Decolonising Methodologies Ü - Detailseite

In this seminar, we will discuss the epistemology, methodology, and challenges of ethnographic research. We will tackle, among others, the notion of the “field,” the various methods one can employ in ethnographic research, the emotions of the fieldworker, multi-sited ethnography, digital ethnography, decolonizing methodologies, and some of the personal and practical challenges of doing ethnographic research. We will also delve into another integral aspect of ethnographic research that do not garner as much pedagogic attention: writing field notes and field diary. Inherent in these discussions are the politics of knowledge production and the ethics of research, which we will continuously reflect on throughout the semester.

The seminar will be a combination of lectures, discussions, readings, and research exercises. At the end of the seminar, the students will have a clearer idea of what ethnographic fieldwork entails and how they can deal with the practical aspects of this approach as it applies to their specific research contexts, how important critical reflexivity and ethical research are, and how they can think through the epistemology, methodology, and challenges of ethnographic research in relation to their own potential research projects.