Constructing the Field: Ethnographic Fieldwork in the Contemporary World

by Vered Amit (Editor)

Ethnographic fieldwork is traditionally seen as what distinguishes social and cultural anthropology from the other social sciences. This collection responds to the inte nsifying scrutiny of fieldwork in recent years. It challenges the idea of the necessity for the total immersion of the ethnographer in the field, and for the clear separation of professional and personal areas of activity. The very existence of 'the field' as an entity separate from everyday life is questioned.
Fresh perspectives on contemporary fieldwork are provided by diverse case-studies from across North America and Europe. These contributions give a thorough appraisal of what fieldwork is and should be, and an extra dimension is added through fascinating accounts of the personal experiences of anthropologists in the field.

Genres: Anthropology

208 pages, Hardcover

First published September 23, 1999

Reviews

[Liv · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the essays are a little repetitive but five stars specifically to Caroline Knowles' essay it shall be very useful for my work on autotheory <3