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Field Work Tradition in Anthropology
Field Work Tradition in Anthropology
Development Team
Dr. P. Venkatramana
Paper Coordinator
Faculty of Anthropology, School of Social Sciences,
IGNOU, Delhi
Contents:
1. Introduction
2. What is Fieldwork?
3. History of Fieldwork in Anthropology
4. Doing Fieldwork in Anthropology
5. Ethics in Fieldwork
6. Fieldwork Today
7. Summary
Learning Outcomes:
After going through this module, the learner will be able to know:
about fieldwork in anthropology along with its history;
the significance and uniqueness of fieldwork in anthropology;
the different ways in which fieldwork is conducted in anthropology;
the issues and concerns that go along with it;
ethics in conducting fieldwork; and
changing scenario in fieldwork studies.
2. What is Fieldwork?
Fieldwork is central to the inquiry of anthropology. It can be said to have formed the
foundation of the discipline. The famous anthropologist, Margaret Mead notes: “We still have
no way to make an anthropologist except by sending him into the field: this contact with
living material is our distinguishing mark” (1964: 5).
Traditionally the word “field” indicates the area where the members of the group to be
researched by the investigator, live in. However today, the “field” may also be the internet, a
museum, a school, a library, a hospital, a lab, a market, an urban eating joint, a virtual space
etc. The “field” becomes the readymade laboratory for the researcher. Fieldwork is
investigation in anthropology where the researcher stays in or visits the place of investigation
for long periods of time, not less than a year, receives firsthand experience and collects data.
Powdermaker defines fieldwork as “the study of people and of their culture in their natural
habitat. Anthropological fieldwork has been characterised by the prolonged residence of the
investigator, his participation in and observation of the society, and his attempt to understand
the inside view of the native people and to achieve the holistic view of a social scientist”
(cited in Robben and Sluka 2007: 7). Others like Luhrmann points out that, “Anthropology is
the naturalist’s trade: you sit and watch and learn from the species in its natural environment”
(1989”: 15).
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5. Ethics in Fieldwork
Researchers frequently face ethical dilemmas while conducting fieldwork. Barnes postulates that “…
research has an ethical dimension whenever it impinges on creatures with whom we have moral
relations.” (1996: 180-181). Ethical issues can crop up the moment a researcher decides on a topic. The
topic might be controversial for the people who are to be studied and they may not give consent for any
exploration in their space. Ethical predicaments may arise when there are disputes and tensions related
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6. Fieldwork Today:
Today anthropological fieldwork has come a long way in terms of the kinds of investigation conducted.
The areas of research have become manifold too. With varied transformations taking place in the
globalized world, we find that along with the conventional areas of fieldwork, the spaces where
research and fieldwork are done have evolved. Fieldwork is no longer only conducted in remote
populations but also in urban settings, and at times, one’s own native place, either urban or rural.
Topics of research are such today that fieldwork may be conducted in government and legal spaces to
know about policies and laws and also assist government bodies in the formulation of new ones.
Fieldwork is also done in communities only so that reformations in their structure may be brought
about with the help of the government and civil bodies. Anthropological fieldwork now not only
concentrates on environmental changes and how they affect human lives but also at the same time
researches media and how it influences the way humans act in their social lives. The internet or new
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Summary
The module on Fieldwork Tradition in Anthropology provides the learner with a descriptive account of
what fieldwork is and how it is an intrinsic part of anthropological study. Fieldwork in anthropology is
crucial to the discipline’s way of gathering knowledge about human life, be it social or physical. To
recapitulate, the module provides an introduction to what fieldwork is and proceeds with a narrative of
its development historically. This historicity also tells us what significant methods and techniques of
doing fieldwork research developed along the way. The entry of women scholars into the field
providing a more emotive and intuitive account of communities studied (including women respondents
and their views), also brought the much desired comprehensive understanding of society and culture.
The module then gives an account of the methodologies, methods and techniques available and used in
anthropological fieldwork and how these are influenced by the kind of research the researcher
proposes. This leads to the issue of ethics to be handled in fieldwork which is carefully discussed here.
The module is concluded with the changing scenario in fieldwork with new interests in research areas.
The module hopefully acts as a guide to any learner of anthropology who would participate in
fieldwork research during his/her academic training.
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