Mad Dogs, Englishmen, and the Errant Anthropologist: Fieldwork in Malaysia

by Douglas Raybeck

In this spirited account of his time spent in Southeast Asia, Raybeck describes several adventures and misadventures involving field research, as well as the understanding, humility, and bruises that these experiences leave behind. Since fieldwork is situated, Raybeck’s treatment also includes rich descriptions of Kelantanese society and culture, addressing such topics as kinship, linguistics, gender relations, economics, and political structures. Through the lively pages of this narrative, readers gain insight into the human dimension of the fieldwork undertaking, a sense of how the anthropologist builds rapport in a research setting, and how reliable information is obtained. The latest edition includes an extensive epilogue.

Genres: Anthropology, Nonfiction, Memoir

246 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1996

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is excellent, especially for anyone who has experienced culture shock themsleves and wants to enjoy the tale of a kindred spirit. This book reads like a humor novel; it's easy to forget you're learning important anthropological concepts along the way ("getting backstage," for instance). A book I read initially for class, but have read over and over again since then.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

HILarious. and informative. pure glory. loved it.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me briefly wish that I'd become a cultural anthropologist.

[M. Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite Anthropology/Ethnography book of all-time. Anyone about to embark on fieldwork should be sure to read this gem!

[Cielo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this for my anthro class, and what a book!
This is full of information about Wakaf Bharu where Raybeck did his fieldwork, however rather than it just being numbers, it's done quite personally. There is comedy, and heartfelt events which made this much more personal to me, I would laugh out loud while reading a few of the pages.
I highly recommend this to whoever is getting into cultural anthropology or interested in the career. It will expose you to vocab and information you will learn in classes.

[Anders Moeller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, intelligent, and exceedingly easy to read. Even if you aren't interested in anthropology or cultural studies, this is still a magnificently enjoyable book which teaches you a thing or two about rural Kelantanese culture (Malaysia) in the late 1960s. Moreover, Raybeck adeptly weaves in epistemological and methodological debates from anthropology in the simplest language I've seen to date, which I strongly suspect I will want to quote in the future. This makes his book an incredibly efficient introduction to the field of anthropology and to anthropological fieldwork.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Mad Dogs, Raybeck, an influential anthropologist and professor, details his fieldwork in Kelantan, Malaysia.

This is a must read for any anthropologist considering fieldwork and anyone interested in cultural anthropology. There is a wealth of knowledge on conducting fieldwork, as well as information on Kelantanese culture.

Overall, the book is highly informative, frequently amusing, and well written. There are pages that are slightly tedious, but for the most it's an entertaining and interesting read.

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Used this book for intro to cultural anth. Very accessible and entertaining. The students enjoyed it.

[K.A.]

DNF.