WHAT IS ETHNOGRAPHY?
The term “ethnography” is used to describe both a practice and a material product. When a cultural anthropologist is in the field, they engage in what is called ethnographic research, or “do ethnography” (practice). An ethnography (product) is the end result of this in-depth ethnographic research; it is usually a detailed book about a particular group of people in a particular place and time. So, anthropologists I DO ethnography in order to write an ethnography.
For many anthropologists, an important aspect of doing Ethnographic fieldwork is the understanding that they will be in the field for an extended period. This can be as short as a few months, but often extends to many years. Unlike most other sciences, anthropologists enter the field with guiding questions rather than hypotheses. They then allow fieldwork to reveal the answers to their questions, often posing new questions in the process.
Anthropologists depend on personal relationships with “interlocutors”—what they often call the people with whom they are engaging. These relationships can take time and effort to form, especially if an anthropologist is not already embedded in the society he is studying. Also, different practices may arise with seasonal changes; in special circumstances such as birth, death or wedding; or in response to conflict, natural disasters or the introduction of a new technology. This makes the long-term study preferable. Only with this level of exposure, open-mindedness and commitment can an anthropologist see cultures more holistically.
During this long and entrenched period, cultural anthropologists may write field notes and/or field poems, conduct interviews, draw maps, construct charts of kinship and power relations, record histories and biographical narratives, trace communication networks and investigate many other sources of cultural information. Even if the anthropologist was previously familiar with this group, they pay close attention to see patterns that may have escaped everyday attention. But doing ethnography is not just about hanging out with a group of people and writing a lot about them. Rather than passively observing, most cultural anthropologists practice “participant observation.”
WHAT IS PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION?
Participant observation is exactly what it sounds like – anthropologists observe and take notes, take photographs, audio/video recordings, etc., while also participating in the cultures they are studying. At a basic level, this means living among their interlocutors in the same communities, sometimes even in the same apartments. This also means that an anthropologist should prepare in advance by trying to learn the language(s) spoken there (if they speak another language) before entering the field.
The anthropologist not only lives with the interlocutors, but also works, plays, eats, dances, celebrates, mourns, and even drinks with the interlocutors. This includes everyday activities such as herding reindeer in Norway, helping to prevent wildfires in California, eating pork in Peru or raising children in Arizona. This is complicated in a particularly sharp way when the anthropologist is already a member of the society being studied, since he will continue to do all these daily, supposedly “unnoticeable” activities, but as a group member and also as an anthropologist.
HOW CAN CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY HELP US UNDERSTAND THE WORLD TODAY?
Cultural anthropological research addresses the pressing issues and life experiences of people. For modern humans on Earth, this includes the study of processes such as global warming. For example, how are people around the world cleaning up their carbon with sustainable agriculture, or how does an increase in hurricanes expose social inequality? Anthropologists are also increasingly looking at technology: how are mobile phones, social media and artificial intelligence affecting people’s lives?
Many anthropologists today also look at the ways in which historically unjust systems of power have affected the way people live now. This ranges from the treatment of deaf people in prison to anti-Blackness in Cuba and Brazil, to anti-Asian prejudice in the U.S. Cultural anthropologists often focus on how people can work to dismantle unjust systems. In recent years, many anthropologists have also turned their focus to the COVID-19 pandemic—looking at changes in many aspects of life, from education systems to death rituals to collegiate sports.
Anthropologists, like other researchers, share this research knowledge through writing books and articles, teaching, and giving public lectures. They also engage in other research to share knowledge, such as public podcasts or ethnographic fiction, often together with other collaborators, including their interlocutors. In many cases, the products of anthropology that were once spoken and written primarily by anthropologists circle their courses of study are beginning to resemble collaborative projects with The interlocutors.
WHAT JOB CAN YOU GET WITH A CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY DEGREE?
You might immediately think that a degree in cultural anthropology can only lead to a career as an anthropology professor. These jobs do exist (although they are increasingly difficult to come by), but most anthropologists work in an “applied anthropology” position. That is, they use the theory and training of anthropology to help in other fields such as humanitarianism and international development, journalism, public health, and cultural heritage. These applied anthropologists may work for corporations, governments, or non-profit and non-governmental organizations.
Not all cultural anthropology undergraduates go on to become professional anthropologists, of course. But training in cultural anthropology fosters skills such as critical, ethical, and relativistic thinking; the ability to cooperate; and excellent written and verbal communication that are essential for many professions.
Employers tend to value anthropology degrees because they “get” people. They often hire anthropology majors for positions in advertising, marketing, human resources, user experience, or research design—jobs that depend on knowledge of human behavior. This is especially prevalent now, when businesses are increasingly looking to foster inclusion and diversity in the workplace. In fact, for anthropologists, the employment rate is projected to increase by 6 percent between 2021 and 2031.
IS CULTURAL ANTHROPLOGY USEFUL?
Yes.
Humans live an ever-changing and uncertain existence. We have questions – about the world, each other and ourselves. Cultural anthropology seeks answers to precisely these questions. And in that way, yes, it’s extremely useful.
Cultural anthropology shows us why the idea of ”pristine wilderness” is a myth and illustrates the danger of stopping the pursuit of gun violence. It explores sovereignty on Mars, reveals the connections between oracles and digital algorithms, and imagines the future after coal. He even seriously considers whether people in the Western philosophical tradition are wrong about almost every single thing they think they know!
If this last prospect terrifies you, perhaps cultural anthropology is not for you. If you find it exciting, welcome.
