Accelerating complexity and diversity of city life has been a critical issue for many social and cultural anthropologists since the early 20th century. Along with the rise of global connectedness, contemporary urban research has to take into account the assemblage of dynamic flows of migration, transportation, thoughts, or goods. Anthropologically speaking: our research should focus on the fact that urbanites have to deal with plenty of awkward or even distant socio-material phenomena, that are affecting their local lives. Based on fieldwork trips and excursions, students will be introduced to perspectives on urban environments, basics of research practice, ethics and methodology for the anthropology of the city. Various urban niches in Prague such as multicultural neighborhoods, segregated areas, urban non-places, urban jungles, infrastructures, etc., will be visited and observed through the lens of ethnography.

Accelerating complexity and diversity of city life has been a critical issue for many social and cultural anthropologists since the early 20th century. Along with the rise of global connectedness, contemporary urban research has to take into account the assemblage of dynamic flows of migration, transportation, thoughts, or goods. Anthropologically speaking: our research should focus on the fact that urbanites have to deal with plenty of awkward or even distant socio-material phenomena, that are affecting their local lives. Based on fieldwork trips and excursions, students will be introduced to perspectives on urban environments, basics of research practice, ethics and methodology for the anthropology of the city. Various urban niches in Prague such as multicultural neighborhoods, segregated areas, urban non-places, urban jungles, infrastructures, etc., will be visited and observed through the lens of ethnography.

The major learning objectives of this course are as follows:

A) To provide students with a general overview of cultural anthropology including its perspectives, concepts, and methodological approaches.

B) Practice fo fieldwork research and participant observation in various urban environments

C) Demonstrate skill in evaluating, synthesizing, and integrating knowledge gained from scientific exploration

D) Conduct a short-term fieldwork research based on participant observation in public sphere.

E) Independently analyze the data they created within the fieldwork. 

F) Realize that anthropological research could be both inspiring and fun

Obligatory:

• Hammersley, Martyn Atkinson, Paul. Ethnography : principles in practice. Milton Park, Abingdon: Routledge, 2007, 275 s. ISBN 978-0-415-39605-9.

Recommended:

• Bryman, Alan. Social research methods. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004, 592 s. ISBN 0-19-926446-5.
• LeCompte, Margaret Diane Schensul, Jean J.. Designing and conducting ethnographic research. Walnut Creek: AltaMira Press, 1999, 220 s. ISBN 0-7619-8975-7.

Methods:

Lectures, discussions, on-site fieldwork research practice, excursions, video-screenings

 

Moodle page link: https://dl1.cuni.cz/course/view.php?id=14193 (please add a course)

 

 

Course is divided into thre modules:

10. 10. 2023

Course introduction, Syllabus details. Qualitaitive research methods overview. What is Urban Anthropology's position within S & C Anthropology.

24. 10. 2023

Ethnographic fieldwork research methods, reflexivity and ethics (making fieldontes, participant observation, informal interviews etc.).

7. 11. 2022

On-site fieldwork research practice - urban space mapping, making fieldnotes  (venues to be added)

21. 11. 2022

On- site filedwork research and excursion - making fieldnotes, visual methods of inquiry

5. 12. 20022

On-site fieldwork research practice - sensoric enthography, interviews

19. 12. 2022

Analyzing the data created in the field (segmentation, coding, interpretation)

2. 1. 2022

Course wrap-up: discussion of outcomes and sharing experience and knowledge gained

Attendance:

Two absences maximum

Course grading (50 points maximum) consists of:

Exercises &Homework (60%)

Course combines fieldwork practice and in-class lectures and discussions. Students will conduct a various fieldwork &qulalitative analysis (5 in total, 6 poitns each)) exercises connected with the participant observation in urban spaces. 

Paticipation (10%)

Class will meet once in two weeks. Students should contribute by asking questions, answering questions, or otherwise constructively contributing to class discussions. If they don't participate, they will not earn these points. (maximum 5 points)

Final essay (30%)

Reflexive essay referring both to lessons learned during the semester and outcomes of students feildwork research (maximum 15 points) Essays submission (via emial) due 25 January 2023)

 

Grading

50-44 points = A

44-38 points = B

37-31 points = C