Ethnomusicology Fieldwork
Code
711021020
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas
Department
Ciências Musicais
Credits
6
Teacher in charge
Maria de São José Côrte-Real
Weekly hours
4
Teaching language
Portuguese
Objectives
At the end of this unit, the student is, in the context of Ethnomusicology, able to:
a) Develop a short research project testing different fieldwork methods and techniques;
b) Address and test strategies of collection of information and data building for analysis;
c) Test theoretically framed fieldwork data organization and interpretation;
d) Discuss and test problems of ethnographic writing framed in the state of the art.
Prerequisites
Frequency and approval on \"Ethnomusicology: An Introduction\" and Ethnomusicology: Theory and Method\" units
Subject matter
After an introductory moment that includes auscultation of the research interests of the students, the unit Ethnomusicology: Field Research develops in four blocks following the work of students before, during and after the stay in the field:
1) RESEARCH QUESTION (Before the Field): 1. Identification of thematics; 2. Proposal of research themes; 3. Building research questions and hypothesis; 4. The researcher´s view.
2) INFORMATION GATHERING, FILEDWORK TECHNIQUES (In the Field): 1. Researcher and field; 2. Observation and recording; 3. Filed notes; 4. Design and conduction of interviews.
3) DATA CONSTRUCTION AND ANALYSIS (During and after the Field): 1 Organization of information; 2. Theoretical background and proposed perspective; 3. Report writing; 4 Discussion.
4) ETNOGRAFIC WRITING (After the Field): 1 Politics and poetics of ethnography; 2. Own options; 3. Accompanied ethnographic writing; 4. What to present from an ethnography?
Bibliography
Barz, G. F. (2008). Confronting the Field(note) in and out of the Field. Barz & Cooley (Eds.) Shadows in the Field. New Perspectives for Fieldwork in Ethnomusicology. Oxford: OUP, 206-223.
Burgess, R. (1997). Métodos de Pesquisa de Terreno. A Pesquisa de Terreno. Oeiras: Celta Ed, 112-33.
Castelo-Branco, S. (2008). A categorização da música em Portugal. Ethno-Folk, Revista Galega de Etnomusicologia 12, 13-30.
Clifford J. & Marcus, G. E. (1986). Writing Culture: The Politics and Poetics of Ethnography. Berkeley: UCP.
Nettl, B. (2005). Come Back and See Me Next Tuesday: Essentials of Fieldwork. The Study of Ethnnomusicology: 31 - Issues and Concepts. Urbana: UIP, 150-166.
Porter, J. (1997). The Collection and Study of Traditional European Music. Garland Encyclopedia of World Music Europe. Alexander Street Press, 16-28.
Rice, T. (2003). Time, Place and Metaphor in Musical Experience and Ethnography. Ethomusicology 47 (2), 151-179.
Teaching method
This is a course of research articulating theoretical (60%) and practical (40%) components, with fieldwork. In the first two blocks the students prepare and conduct a brief stay in the field, to collect information to answer the research question, theoretically framed and meanwhile proposed, and to test the hypotheses previously presented. In the last two blocks we proceed to the processing of data, including transcription of interviews and other records made, and writing exercises of two types of text: respectively a report on organization of data (text 1) and a brief text of ethnographic writing (text 2). Given the open and highly personal nature of the unit new readings can be added up and the work may develop around different fieldwork techniques.
Evaluation method
The assessment includes written and oral work according to the following ratio, to negotiate at the beginning of the course: texts 1 and 2 (35% + 35%), oral presentations 1 and 2 (15% + 15%).