Susana,
I believe cultural immersion has many meanings related to the definition and
application of it. As you plead for: "something that actually DEFINES
it--how it's conducted, under what circumstances, with what methods, for how
long, degree of exposure, etc", I believe you should also think about
the *context
for application*. Sunderland's, as Dr.Milestone indicates, could be useful
for *applying some techniques* or showing some cases to students, for
example: in a Design Studio Context. Nonetheless, if you are looking to *build
up theory in over this ideas*, I would definitely read some emblematic
author like Wolcott, who's background as an *educator and an anthropologist*,
tackles a lot of the issues in learning. He has several bibliography that
you can find on the Internet.
In his book "Ethnography: A Way of Seeing" Wolcott indicates a compilation
of student's essays done by Spradley & MCCurdy called: *THE CULTURAL
EXPERIENCE* [1972] "*I think the authors paved the way for generations of
students to conduct modest studies in their own communities by giving them
examples of inquiries into cultural scenes easy either to access directly
(schools, stores, a senior citizen apartment complex, a fire station) or to
learn about through interviews (hitchhiking, the work world of the airline
stewardess, even a cartheft ring*)".
Best,
Constanza
On 25 January 2011 15:40, Juris Milestone <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> A clarification... Mead was not the first to engage in what would generally
> be called "participant observation," though she is one of the most widely
> known anthropologists, particularly in America. In fact her mentor and
> teacher, Franz Boas, advocated and engaged in it extensively. However, the
> person generally credited with establishing modern participant-observation
> as an ethnographic research method is Bronislaw Malinowski (see Argonauts of
> the Western Pacific (1922), and bring a cup of coffee!).
>
> Regarding "cultural immersion" - I've not heard this referred to as a
> research method, but rather as part of a teaching pedagogy, more like a
> desired context for learning, particularly in the "study abroad" programs of
> American high schools and colleges. So, there are some books on this from
> an educational perspective, though I am not versed in that literature. I'm
> sure the list could help a great deal if you could be a little more specific
> about what you're looking for. Generally, if a culturally immersive
> research method is desired, participant-observation would be the ticket!
> But if you're looking for a tool kit for immersing someone else (other than
> students) in a cultural context of interest to them, then you may want to
> look at some less traditional applications of ethnographic methods, such as
> Sunderland and Denny's "Doing Anthropology in Consumer Research."
>
>
> Juris Milestone, Ph.D.
> Department of Anthropology
> Temple University
> [log in to unmask]
>
>
>
>
>
> On Jan 25, 2011, at 1:16 PM, Ranulph Glanville wrote:
>
> > I'm not sure if this is what you want, but the Margaret Mead books
> >
> > Coming of Age in Samoa
> > Growing up in New Guinea
> > (and possible Boyer and Shankman's The Trashing if Margaret Mead)
> >
> > might help. I don't expect anyone on this list doesn't know, but just in
> case, Mead was the first anthropologist to do fieldwork that involved living
> with those who she was studying. So these books tell of how she did this.
> The Trashing refers to a strange witch hunt orchestrated by, I think, a New
> Zealand academic who objected to this approach and went to great lengths to
> find fault. The fault he found that I know of (rather amusing) does not, in
> my mind, invalidate her method (immersion) at all.
> >
> > Well, I may be well wide of the mark and not providing what you're
> looking for at all. Or not.
> >
> > Ranulph
> >
> >
> >
> > On 25 Jan 2011, at 16:09, Susana La Luz wrote:
> >
> >> Hey all,
> >>
> >> I've got a research methods issue that I was hoping one (or more) of you
> might be able to help me with:
> >>
> >> Does anyone have anything from anywhere reputable that defines "cultural
> immersion" as a method for research and/or learning? I'm not talking about
> something that expounds on the VALUE of cultural immersion, but something
> that actually DEFINES it--how it's conducted, under what circumstances, with
> what methods, for how long, degree of exposure, etc.?
> >>
> >> Any leads would be VERY helpful.
> >>
> >> Thanks for your time!
> >> --Susana
>
--
Constanza S. Miranda M.
PhD Student NCSU-Design-Anthro
www.innovacionsocial.cl
www.facebook.com/designforsocialinnovation
"Develop Design, Design to Develop"
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