Monday, February 23, 2009

Quickie

I need some good examples of ethnography (preferably a documentary film I could get my hands on quick-like). I guess I would consider fictional (film) examples as well, as long as they could lead into an interesting discussion of ethnographic research and/or reporting. This is for my next two teaching sequences which will be in two parts - 1. talking about ethnography, defining the genre and talking about its characteristics, gathering information about a community/landscape/civic issue/etc. and analyzing it 2. creating and presenting a project based on their research for a specific purpose and audience of their choice. This is deliberately broad, so that students may individualize their projects based on their interests/backgrounds/goals. I imagine their projects to be local, accessible, researchable, and practical.

Thanks!

6 comments:

wabby said...

What about the seven up series?

I have to admit that sometimes I get confused about what constitutes an ethnography. Sounds like I need to take your class!!!

jack said...

I don't know if these will work, these were good ethnographic documentaries: "The Devil's Playground" (about traditional Amish teenagers), or maybe "Small Town Gay Bar" about...a small town gay bar.

Lauren said...

Boys of Baraka, maybe? Mayhaps I'm confuzzled too.

cdee said...

one time in an undergrad anthropology class I was forced to watch a doc. about an uncivilized tribe in Papa New Guinea. it made an impression on me. lots of dongs and tits hanging out and beautiful fierce faces.

molfe said...

Thanks. I actually borrowed a film titled "Looking for an Icon" from a friend here. It's a pretty great film, especially for anyone teaching visual rhetoric (and has absolutely nothing to do with ethnography).

molfe said...

I mean that's not to say your ideas weren't all amazing! It's just that it was so easily there in my hands.