Module Code & Title :- SO3604 Global Cities Spaces & Cultures
Weighting :- 25%
1. Ethnographic fieldwork & group presentation
Guidelines: This assessment is based on an ethnographic group field work during which students in groups of 5 will analyze the relationship between material spaces and social interactions either on Brunel Campus or in Smithfield London. As part of your assessment you will have to keep a group logbook (to ensure that all members of the group take equal workloads) and an individual ethnographic diary which will be the base for the individual essay write up for the 2nd assessment.
SO3604 Global Cities Spaces & Cultures Assignment Brunel University UK
For your group presentation analyse the social production of space on Brunel campus or at Smithfield Market. As a group you will decide on the emphasis of your research drawing on the themes developed in this module. You can focus on the following topics :
1.How are identity and a sense of place produced through everyday practices and sensory experiences?
2.How do digital devices: mobile phones, social media, computers inform the social production of space?
In relation to these topics think about:
1.How are processes of social inclusion/exclusion framed through the design of the place?
2.What power relations and forms of resistance can you identify in your case study?
3.How is globalization expressed and framed in particular places?
4.How have globalization processes created particular places?
Draw on your own senses to examine the sensory geography of place and how they create these places. You will provide an ethnographic analysis of the place and its public life with a range of observational research methods and by focusing on the senses (use your eyes ears nose taste buds body).
You should observe the place for at least two days by keeping an ethnographic diary (each group member has to keep her/his own diary) and use photographs, digital recorder drawn maps, your diary to record your findings and bring your presentation alive. You should also research briefly the social and urban history of the place to be able to contextualise your study use local council information websites, etc).
Your findings will be presented in a 10 minute group presentation using power point or tumblr during which you will analyse your ethnographic data and link your findings to relevant concepts theories and literatures covered in the module.
SO3604 Global Cities Spaces & Cultures Assignment Brunel University UK
The group presentation will be marked according to the following criteria:
– clarity of presentation (structure and verbal/visual presentation skills)
– good use of relevant research methods
– engagement and reflection with what the ‘social production of space’ means
theoretically
– ability to use empirical data to illustrate the social production of place
– ability to relate the relationship between the material space and the social practices occurring in this space
2.3000 word ethnographic essay based on ethnographic field work
Weighting: 75%
Submission: Submit on BBL & one paper copy to be submitted with ethnographic diary both together in a plastic wallet to TPO office.
Guidelines:
Based on your ethnographic fieldwork and diary you are asked to write an individual ethnographic essay which will discuss:
I. the rationale for choosing your research topic
II. offer a critical reflection of the research process, in particular a reflection on the practice of ethnography its advantages and dis advantages
III. and provide a critical analysis of your fieldwork data using your ethnographic notes and other gathered material as back up.
You need to analyse this data with the theories and concepts covered during the module.
SO3604 Global Cities Spaces & Cultures Assignment Brunel University UK
You should draw on your personal field work experiences to provide a critical analysis of the social production of space of contemporary urban environment. You are encouraged to explore ethnographically spatial power relations framed around the concepts of place identity globalization gentrification inequality or sensory experience.
The essay will be marked according the following criteria:
a. the guidelines outlined in the handbook for essay writing and additional emphasis will be given to:
b.brief description and reflection of the fieldwork
c.linking data with theory
d.ability to build a comprehensive argument to answer the particular research question
It is expected that this report will contain references to at least ten academic sources and contain a full bibliography in Harvard style. Failure to engage with the academic literature will lead to a lower grade.
Any course work or examined submission for assessment where plagiarism collusion or any form of cheating is suspected will be dealt with according to the University processes which are detailed in Senate Regulation 6.
You can access information about plagiarism here.
The University regulations on plagiarism apply to published as well as un published work collusion and the plagiarism of the work of other students.
Please ensure that you fully understand what constitutes plagiarism before you submit your work.
Guidelines for ethnographic essay
1. What is the point of this type of assessment? What criteria are being used for the assessment?
Over all the assessment is an opportunity for each individual to produce his/her individual analysis of the ethnographic data gathered during your group field work. Your field work will have generated a lot of data however part of the aim of this essay is to learn to focus your essay on a certain aspects with in your account see below and analyse this in depth. The aim of this assessment is at least fourfold:
(a) You are able to structure clearly your argument/data to provide a coherent analysis of the production of space framed around ONE of the following concepts of gentrification globalization consumption or experience;
(b) to be able to use and analyse your ethnographic data
(c) to be able to demonstrate an understanding of significant urban and spatial theories
(d) to be able to reflect upon the key arguments in urban sociology and contextualise your research and findings within them.
The assessment criteria are based on how well you can achieve these four components.
2. How does an Ethnographic Essay differ from an Essay?
The Ethnographic Essay shares certain characteristics with an essay in terms of presenting a coherent well structured account. It differs by you expected to be able to draw on your fieldwork observations and your subsequent analysis to move YOUR argument forward. The Ethnographic Essay is a focussed piece of writing around your field work where you should use diary annotations photographs maps to support your arguments. Your observations findings are then analysed in conjunction with a body of urban theories which we have covered in the course. However, you should not just draw on lecture notes but show evidence of wider reading (see your course handbook for inspiration).
3.I’ve got all this data, how do I start?
a) Start by reading through all your notes, fieldnotes, reflections (etc)–with a highlighter in hand–and mark those moments and prose that seem most important to you most interesting most useful.
b) Search for patterns in your list and make a new list of those patterns think about how your observations illustrate or differ from theories.
c) From your list of patterns and connections, select ONE larger idea/pattern that interests you most; a larger pattern to which other ideas can then be connected.(from Translating Culture Ethnographer 's Toolkit: Reviewing Field note Analysis," Chapter 8).
d) Create a focus statement/controlling idea/thesis statement from your observations (also from Translating Culture same as above) Now you & # 39 ve got a focal point around which you can begin to organize your essay.
4. Do I have to use academic literature to analyse the ethnographic notes?
Yes the academic literature and your own judgment are the tools you use to analyse your ethnographic material. Hence, once you decide which of the above concepts you want to interrogate in more detail you should read around the topic and use the literature and your own opinion to discuss how space was produced in your specific location. Use your first hand ethnography not only to support the literature but also to be critical of some of the theories you might come across.
5. How shall I structure the Ethnographic Essay?
The Ethnographic essay shares the same structure as an ordinary essay.
How ever in this case you come up with your own title: what is your essay analysing? You then should clearly state in the introduction what the aim of the essay is how it is structured. This should be followed by a brief description and discussion of the field work under taken. Then the main body of the essay begins. Don’t assume that the reader knows about your field work location so give a brief introduction to the place before focusing then on the key aspects that you want to focus upon. Remember to offer a coherent conclusion at the end of the essay: what does your fieldwork & analysis illustrate about the contemporary city?
6. Can I use photos materials gathered as a group?
Yes of course you can share photos. However, I expect that the ethnographic diaries will be different from each other as you took notes by yourself. Of course there will be some over lap with in groups but each essay is an individual piece of work and will draw on different theories/arguments to make its points. Some of you might also might go back to the field work location and spent some time alone there focusing in more detail on certain aspects of the ethnography feel free to do so.
7.How many references should I use for the Ethnographic Essay?
Avoid thinking in terms of quantity, and more in terms of quality Read in depth and use a variety of authors not just those covered in the lectures to support your claims. An excellent ethnographic essay is one that focuses on ethnographic details to show how issues in the micro-politics of the city related to more macro structural phenomena.
REMEMBER to hand in your ethno graphic essay together with your ethnographic diary in a plastic envelope!
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