Undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in ANT473 and ANT 6200 Ethnographic Practicum: The University, together with other members of the Ethnography Lab have been investigating various aspects of life at the University of Toronto. The purpose of the course is for students to learn how to conduct an independent ethnographic inquiry, analyse data, and write it up as an original contribution to knowledge. Data comes from observations, archives, interviews, photos and other methods, as students spend time in field sites in a range of venues across campus. They use weekly meetings for brainstorming, sharing insights, coming up with provisional analysis, and allocating tasks for individuals or sub-groups to work on in the week ahead. The resulting blog posts and final papers are archived here.
This final paper was part of the coursework for the Ethnographic Practicum courses ANT473 and ANT6200, “Ethnography of the University 2019: Focus on Time” “I hate that every time I finish something, I have to start doing the next thing. You know, Sarah?” Clifford exclaims while using one hand to clumsily put his sneakers on … Continue reading
This final paper was part of the coursework for the Ethnographic Practicum courses ANT473 and ANT6200, “Ethnography of the University 2019: Focus on Time” “No more culture of stress=success” On Monday afternoon of September 30th, I walked into the Bahen Centre for Information Technology. Just a few days earlier on Friday night of September 27th, … Continue reading
This final paper was part of the coursework for the Ethnographic Practicum courses ANT473 and ANT6200, “Ethnography of the University 2019: Focus on Time” Between 1992 and 1996 I was providing social-educational sessions on weekends to men who were dealing with drug and alcohol dependence. These men were mandated by the courts to attend the … Continue reading
This final paper was part of the coursework for the Ethnographic Practicum courses ANT473 and ANT6200, “Ethnography of the University 2019: Focus on Time” A tall white man with dark hair and a trimmed, grey-streaked beard stands in an open doorway, blocking my way into the Robarts Library Family Study Space. Seeing that the reading … Continue reading
This final paper was part of the coursework for the Ethnographic Practicum courses ANT473 and ANT6200, “Ethnography of the University 2019: Focus on Time” Introduction Since Franz Boas championed the ‘four field’ approach in 1904, anthropology has been understood as a field informed by both synchronic and diachronic perspectives. “Anthropologists occupy themselves with the problems… … Continue reading
This final paper was part of the coursework for the Ethnographic Practicum courses ANT473 and ANT6200, “Ethnography of the University 2019: Focus on Time” Introduction I was sitting down one day at Sydney Smith Patio, around noon. And I saw someone by themselves on a bench, eating their lunch. And after 5 minutes, they finished … Continue reading
This final paper was part of the coursework for the Ethnographic Practicum courses ANT473 and ANT6200, “Ethnography of the University 2019: Focus on Time” It is 10:00 a.m. at the University of Toronto. You are on your way to class across campus. As you walk through the busy sidewalks, you try to wiggle your way … Continue reading
This final paper was part of the coursework for the Ethnographic Practicum courses ANT473 and ANT6200, “Ethnography of the University 2019: Focus on Time” Introduction Like every group meeting, the agenda for this particularly cold Monday 4 pm gathering included a check-in question. In this case, it was “In the event that we are all … Continue reading
This final paper was part of the coursework for the Ethnographic Practicum courses ANT473 and ANT6200, “Ethnography of the University 2019: Focus on Time” To begin, I would like to pose the reader with a question: If I have an exam that ends at 9pm, another the following morning at 9am, and it takes me … Continue reading
This final paper was part of the coursework for the Ethnographic Practicum courses ANT473 and ANT6200, “Ethnography of the University 2019: Focus on Time” I met with Dana sometime towards the end of October in her office at College X, after having booked an appointment for financial counseling at the registrar’s. Having been introduced to … Continue reading
Ethnography Lab 