Research Methodology and Field Techniques

To provide basic outlines on epistemological, methodological and practical matters of ethnographic research.

Understanding of the relationship between methodological practice, data analysis and the writing of ethnography.

The course is related with the fieldwork research that should be done during the 7 days throughout the Spring School in Kriva Palanka.

Participants will need to reflect on and discuss their ideas and research strategies about the different topics and projects on Socialism that are expected to conduct.

The course will encourage an appreciation of the problems of anthropological fieldwork and address issues such as access to the field, norms and conventions in applying research techniques in particular cultural contexts, the processual nature of fieldwork, ethical concerns, and the personal and emotional commitment of the researcher.

It will also concentrate on the process of recording ethnographic data through field notes and reflect on the process of turning fieldwork data into a narrative account of fieldwork. Among the topics that will be addressed are:
• Theory and method in the anthropological fieldwork
• Defining the ‘field’ – ways of doing fieldwork – the experience of fieldwork – Critical encounters in ethnographic practice
• Research methods and the production of data: Addressing epistemological and methodological issues
• Field notes in ethnographic research and the writing of ethnography

Course leader

Prof. D-r Ljupcho S. Risteski, Skopje (Macedonia) Prof. d-r Ana Ashtalkovska Gajtanoska, (Macedonia) Prof. d-r Margarita Karamihova (Bulgaria)