RESEARCH DESIGN|ETHNOGRAPHIC DATA COLLECTION|DATA GENERATION|PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION|REFLEXIVITY

Building on topics introduced in Term 1, the module covers ethnography and theory, key ethnographic studies, methodology and methods, reflexivity, practical...

Building on topics introduced in Term 1, the module covers ethnography and theory, key ethnographic studies, methodology and methods, reflexivity, practical and ethical issues in fieldwork, analysis and interpretation, new challenges and cutting-edge ethnographies.
Module aims
The module aims to enable a deeper understanding of ethnographic research introduced in Term 1. Students will review issues relating to theory, design, data collection/generation, fieldnotes and analysis with the aim of enabling an appreciation of the opportunities and challenges of doing ethnographic research.  Each lecture is complemented by activities in which students use a range of techniques to analyse, assess and try out ethnographic approaches. You will be encouraged to develop good practice in gathering and interpreting data and incorporating them into an independent piece of research, clearly written and structured in a ‘mini ethnography’. The assignment is not only about reporting ‘findings’, but critically reflecting on processes of data collection and contextualising empirical data within wider evidence and literature.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course, students should be able to critically analyse ethnographic research, feel comfortable with carrying out this type of research on their own and be aware of the role they play in the research process.

Many current philosophical discussions, both in practical and theoretical philosophy, centre around the explanation of normativity. In this module we will...

Many current philosophical discussions, both in practical and theoretical philosophy, centre around the explanation of normativity. In this module we will focus primarily on practical normativity, starting
with the crucial concept of a normative reason and then look into a number of different topics, e.g.
(i) Values and reasons
(ii) Reasons for attitudes and the wrong kind of reasons
(iii) Normative powers and voluntary obligations

Philosophy Area B