COMM 471: Ethnography

COMM 471: Ethnography May Mini-term 2009 M-F 10:00am- 2:00pm

Professor: Susan I. Dummer, Ph.D. Office: Anderson Hall Room 18 Office Hours: By appointment Daytime Phone: 863-7958 E-mail: [email protected]

Mailing Address: Susan Dummer 400 East College Street Georgetown, KY 40324

 Each student is expected to have access to their Georgetown College E-mail. I will send notices and reminders via the student college emails. If you do not currently use your Georgetown Email you will need to begin using it or forward the mail from your Georgetown account to an account you use. I will not use accounts that are not Georgetown College accounts. Go to http://spider.georgetowncollege.edu/infoweb/newstudents/campustech/email.htm or click on spider on the following links Students/Computing Information/GC E- mail.

Required Readings:

 Emerson, R., Fretz, R. I., & Shaw, L. L. (1995). Writing Ethnographic Field Notes. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. (215 pages)  Fetterman, D. M. (1998). Ethnography: Step by Step. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE. (146 pages)  Course Readings, on reserve in library (256 Pages)  Book of students choice from suggested list

Videos:  An anthropological introduction to Youtube (vodpod.com—58 min.)  Doing anthropology (techtv.mit.edu—9 min.)  The Heart Broken in Half (Dwight Conquergood—58 min.)  The Pilgrim Must Embark (Mara Adelman—45 min.)

Prerequisite: COMM 115 or 200

Course Description and Objectives:  The purpose of this course is to explore the use of ethnography in the study of communication situations. Students will develop an understanding of where ethnography is situated within social science research, as well as what types of social situations lend themselves to ethnographic research. Students will understand an engage in ethnographic data collection and analysis of a communication phenomenon of their choosing.

Class Format & Attendance:  The class format will be discussion-oriented. Discussions will consist of class participation of assigned readings. Questions and class participation are strongly encouraged.  Class attendance is mandatory. Students who miss class due to an unexcused absence will receive a 10 point deduction per class hour missed (one day of class =40 point deduction).  Attendance on class trips is mandatory. We will take two class outings to engage in observation and note-taking.

Course Requirements:

I. Assigned Readings and Lecture information (2 hrs. per night) o Students are responsible for all assigned readings (books and supplemental readings). Students are required to read the material before class and be prepared to discuss the material in class. The readings will be divided into chapters per class period, it is important that students read the chapters assigned before coming to class each day; however, students are encouraged to read ahead if possible.

II. Exam- 300 points – Due Friday, June 19th (approx. 10 hours of work) o One take home exam will be assigned the last day of class. The questions will be in essay format. Students will be expected to integrate material from lecture, discussions, videos, readings, guest speakers and class trips in their answers. Exam answers must be typed. Due Friday, June 19th.

III. Reflection Papers 80 points- Due IN CLASS each day (refer to schedule) (One hour per night) o Students are expected to write 8, one-typed-page reflection papers reflecting on the prompts given in the syllabus. These papers should summarize the pages read and discuss the student’s opinions and ideas about the readings. Due on class days 1-5 and 7-9.

IV. Field Notes Journal and Analysis-2 @ 200 points each (10 hours total of work) o Students will participate in two assigned data gathering outings. They will turn in the field notes taken during those outings and the analysis of those notes. Journal 1 due May 22, Analysis 1 due May 26, Journal 2 and Analysis 2 due May 29. V. Book Analysis -100 points- Due Saturday May 23rd (approx 15 hrs of work) o Students will choose a book based on an ethnographic research project. They will summarize the book and then discuss issues such as ethics in ethnography, the role of the participant observer, and types of data collection and analysis used. Due Monday, May 25th.

VI. Book Analysis presentation-50 points-Due Saturday May 23rd o Students will give a formal presentation summarizing the book for the class and discussing the issues approached in the paper. This presentation WILL BE graded on content, organization, style, and delivery.

VII. Participation-70 points o Students are expected to engage in class discussion, and be prepared with questions for each day’s class. Formal, written questions need not be submitted. However, lack of discussion and participation will be noted, and students may be penalized up to 7 points each day for not being engaged in class.

*Assignments that are due in class must be submitted as hard copies; however, assignments that are due after the last day of class must be submitted electronically via Blackboard rather than through email attachments.

*A late assignment will receive a letter grade deduction for each day the assignment is late. All assignments must be submitted in hard copy form. Email-submissions will not be accepted. Referencing in papers should be in APA format.

Course Grades: 1 take-home exam 300 Reflection Papers 80 Journal & Analysis 400 Book Review 100 Book Review Presentation 50 Participation 70 Total points : 1000 Grading Scale: 1000-930 A 929-880 A/B 879-830 B 829-780 B/C 779-700 C 699-600 D 599 –Below F Academic Misconduct: The Georgetown College Honor System (page 181 in the student handbook) states that infractions of the honor system are the following: cheating, plagiarism, stealing, lying (in academic matters), forgery, double assignments (use of one assignment to fulfill the requirements of more than one course). Anyone engaging in academic misconduct will be dealt with according to college policies outlined in the student handbook page.

