Ethnographic fieldwork
A primary research strategy in cultural anthropology typically involves living and interacting with a community of people over an extended period to better understand their lives
Cultural relativism
Understanding a group’s beliefs and practices within their own cultural context, without making judgments
Participant Observation
A key anthropological research strategy involving both participation in and observation of the daily life of the people being studied
Engaged Anthropology
Application of the research strategies and analytical perspectives of anthropology to address concrete challenges facing local communities and the world at large
Quantitative data
Statistical information about a community that can be measured and compared
Qualitative data
Descriptive data drawn from non statistical sources, including personal stories, interviews, life histories, and participant observation
Rapport
Relationships of trust and familiarity that an anthropologist develops with members of the community under study
Key informant
A community member who advises the anthropologist on community issues, provides feedback, and warns against cultural miscues. Also called cultural consultant
Survey
An information-gathering tool for quantitative data analysis
Kinship analysis/ genealogy
A fieldwork strategy of examining interlocking relationships of power built on marriage and family ties
Field notes
The anthropologist’s written observations and reflections on places, practices, events, and interviews
Emic
An approach to gathering data that investigates how local people think and how they understand the world
Etic
Description of local behavior and beliefs from the anthropologist’s perspective in ways that can be compared across cultures
Informed consent
A key strategy for protecting those being studied by ensuring that they are fully informed of the goals of the project and have clearly indicated their consent to participate
Mapping
The analysis of the physical and/or geographic space where fieldwork is being conducted
Mixed methods
Both - Common
Research Ethics
Don’t harm, obtain informed consent, obligations (those whom they study, those who fund research, those in the profession), complicated in practice
