Fieldwork in Anthropology

Definition and Importance

• Term Origin: Borrowed from Natural Sciences
  • Contrasts with lab work
• Activities Involved:
  • Talking and observing conversations
  • Engaging in activities alongside people
• Purpose: Connecting aspects of social and cultural life
• Goal: Gather information and gain insights into people's inner lives

Example: Haitian Social Service Organization

• Location: Greater Boston area
• Focus: Haitian refugees and immigrants
• Research Questions:
  • How Haitians reestablish lives in a new country
  • Negotiating new systems, cultures, and languages
  • What it means to be an American or citizen for immigrants

Example: Artisan Cheese Making

• Location: Londonderry, Vermont (US)
• Focus: Culture and economy of cheese making
• Key Points:
  • Learning to make cheese: informal kitchen methods vs formal courses and readings
  • Definition of artisan cheese: Use of hands and senses in the process
• Observation: Expertise alone doesn't guarantee good results

Fieldwork Among Marine Biologists

• Activities:
  • Engaging in laboratory and sea practices
  • Participating in research cruises
  • Diving in submersibles
• Research Questions: Understanding the ocean in the context of environmental crises
• Challenges:
  • Adequate health information for undocumented individuals
  • Citizenship and legal knowledge
• Ethical and Moral Questions: Law, health, and power relations

Methods and Techniques

• Participant Observation:
  • Actively participating in the daily activities of the community
  • Example: Sterilizing milk cans in cheese making
• Iterative Process: Lab techniques and field observations inform each other
• Shared Questions with Scientists: Representing the world in research

Summary

• Fieldwork: Demanding but rewarding
  • Allows insights not visible on the surface
  • Builds trust and deeper connection with the community