Special Needs: If you need any assistance in the classroom due to a disability, please contact Disability Services at (863)-8004/7074/7956 during the first week of class so that arrangements can be made to accommodate you. After initial arrangements have been made with that office, please contact me.

Office Hours: I encourage each of you to schedule an appointment with me if you need additional help outside of class. Also you may e-mail me any questions you might have.

Changes in Syllabus: I reserve the right to make changes to the syllabus as is deemed necessary. I will give as much notice as possible if a change is needed.

Class Schedule: The class schedule listed on the next page is only a tentative schedule that may be changed if necessary. Any changes to this outline will be discussed in class. It is your responsibility to become aware of due dates for assignments, projects, and exams by looking at the schedule and by being attentive to any changes to due dates that are discussed in class. Date: Class Agenda: Reading

Lecture: How does ethnography fit Lincoln & Guba (32 pages) within traditional social science methods? Merrigan & Huston (23 pages)

May 18 Video: Vodpod.com Fetterman Ch. 1 (13 pages) An anthropological introduction to Youtube Reflection due: What is ethnography? Discussion: What is ethnography?

Lecture: Communication and Fetterman Ch 2 (13 pages) Anthropology: The role of the participant observer Trujillo (26 pages)

Video: Techtv.mit.edu Hickey, Thompson, Foster (28 May 19 “Doing Anthropology” pages) “Dance Anthropology” Reflection due: Discussion: How do we explain How do you navigate the role of culture? participant observer?

Lecture: Writing fieldnotes and Fetterman Ch 3 (31 pages) finding participants Emerson, Fretz, Shaw (38 pages) Video: May 20 “The Heart Broken in Half” *recommended* Conquergood (15 pages) Discussion: Ethical considerations in ethnography Reflection due: What communication phenomenon will you study? Why is ethnography appropriate?

Class outing—Data Collection Emerson, Fretz, Shaw (68 pages) May 21

Discussion: Writing up your observations Reflection: What is worth writing in your field notes?

Lecture: Interpreting data and Cherry and Smith (27 pages) presenting it Cherry (35 pages) May 22 Video: The Pilgrim Must Embark Reflection: Contrast the two Cherry articles

Field notes journal 1 due Book discussion presentations Book review paper due May 23

Fetterman Ch. 4 (21 pages) Lecture: What does it all mean? Emerson, Fretz, Shaw Ch. 5&6 May 26 Discussion: How do we allow the (60 pages) subjects’ voice(s) to be heard above our own? Reflection: My meaning or theirs?

Fetterman Ch. 5&6 (35 pages) Class outing—Data Collection

May 27 Reflection: Doing thick description

Field notes Analysis 1 due

Lecture: Autoethnography Miller (29 pages)

May 28 Discussion: Is it research at all? Ellis & Bochner (22 pages)

Ellis (19 pages)

Reflection: Autoethnography: Research or just a diary?

Take home exam assigned: Discussion: May 29 Tying it all together Due June 19th

Journal and Analysis 2 Due References

Cherry, K. (1996). Ain’t no grave deep enough. Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, 25 (1), 22-57.

Cherry, K. & Smith, D. H. (1993). Sometimes I cry: The experience of loneliness for men with AIDS. Health Communication, 5, 181-208.

Conquergood, D. (1991). Rethinking ethnography: Towards a critical cultural politics. Communication Monographs, 58, 179-194.

Ellis, C. (1993). “There are no survivors”: Telling a story of sudden death. The Sociological Quarterly, 34 (4), 711-730.

Ellis, C. & Bochner, A. P. (1992). Telling and performing personal stories: The constraints of choice in abortion. In C. Ellis & M. G. Flaherty (Eds.) Investigating Subjectivity: Research on Lived Experience (pp. 79-101). Newbury Park, CA: SAGE.

Hickey, J. V., Thompson, W. E., & Foster, D. L. (1988). Becoming the Easter Bunny: Socialization into a fantasy Role. Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, 17 (1), 67-95.

Lincoln, Y. S. & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic Inquiry. Newbury Park, CA: SAGE. 14-46.

Merrigan, G. & Huston, C. L. (2009). Communication Research Methods. New York: Oxford University Press. 232-255.

Miller, K. I. (2002). The experience of emotion in the workplace: Professing in the midst of tragedy. Management Communication Quarterly, 15 (4), 571-600.

Trujillo, N. (2002). In search of Naunny’s history: Reproducing gender ideology in family stories. Women’s Studies in Communication, 25 (1), 88-118.