North Carolina State University
2008 Summer Ethnographic Field School
Lake Atitlán, Guatemala
May 16, 2008 - July 7, 2008
COURSES and CREDITS
Credits:
Each student receives six course credits upon successful completion of the following two courses that form the basis of instruction during the field school. Graduate students enroll in ANT 610, an independent graduate study course in Anthropology, but will follow the outlines for ANT 419 and ANT 431. Note: English will be the primary language of instruction, but Spanish will also be used and students with sufficient Spanish language skills will be encouraged to use their Spanish as often as possible. English translation is available to facilitate interviewing and communication. There are also inexpensive language schools in Panajachel and two of the surrounding Lake Atitlán communities for those who are interested.
Courses:
ANT 419 Ethnographic Field Methods: This is a three credit field methods course emphasizing practical training in ethnographic fieldwork and ethics. Applied research methods such as rapid appraisal will also be demonstrated. Students learn research design, systematic observation, interviewing, fieldnote-taking, coding. ethics and how to use laptop computers in ethnographic research, data analysis and report writing. (Click here to see the syllabus.)
ANT 431 Tourism, Change and Anthropology: This is a three credit field course focusing on tourism and the role of culture as it affects the interactions between hosts and guests. Students learn through seminar discussions and field work the problems underlying the achievement of sustainable tourism and maintenance of native cultural traditions. Click here to see the syllabus.)ANT610 Special Topics in Anthropology: This is a variable credit course (3-6 credits) for graduate students, but the course content remains the same as in ANT 419 and ANT 431, except with somewhat higher expectations in the graduate students ethnographic research and final report. Students enrolled in ANT 610 will follow the same syllabi as the other students enrolled in ANT419 and ANT 431.