ethnographic writing syllabus (kernaghan fall 16)...

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E t h n o g r a p h i c W r i t i n g

ANG6930-18D5

Fall2016

Wed5-7(11:45-2:45) CBD0234 Instructor:RichardKernaghan DepartmentofAnthropology TurlingtonHallB121 kernaghan@ufl.edu OfficeHours:Thurs1:00-3:30 (orbyappointment)

Summary: This class is an ethnographic writing workshop. Throughout the semester will explore the

craft ofwriting in relation to events, circumstances, and predicaments that arise during ethnographic

fieldwork. Ourmain activity as participants will be towrite. However, wewill also use this forum to

foster anextended conversationon strategies and techniques forportrayingempiricalworlds.Making

ourownethnographicwritingmoreadequatetoencounterswiththeworldswestudyistheoverarching

aspirationoftheclass.Tothatendwewillexperimentwithwaysofrenderingourtextsmorevividand

compelling, not in order to become “goodwriters” but to hone our attentiveness and sensitivities to

discoveriesthatarependinginpastfieldworkexperiencesandinthosestilltocome.

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Requirements: (1) regular attendance and engagement in discussions and activities; (2) a writing

journal/scrapbookkeptthroughoutthesemesterthatbuildsuponethnographicfieldnotesordiaries;(3)

aseriesofbriefvignettes(fiveinall)eachbasedonadifferentfieldworkscene,experienceorencounter;

(4)anannotatedbibliographyofworksonethnographyandethnographicwriting;and(5)atermpaper.

Texts:allrequiredreadingsforthiscoursecanbedownloadedfromCanvasCoursePage.Thefollowingtitlesarerecommended(butnotrequired)andwillbeplacedonreserveatLibraryWest:Bennett,VibrantMatter,DukeUniversityPress,2009.Lyon,ConversationswiththeDead,PhaidonPress,2015Sacco,FootnotesinGaza,MetropolitanBooks,2009Sanjek,Fieldnotes,CornellUniversityPress,1990Starn.WritingCultureandtheLifeofAnthropology,DukeUniversityPress,2015.Taussig,ISwearISawThis,UniversityofChicagoPress,2011Walser,Microscripts,NewDirections,2012.Attendance:Pleasearrivepunctuallyandremainuntiltheendofclass.Anattendancesign-upsheetwillbe circulated each session. If you must miss class, please inform me ahead of time (or as soon aspossible) and provide appropriate documentation. In the event of an absence your responsibility tocontactaclassmateinordertoobtainnotesonthematerialscoveredwhileaway.Absencesforreasonsofreligiousholiday, illness,andofficialuniversitybusinessareexcused;however,propernotificationshouldbeprovided.Pleasenote:Multipleabsenceswillundermineperformanceinthecourse.ForofficialUFPolicyonattendanceandabsencespleaseconsult:https://catalog.ufl.edu/ugrad/current/regulations/info/attendance.aspxEvaluations–Finalcoursegradeswillbecalculatedaccordingtoacombinationoffourcriteria:

Participation (20%):Agradewill be assessed at the endof the semester basedon thedegree towhichyouhaveplayedanactive, informedroleinclassdiscussions,andinsodoingcontributedtothe course’s overall success. Therefore, it is important to arrive at each sessionon time,with theassignedmaterials inhand,andprepared toshare impressions,questionsand interpretations.Youarealsohighlyencouraged tomeetwithme individually inofficehours to talkaboutyourwritingandon-goingworktowardsthefinalproject.Ethnographicvignettes(30%):Thesefivewritingexercises(maximum500wordseach)areintendedtogiveyouachancetonarrateacrucialeventorworkupastrikingdetailfromyourownfieldworkexperiences.Thevignettecouldexploretheplayof light,shadowanddustatacertainhouroftheday inaplaceyouhavefrequented. Itmightregisterthesonorousreverberationsofwateruponanearbyshore—orelsethecolorsandtexturesofboatsyoufoundbeachedthereasyouwatchedthedaily rhythms ofmen and womenwhose livelihoods depend on the sea. Perhaps, you will writeabout the sensory/corporeal demands of a busy city intersection at night or about the crash thatalmosthappenedthere.Youmightdescribethesignaturewayinwhichaclosefriendtellsstoriesor

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evenrevealthefieldworkdiscoverythatcametoyouinadream.Herethe‘what’mattersbutonlyinproportiontothevividnesswithwhichitisbroughtforthinwriting.Annotatedbibliography(20%):Thisdocumentshouldbeselective,notexhaustive,featuringatleasttenbutnomorethantwentyentries.Therelevanceofeachtitle totheparticipant’sethnographicwritingshouldbemadeexplicitinthebriefdescriptionthataccompaniesit.Termprojectpaper(30%):Thefinalpapershouldbeanoriginalandcreativepieceofethnographicwriting.Ofapproximately5500-7000words in length, ideally itwillcontributedirectlytowardsthedevelopmentofaconferencepaper,journalarticleordissertationchapter.

