ENVIRONMENTAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2

The course is primarily addressed to students of the Master Degree in Environmental Humanities who have already passed 'Environmental Anthropology 1', mod.1 and 2. The participation of students of other programmes can be authorised upon agreement with the instructors.

The course will provide students with the practical tools, theoretical knowledge and basic skills to plan and carry out anthropological/ethnographic research in all its components and in various contexts. The skills and knowledge acquired during this course will help direct and conduct field research in its initial stages and facilitate the analysis of ethnographic data. Furthermore, the course will clarify the difference between anthropological/ethnographic research and other types of research, clarifying to students the complementarity of the various methodological and theoretical approaches offered by the entire interdisciplinary master's degree course, best equipping them for their future professional's path thanks to the acquired ability to discern and choose the most appropriate methodology, in relation to their needs, interests and sensitivities.

Environmental Anthropology 1, mod.1 and 2. To best organize the work, it is important that those who wish to attend are present from the first lesson and have with them the handbook (The Ethnographer's Way) which will support the course. From the first lesson, every student we will work on the development of a project idea, so it is good that each one arrive at the first lesson with a preliminary idea of ​​an ethnographic research, possibly linked in some way to environmental themes. Those who do not attend the laboratory will still be able to carry out the course independently by referring to the handbook.

Title: Designing and Conducting an Ethnographic Project
The course configures as a laboratory. In the first lesson, the course program and the concept of multidimensional ethnographic research will be introduced and the students will be divided into working groups. To best organize the work, it is important that those who wish to attend are present from the first lesson and have with them the handbook (The Ethnographer's Way) which will support the course. From the first lesson, every student we will work on the development of a project idea, so it is good that each one arrive at the first lesson with a preliminary idea of ​​an ethnographic research, possibly linked in some way to environmental themes. Those who do not attend the laboratory will still be able to carry out the course independently by referring to the handbook. During the course, students will be accompanied through targeted exercises in the development of a multidimensional ethnographic research project which includes: the identification of the main research topic and its interconnections with the various parts of the ethnographic research; the use of relevant literature; the identification of the main concepts, their synthesis and interconnections; the purpose, objectives and impact of the research; develop the research questions relating to the semi-structured interviews, administer them and analyze them; plan and conduct participant observation and analyze data.

Peterson, K and Olson, V., 2024, 'The Ethnographer's Way. A Handbook for Multidimensional Research Design', Duke University Press, Durham and London

Optional:
Hylland Eriksen, T., 1995, chapter: ‘Fieldwork and Ethnography’, in 'Small Places, Large Issues', Pluto Press, London & NY
Dumit, J., 2014, 'Writing the Implosion: Teaching the World One Thing at a Time.' Cultural Anthropology 29(2): 344-362.

1) evaluation of the exercises' templates that will be made available on Moodle
2) evaluation of a final written essay between 3,000 and 4,000 words (bibliography included). This writing is the final product of ethnographic research on a chosen topic related to environmental issues, with data deriving from semi-structured interviews and participant observation. More information on how to organize the essay will be made available on Moodle.

The course includes short lectures, practical assignments and supervised class discussions.

English

written and oral

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Natural capital and environmental quality" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development