ANTHRO 501a: Field Methods :
Field Sites
In order to complete this course successfully you will need to spend 5-7 hours
each week of the semester (about 80-90 hours total) at your fieldsite.
Final Papers
In addition to the final project, you will be expected to write a 12-15 page
ethnography of the field site, directed to an academic audience.
Fieldsite Requirements
Remember that your fieldsites should have the following characteristics:
- Relatively stable membership (same people getting together)
- Bounded physical or geographical space (same location)
- Some form of microculture (shared interests, communal knowledge)
- You enjoy being there as you'll be spending a lot of time there
The community under study also must meet the following requirements:
- Must have full-informed consent of everyone involved. All participants
or their guardians (if under 18) must give informed consent.
- Must not be part of the Yale community (i.e., must be off-campus)
- Must not be involved with any illegal activities*
- Must not be involved with activities that may endanger the life or well-being
of the anthropologist or informants
* In some of the fieldsite placements, you may potentially witness illegal activities.
You must work out with your client organization your ethical and legal responsibilities
in these situations.
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