ENGH 484: RS: Writing Ethnography

ENGH 484-001: RS: Writing Ethnography
(Spring 2020)

01:30 PM to 02:45 PM MW

Peterson Hall 2411

Section Information for Spring 2020

Ethnography has famously been termed “writing about culture.” Over the course of the semester, you will do precisely that: write about places, communities, or individuals who share common experiences, interests, and concerns. Your task this semester will be to conduct close research with some local culture, likely one of which you are already a part. All of our class activities—readings, writing exercises, discussions, fieldwork, writing workshops, etc.—will culminate in a final written product, an ethnographic research paper in which you will use rich, detailed descriptions to explore the experience of being a part of your chosen community. You will go beyond surface understandings to expose the complexities of local contexts and the deeper meanings of social interactions.

Ultimately, this course will help you develop marketable skills—primary research, writing, and analysis—that will serve you no matter what your academic and career goals might be. You will learn how to conduct systematic qualitative research by observing closely and taking careful notes, interviewing individuals and groups and listening carefully, and writing up and analyzing your data thoughtfully and ethically. Using all of the information you collect, you will learn how to tell a lively, focused, well-supported, logically and ethically sound story about the culture you study.

ENGH 484 001 enrollment is controlled. Students must contact the instructor, Professor Gatling (bgatling@gmu.edu), for approval to register.

Tags:

Course Information from the University Catalog

Credits: 3

Study and practice of ethnographic writing. Students conduct ethnographic investigations and practice journal keeping, field note recording, interviewing, transcription, and interpretation. Includes introduction to current issues in ethnographic writing. Limited to three attempts.
Mason Core: Capstone
Specialized Designation: Research/Scholarship Intensive
Recommended Prerequisite: ENGH 302.
Schedule Type: Lecture
Grading:
This course is graded on the Undergraduate Regular scale.

The University Catalog is the authoritative source for information on courses. The Schedule of Classes is the authoritative source for information on classes scheduled for this semester. See the Schedule for the most up-to-date information and see Patriot web to register for classes.