Ethnography at Reed

Here are some important resources to check out as you consider whether and how to do an ethnographic project in anthropology at Reed.

American Anthropological Association Code of Ethics
Anyone considering an ethnographic project at Reed should start by reading this document. This is the 1998 updated version of the professional code of ethics for anthropologists. See especially the sections on anthropologists' responsibilities to the people with whom they work and on informed consent. Use this to think through your project and talk over the planning with your advisor.

Reed Human Subjects Review Committee
As of fall 2003, Reed has announced that all research under Reed auspices involving human participants must undergo some form of review by the college's HSRC (IRB). Most anthropology projects would fall under "exempt" (from full committee review) or "expedited". But you will still need to allow yourself sufficient time to submit a proposal. See this website for detailed information.

American Anthropological Association Statement on Human Subjects Review, June 2004
This is the most recent statement of AAA on Human Subjects oversight of ethnographic projects. Gives some background and the stance of the association on ethics and ethnography.

Sample Anthropology HSRC Proposals and Consent Scripts
All of these proposals submitted for different forms of ethnographic research by anthropology majors in recent years were approved.

Ethical and Legal Aspects of Human Subjects Research on the Internet
Internet research is a growing field. See this 1999 report from the American Association for the Advancement of Science on related issues.

Guide to Ethnographic Research
This Web site by Barbara Hall is intended to provide general, simplified information about how to conduct and write up the results of ethnographic research. It was created for students on the Program in Public Interest Anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania who intend to undertake small- scale fieldwork projects as part of their studies. In a clear and straightforward style, the site covers the main methodological, ethical and intellectual issues raised by ethnographic fieldwork and reporting, providing along the way references to other printed and electronic resources.

Fieldwork: The Anthropologist in the Field
A lively, detailed description of how a variety of issues associated with doctoral dissertation level ethnographic research (from planning the project to finding a field site to how many pairs of socks an ethnographer living in Papua New Guinea might need) is provided at this site by Dr. Laura Zimmer Tamakoshi. 

Further Reading

Bibliography on Ethnography and Fieldwork
This is a substantial bibliography of more than 600 items published over the last 80 or so years. The listing includes books, journal articles and chapters in edited volumes. All the items are in English and are arranged under the following seven headings: Introduction to fieldwork, Research methods, Ethics and fieldwork, Sex, gender and fieldwork, Writing ethnography, History and theory of anthropological research, Personal accounts of anthropological fieldwork. The compiler is at the Scientific Research Centre, Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts. The bibliography is one of a series of specialist bibliographies from AnthroGlobe.

James Dow's Bibliography on Fieldwork
This 1992 bibliography contains some 390 items published during the twentieth century in the English language. It covers research methods in all areas of anthropology. Books, chapters in edited volumes and periodical articles are all included. The arrangement is alphabetical by key word and there is also an index. James Dow is Professor of Anthropology at Oakland University, Michigan.