The final paper must be typed and double-spaced with one-inch margins and pages numbered.Pleasedonotforgettostaple.Inadditiontohandinginahardcopyoftheassignment,youarealsorequiredtosubmitanelectronicversionviaCanvas.

AssignmentDeadlines:1)ethnographicvignettedeadlines:TBA2)finalpaper&annotatedbibliography:Dec.7Latepolicy:Assignmentsaredueat thebeginningofclassof thecalendardeadline.Papershanded inlatebutstillwithinoneweekoftheoriginalduedatewillbedockedtheequivalentofafulllettergrade.Afterthattheywillnolongerbeaccepted.Noextensionswillbegrantedforthefinaltermpaper.Academic Honesty: All work submitted for a grade must be free from unauthorized assistance ordeliberatemisrepresentationsofone’sowneffort.Thepenalty forplagiarismorcheating isagradeofzeropointsontheassignmentinquestion.Ifyouhavequestionsaboutwhatconstitutesacademicmisconduct,pleaseconsulttheUFHonorCodeaswellastheUFPoliciesonAcademicHonesty,StudentRightsandResponsibilities.Theseareavailableonlineathttps://catalog.ufl.edu/ugrad/current/advising/info/student-honor-code.aspxalsohttps://www.dso.ufl.edu/sccr/seminars-modules/academic-integrity-moduleAccommodations for students with disabilities: The University of Florida is committed to providingacademic accommodations for students with disabilities. Students with disabilities requestingaccommodations should first register with the Disability Resource Center (352-392-8565,www.dso.ufl.edu/drc/) by providing appropriate documentation. Once registered, a student shouldpresenthis/heraccommodationlettertomesupportingarequestforaccommodations.TheUniversityencouragesstudentswithdisabilitiestofollowtheseproceduresasearlyaspossiblewithinthesemester.Grading:Thefollowingscalewillbeusedforgradesonallassignmentsandexams:94-100=A;90-93=A-;87-89=B+; 83-86=B; 79-82=B-; 76-78=C+; 72-75=C; 69-71=C-; 66-68=D+; 62-65=D; 59-61=D-; 58 andbelow=E(failing).AdditionalUFResources:TheWritingStudio,302TigertHall(864-1138)http://writing.ufl.edu/writing-studio/for-students/

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CareerResourceCenter,ReitzUnion(392-1601)http://www.crc.ufl.edu/StudentHealthCareCenter(392-1161)http://shcc.ufl.edu/,andUniversityCounseling&WellnessCenter,3190RadioRoad(392-1575)http://www.counseling.ufl.edu/cwc/Pleasenote:Imaymakeminoradjustmentstoclassreadingsduringthecourseofthesemester.Anyandallmodificationswillbeannouncedaheadoftime.

CourseScheduleweek1 introductions8/24 film:LettersfromHome(dir.Akerman)week2 writingencounters8/31 Hurston,“TurpentineCamp–CrossCity” Hurston,MulesandMen(excerpt) Stewart,“ThePointofPrecision”week3 drawing9/7 Blanchot,“DiaryandStory” Taussig,ISwearISawThis(selectpassages) Sacco,FootnotesinGaza(excerpts)week4 fieldworkandnotes9/14 Walser,Microscripts(excerpts) Rabinow,“Ali:AnInsider’sOutsider” imagesofnotebooksfromBurroughs’PortsofEntryexhibition videosfromLaborinaSingleShotproject(AntjeEhmannandHarunFarocki)

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week5 whichvoices?9/21 Stewart,“Precarity’sForms” Malinowski,ArgonautsoftheWesternPacific(selectpassages) Burroughs,“TheCut-Up”week6 wherenothinghappens9/28 Benjamin,“TheHandkerchief” Cadava,“Traces”&“Nightdreams”fromWordsofLightweek7 picturesstillandmoving10/5 Lyon,ConversationswiththeDead film:RebeccaBaron’s,“TheIdeaofNorth”week8 noclass10/12 outoftownpresentation Barthes,“StructureoftheFait-Divers”week9 whenthingslookback10/19 Bennett,“TheForceofThings” week10 speechsituations10/26 Sarraute,“Conversationsandsub-conversations”week11 clichés11/2 D.H.Lawrence,“Cezanne” Deleuze,“ThePaintingbeforePainting”

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week12 ofdreams11/9 Blanchot,“Dreaming,Writing” Leiris,NightwithoutDay,DaywithoutNight(excerpts)week13 portraitsifnotfaces11/16 Barthes,CameraLucida(selectpassages) Edwards,“ObjectsofAffect”week14 Holiday11/23 ThanksgivingBreakweek15 finalpresentations11/30 week16 finalpresentations12/5