Stories Across Cultures

Catalog description

This course is an introduction to ethnography, which refers to both the process and end product of social science research that involves direct observation of, and interaction with, other humans. Described as both "art" and "science," ethnography aims to learn about and interpret culture and society. The result can be a book or journal article, or a visual production (ethnographic film). By reading ethnographic texts and watching films, we will learn how ethnographers have developed their research projects. We will also discuss ethical issues related to gathering data about humans, and our attempts to decipher meanings.