
1.0

Orientation on Saturday/Sunday

1.1
Mon

Orientation, Program Philosophy, Objectives, Requirements
Brief Orientation Tour of the City
ASSIGNMENT for 1.3: Essays in Spanish on "Quien soy?", "Quienes son mis familiares?" & "Comidas que me gustan"

1.2
Tue

Intercultural relations, ethnocentrism, cultural relativism, family relations
Introduction to Ethnography & Participant observation
Notebooks: jottings, log, dairy, summary notes
READINGS: C&A P.1-22, B14, CA1
ASSIGNMENT: 1 hour observation of proxemics, non-verbal communication for day 1.5
Take a bus ride to Centro or other area and return to home; Obtain Notebooks

1.3
Wed

Culture Shock and Cross-cultural Adaptation Strategies
Discussion: "Quienes son, familiares, comidas"; bus rides
ASSIGNMENT: Summarize culture shock adaptation strategies
READINGS: C intro-CH 3

1.4
Thur

Mexican History and Culture
“THE RESEARCH PROJECT”
READINGS: C: CH 4-14

1.5
Fri

Mexican Cultural Psychology and Social Behavior;
Presentations: Non-verbal Observations; Readings: CA1
Individual Meetings with Dr. Winkelman 10:30-3:00 by appointment
ASSIGNMENT: For Monday: Interview 3 separate individuals or groups of people about non-verbal communication--gestures, signs, mimic, imitation, etc.--"gestos, señales, mimica". Present in class Monday. Your final write up in Notes should incorporate all sources of knowledge available to you.

2.1
Mon

Personal Adjustment; Presentation and Discussion: Non-Verbal Communication
Notebook discussions-- Methodological and Analytical notes
Mexican social behavior and interview processes
READINGS: CA 12, 14;
ASSIGNMENT: Update notebooks for review 2.2 @ 8 a.m.
ASSIGNMENT: Research proposal presentations for 2.5

2.2
Tue
(5.1)

The Process of Doing Research; Community Studies
Participant Observation and Ethnography
Preparation of an Ethnographer; Skills of an Ethnographer
READINGS: C&A 5, 11

2.3
Wed
(5.2)

Interviews Lecture; Life history, kinship; kinship vocabulary
READINGS: CA 3,4,6

2.4
Thur
(5.3)

Community Studies
READINGS: CA 12, 14

2.5
Fri
(5.5)

Present Research proposals. Components: Spatial organization (mapping), proxemics, temporal patterns, sex roles, social roles, personal documentation, cultural history, semantic domains, formal organization, community dynamics
READINGS: (CA 1, 2, 6-8, 10, 12, 14, plus other CA chapters as applicable)
Analyzing Field Data

3.1
Mon
(6.1)

Selecting Research Methods
Advantages and Disadvantages of Participant Observation, Informal Interviewing
Unstructured, Semi-Structured and Structured Interviews
Questionnaire Development; The Interview Process

3.2
Tue
(6.2)

Library Trip/Individual research

3.3
Wed
(6.3)

Individual Research

3.4
Thur
(6.4)

Individual meetings by appointment

3.5
Fri
(6.5)

Research Logs Due
(Individual meetings by appointment/ Field research)

4.1
Mon

Individual meetings by appointment/ Field research

4.2
Tue

Field research

4.3
Wed

Field research

4.4
Thur

Individual meetings by appointment/ Field research

4.5
Fri

Presentations by 1st session only students

7.1 -
7.5

Second Session Students in 302 have week 7 for field research

8.3
4-7 p.m.

Final Presentations for 2 session students

*Parenthetical week/day for second session students.

THIS SYLLABUS IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AND
MODIFICATION AS FIELD CIRCUMSTANCES DICTATE.


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©2002-03 Arizona State University
Last updated 11-22-02 by Stefanie.Bobar@asu.edu
Contact the Program Director, Dr. Michael Winkelman.