The Art of Fieldwork

by Harry F. Wolcott

One of anthropology's premier writers on fieldwork methodology looks at the essential elements that constitute the art of his discipline. In The Art of Fieldwork , Wolcott compares the fieldworker to the artist, while recognizing the inherent differences between the labors of each.

Genres: Anthropology, Ethnography, Nonfiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published February 28, 1995

About the author

Harry F. Wolcott taught at the University of Oregon, serving on both the faculties of education and anthropology. He authored several ethnographic texts that included his experiences among the Kwakiutl Indians of British Columbia and with the African Beer Gardens of Bulawayo, Rhodesia, as well on ethnographic method and on writing itself, with a focus on qualitative research.

Reviews

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this when I was writing my thesis in college. I never thought I would look at it again, but now that I have work that involves actual fieldwork, I find it weirdly reassuring. I've pulled it off the bookshelf at least once a year since college (more often than many of my anthropology books) and have re-read certain parts of it ("The Basic Arts" and "The Dark Arts") when I've been at a loss with my own work. It feels like good, solid advice and a friendly rub on your back all at the same time. A good one for the shelf.