From riding with platform delivery riders to observing people at neighbourhood parks, the ethnographer immerses themselves in the “natural” settings of target group(s) to better understand their everyday lived experiences.
The methodological approach of applied ethnography is a particularly useful approach to understanding people, their attitudes and behaviours. Immersion into the everyday contexts of target groups is crucial to the refinement of one’s skills in identifying key social elements like patterns, processes, and meanings. This quality of immersion enables ethnographers to develop more in-depth and nuanced understandings of social life. As opposed to simply recording what people might say in controlled settings (e.g. focus group discussions, interviews), the approach of applied ethnography lends itself to the creation of creative innovations and interventions.
In this workshop, participants will receive instruction from IPS researchers and distinguished academics on ethnographic methodologies, their applications and their significance in social research. During the workshop, participants will have the opportunity to conduct ethnographic fieldwork with the guidance of experienced IPS ethnographers. The aim of the workshop is to equip participants with basic ethnographic skills and develop familiarity with qualitative methods of generating data.
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Course Fees: 1,800 SGD per pax (excluding GST)
Course syllabus
Day 1: Overview of Ethnography
Participants will be introduced to the history of ethnography in academia and the various ways in which the ethnographic method has been applied in academic and non-academic pursuits over the years. Key concepts such as ethnocentrism and symbolic interactionism, as well as ethnographic methods will be introduced and elaborated upon.
Day 2: Ethnographic Fieldwork and Immersion
Participants will engage in a field practicum while guided by experienced IPS ethnographers in methods of observation and fieldwork processes. Participants will be “immersed” in various sites (e.g. rental housing estates and spaces frequented by migrants) and have the opportunity to apply the method of ethnographic observation.
Day 3: Presenting and Critiquing Ethnographic Work
Instructors will present detailed case studies on different types of ethnographic projects and showcase real-world applications of ethnographic data. Participants will also be invited to learn how to critique ethnographic work. The workshop will culminate in a flash presentation of participants’ findings where they will be invited to reflect upon the concepts and ideas covered in the preceding sessions.
Instructors
Course instructors include academics and industry practitioners who have professional expertise in the design and application of ethnographic research.