Exploring culture through fieldwork requires an understanding of the different ways that data can be collected, recorded, analysed and reported. This course builds skills in qualitative data collection and analysis, with a focus on understanding culture. Students taking the course will experience the gathering of data through observation and semi-structured interviews. We will then analyse the data using two different methods of major qualitative research traditions. By the end of the course, students will have gained skills in fieldwork and analysis and an ability to understand the methodology behind different studies of society and culture that they may come across during their research.
Note to students: It is not necessary to have taken “Fieldwork Skills for Cultural Understanding” before taking this course. All students are welcome.
This course builds skills in qualitative data collection and analysis, with a focus on understanding culture. Students taking the course will experience the gathering of data through observation and semi-structured interviews.
Schedule
1. October 8
Introduction to the course and two approaches to researching behaviour.
2. October 10 (Wednesday classes held)
Fieldwork skills and initial observations
3. October 22 (note no class on October 15 as Friday classes will be held)
Naturalism: Observing and noting in Tokyo.
4. October 29
Coding.
5. November 5
Emotionalism and interviewing: Feeling in Tokyo.
6. November 12
Autoethnography: reflexive research. Finalising group projects.
7. November 19
Groupwork: Collating and Analysing.
8. December 3 (note no class on November 26 as Monday classes will be held)
Student group presentations and review
None. Some optional references will be given during the course.
None. It is NOT necessary to have taken "Fieldwork Skills for Cultural Understanding".
Attendance and participation in exercises, including some small observation and interviewing assignments (50%). A final group presentation to the rest of the class (30%) and one-paragraph individual comment (20%).
Attendance at all classes is expected. Students arriving late (after 30 minutes from the start of class) or leaving early will receive half of the attendance points.
Each week you will be given a data gathering or analysis task to complete before the next class where you will present some of your results and work with others to improve them. This course is ‘hands-on’ where we work together to study and communicate our results. It therefore requires your full participation during classes (this will also increase your enjoyment of the course!).
At the end of the course you must submit a short one-paragraph reflective comment. Submit by email to tomhope@ryu.titech.ac.jp. Deadline: December 5, midnight. Late submission will result in reduced grade. More details will be given during class.