More than Human Ethnography

Undergraduate / Graduate

In this course we explore the fields of more-than-human and 'multispecies' ethnography. We examine theoretical antecedents promoting the inclusion of non-human actors in ethnographic analysis and read examples of such work, including foundational texts on more-than-human engagements, exploitations, and dependencies by Deborah Bird Rose, Kim Tallbear, Eduardo Kohn, and Anna Tsing among others. We consider the role other species, 'actants' and assemblages played in early social science work and contemplate recent studies of "becoming with" animals, plants, fungi, bacteria-encountering complex symbioses, examining naturalcultural borders, and querying the role of decolonial thought and queer ecologies in the 'more-than' turn. Multispecies and posthumanist approaches encourage a decentering of traditional method; we couple ethnographic examples with literature by biologists, physicists, and philosophers. The is a discussion-based seminar with significant time devoted to logistical elements of 'more than' work-to querying how such studies are conducted in practice. The final paper takes the form of an exploratory essay based on observations collected during previous weeks.