The generation of knowledge about the world is the core mandate of ethnographic inquiry; and
the content of knowledge – what it is, who generates it, how it is evaluated, contested and put
into motion is a core theme of ethnographic research. Hence for ethnographers knowledge is
double: it is what we seek to generate through our research and analysis; and it is what we seek
to understand. Students in the Fall 2020 Ethnographic Practicum class ANT 6200 took up the
challenge of attempting to generate ethnographic knowledge about knowledge under Covid
constraints.
Students from Prof. Tania Li’s fall 2020 course entitled ‘Ethnographic Practicum: Ethnography of the University’ compiled blog posts and documents from their experience conducting ethnography of the modes of work that shape the University of Toronto. Click on items from the drop-down menu for more information.
This final paper was part of the coursework for the Ethnographic Practicum course, “Ethnography of the University 2020: Focus on Knowledge” It’s 4:45 pm on an autumn Saturday evening, and the Mass begins in fifteen minutes. As I walk up to the church’s robust Mahogany wooden doors, I am reminded that another week has passed. … Continue reading
This final paper was part of the coursework for the Ethnographic Practicum course, “Ethnography of the University 2020: Focus on Knowledge” INTRODUCTION: In the summer of 2020, the phrase “why is no one talking about this?” and aggressive awareness campaigns for social justice began popping up in my social media feed. I found this curious, … Continue reading
This final paper was part of the coursework for the Ethnographic Practicum course, “Ethnography of the University 2020: Focus on Knowledge” Two profile pictures are laid out directly side by side in a LinkedIn post; the one on the left is taken in bright portrait mode of a woman with straightened blonde hair in a … Continue reading
This blog post was part of the coursework for the Ethnographic Practicum course, “Ethnography of the University 2020: Focus on Knowledge.” It was originally posted in the category “Producing Ethnographic Knowledge.” As ethnographers-in-training, we find ourselves immersed in doubt as we continuously question every step of the research process: Do I have enough data? Did I speak … Continue reading
This blog post was part of the coursework for the Ethnographic Practicum course, “Ethnography of the University 2020: Focus on Knowledge.” It was originally posted in the category “Producing Ethnographic Knowledge.” Electronic devices (i.e. smartphones, laptops, cameras) and social media platforms (i.e. Facebook, Instagram, Linked-In), are fundamental in conducting fieldwork during this pandemic. In ethnographic … Continue reading
This blog post was part of the coursework for the Ethnographic Practicum course, “Ethnography of the University 2020: Focus on Knowledge.” It was originally posted in the category “Producing Ethnographic Knowledge.” This semester was my first experience with graduate studies, and I was excited to enroll in a course where I could finally practice ethnography … Continue reading
This blog post was part of the coursework for the Ethnographic Practicum course, “Ethnography of the University 2020: Focus on Knowledge.” It was originally posted in the category “Producing Ethnographic Knowledge.” Being a Tibetan and having followed a specific Tibetan Buddhist teacher and his Facebook page (my field site) for a few years prior to … Continue reading
This blog post was part of the coursework for the Ethnographic Practicum course, “Ethnography of the University 2020: Focus on Knowledge.” It was originally posted in the category “Producing Ethnographic Knowledge.” In this post I reflect on the challenges I faced when the tables turned and my role as a participant switched to becoming the … Continue reading
This blog post was part of the coursework for the Ethnographic Practicum course, “Ethnography of the University 2020: Focus on Knowledge.” It was originally posted in the category “Producing Ethnographic Knowledge.” Today one can find Buddhism being used in multiple countries and across varying disciplines. We see more adaptations of “secular” forms of Buddhism in … Continue reading
This blog post was part of the coursework for the Ethnographic Practicum course, “Ethnography of the University 2020: Focus on Knowledge.” It was originally posted in the category “Producing Ethnographic Knowledge.” Conducting participant-observation involves wearing more than one research hat, specifically juggling two primary research roles: the participant who is actively engaging with the field … Continue reading
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