Analytical Methods and Unruly Concepts

About

In this course we set out to explore analytical methods as tools to ‘make’ concepts. Ethnographic concepts are an achievement of fieldwork and writing practices. They blend the empirical and the theoretical, the abstract and the concrete, in such a way, that once achieved they can no longer be pulled apart. Thus thought, ethnographic concepts add to the classic notion of ethnography: they are both ‘thick description’ (Geertz, 1973) and ‘thick conceptualization.’. They emerge from questions that arise in the field, as we think about how to think, and as we follow how specific questions unfold and begin to involve issues that might not have been present in our original questions.

Course leader

Professor Marisol de la Cadena, UC Davies, USA Professor Penny Harvey, University of Manchester, UK

Target group

PhD students, graduate or postgraduate student or professional from any social science field of study or related disciplines.

Course aim

The key aim of this course is to support and join with Ph.D. students in their efforts to engage contemporary theory through ethnography. In a nutshell: we will talk, think, and make ‘ethnographic concepts.’ We will further our understandings of ‘analysis’ by ‘practicing’ it as we read books and articles and unpack their ‘methods’—the words are in single quotes to slow down their meaning. We will learn what to make of and with these terms as we go along; reliance on prior certainties and definitions would defeat the core purpose of the course.

Fee info