Observing the city: Introduction to fieldwork in an urban environment - YBAJ201

• Anglický název: Observing the city: Introduction to fieldwork in an urban environment
• Zajišťuje: Program Liberal Arts and Humanities (24-SHVAJ)
• Fakulta: Fakulta humanitních studií
• Platnost: od 2023
• Semestr: zimní
• E-Kredity: 3
• Způsob provedení zkoušky: zimní s.:
• Rozsah, examinace: zimní s.:0/2, KZ [HT]
• Počet míst: neurčen / 20 (20)
• Minimální obsazenost: neomezen
• 4EU+: ne
• Virtuální mobilita / počet míst pro virtuální mobilitu: ne
• Stav předmětu: vyučován
• Jazyk výuky: angličtina
• Způsob výuky: prezenční
• Způsob výuky: prezenční
• Poznámka: předmět je možno zapsat mimo plán; povolen pro zápis po webu
• Garant: Mgr. Michal Lehečka, Ph.D.
• Vyučující: Mgr. Michal Lehečka, Ph.D.
• Třída: Courses available to incoming students

Anotace

čeština

Poslední úprava: Bc. Veronika Kučabová (18.08.2022)

Accelerating complexity and diversity of city life has been a critical issue for many social and cultural anthropologists since the early 20th century. Along with the rise of global connectedness, contemporary urban research has to take into account the assemblage of dynamic flows of migration, transportation, thoughts, or goods. Anthropologically speaking: our research should focus on the fact that urbanites have to deal with plenty of awkward or even distant socio-material phenomena, that are affecting their local lives. Based on fieldwork trips and excursions, students will be introduced to perspectives on urban environments, basics of research practice, ethics and methodology for the anthropology of the city. Various urban niches in Prague such as multicultural neighborhoods, segregated areas, urban non-places, urban jungles, infrastructures, etc., will be visited and observed through the lens of ethnography.

Cíl předmětu

Poslední úprava: Mgr. Michal Lehečka, Ph.D. (16.09.2022)

The major learning objectives of this course are as follows:

A) To provide students with a general overview of cultural anthropology including its perspectives, concepts, and methodological approaches.

B) Practice fo fieldwork research and participant observation in various urban environments

C) Demonstrate skill in evaluating, synthesizing, and integrating knowledge gained from scientific exploration

D) Conduct a short-term fieldwork research based on participant observation in public sphere.

E) Independently analyze the data they created within the fieldwork. 

F) Realize that anthropological research could be both inspiring and fun

Literatura

Poslední úprava: Mgr. Michal Lehečka, Ph.D. (16.09.2022)

Obligatory:

• Hammersley, Martyn Atkinson, Paul. Ethnography : principles in practice. Milton Park, Abingdon: Routledge, 2007, 275 s. ISBN 978-0-415-39605-9.

Recommended:

• Bryman, Alan. Social research methods. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004, 592 s. ISBN 0-19-926446-5.
• LeCompte, Margaret Diane Schensul, Jean J.. Designing and conducting ethnographic research. Walnut Creek: AltaMira Press, 1999, 220 s. ISBN 0-7619-8975-7.

Metody výuky

Poslední úprava: Mgr. Michal Lehečka, Ph.D. (02.10.2023)

Methods:

Lectures, discussions, on-site fieldwork research practice, excursions, video-screenings

 

Moodle page link: https://dl1.cuni.cz/course/view.php?id=14193 (please add a course)

 

 

Sylabus

Poslední úprava: Mgr. Michal Lehečka, Ph.D. (07.11.2023)

Fall 2023 semester research topic: Production of space and in/formal city

Course is divided into three modules:

Module 1 - Urban ethnography overview and perspectives

10. 10. 2023

Course introduction, Syllabus details. Qualitative research methods overview. What is Urban Anthropology's position within S & C Anthropology.

24. 10. 2023

Ethnographic fieldwork research methods, reflexivity and ethics (making fieldontes, participant observation, informal interviews etc.).

Reading: Bourgois, P. I. (2003). In search of respect: Selling crack in El Barrio. Cambridge University Press, pp. 19-47.

 

Module 2 - Fieldwork practice

7. 11. 2022

On-site fieldwork research practice I. - urban space mapping, making fieldnotes  (venues to be added)

Pérez Fernández, F. (2023): The Archaeology of Decay: Ruinous Knowledge and the Violence of Urban Planning. American Anthropologist 125, pp. 505-518 (available at: https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/aman.13854; Wiley online)

21. 11. 2022

On- site filedwork research and excursion II.

Reading: Holston, J. (1989). The modernist city: An anthropological critique of Brasilia. University of Chicago Press, pp. 101-143. Chapter: Death of the street

5. 12. 20022

On-site fieldwork research practice III.

Reading: Low, S. & Smith N. (2006). Introduction: The Imperative of Public Space. Pp. 1-17 in S. Low & N. Smith (eds). The Politics of Public Space, NY: Routledge

Module 3 - analyzing the data

19. 12. 2022

Analyzing the data created in the field (segmentation, coding, interpretation)

2. 1. 2022

Course wrap-up: discussion of outcomes and sharing experience and knowledge gained

Podmínky zakončení předmětu

Poslední úprava: Mgr. Michal Lehečka, Ph.D. (05.09.2023)

Attendance:

Two absences maximum

Course grading (50 points maximum) consists of:

Exercises &Homework (60%)

Course combines fieldwork practice and in-class lectures and discussions. Students will conduct a various fieldwork &qulalitative analysis (5 in total, 6 poitns each)) exercises connected with the participant observation in urban spaces. 

Paticipation (10%)

Class will meet once in two weeks. Students should contribute by asking questions, answering questions, or otherwise constructively contributing to class discussions. If they don't participate, they will not earn these points. (maximum 5 points)

Final essay (30%)

Reflexive essay referring both to lessons learned during the semester and outcomes of students feildwork research (maximum 15 points) Essays submission (via emial) due 25 January 2023)

 

Grading

50-44 points = A

44-38 points = B

37-31 points = C