Ethnography: Theory and Practice

This course is designed to introduce graduate students in sociology and related fields to the study and practice of ethnographic methods. We will discuss various qualitative methodological approaches, but we will concentrate on observational and interview-based research. In addition to considering some of the epistemological issues these methods raise at the theoretical level, students will also have the opportunity to learn by doing. The overall goal of this course is to cultivate and enhance students’ skills in ethnographic data analysis and interpretation, and to employ these skills in the writing of a scholarly paper or book chapter.