Ethnography

Ethnography is a subdivision of cultural anthropology that uses qualitative methods to describe the contemporary culture of a people. One of the defining features of Cultural Anthropology that sets it apart from other social sciences is its concern for seeking an understanding of a culture from the point of view of the insider. Ethnographers use the emic approach which “seeks to  describe a culture using those criteria that his informants employ as they observe, interpret, and describe their own experiences during the course of   life” (Spradley and McCurdy 1972:18). Fieldwork (i.e., first-hand observations) is the hallmark of ethnography.

Typical kitchen stove

Peru 2007: Packing clay for new stove type.

Peru 2007: Preparing base of new stove type.

Peru 2007: A proud Peruvian horseman.

Host family.

Ethnography 2010: Hopi Reservation

Hopi Cultural Center