Research and Transnational Communities: Qualitative Fieldwork Methods

This course will equip students with the skills to design and implement their own transnational American Studies or Public Humanities research project. We will consider different qualitative social science research methods including, ethnographic participant observation, formal and informal interview techniques, and survey data analysis. Students will learn how different methodologies lend unique insights into specific research questions, and will be able to identify different methodological bases for empirical findings across diverse transnational social problems. Throughout the course, we will explicitly engage the personal, public, and ethical concerns involved with conducting research with transnational communities, including researcher positionality, privilege, ethics, and responsibility.