Bringing Secondary Source Knowledge to Field Work

As you begin your primary research, doing field work, you are essentially taking on the role of amateur cultural anthropologists. As we go through our field work, it is important to integrate an academic/discipline-specific vocabulary that can (and should) help a researcher look more fully at their subject-culture.

For instance, knowing the what "proxemics" is and how the word is applied to one's observation of their culture can deepen your inquiry into non-verbal communication tactics. Click this sentence to a link to "proxemics" and other cultural vocabulary terms.

Proxemics is a subset of "Paralanguage," which also includes "kinesics" (body language). These are three terms that you, when you find them relevant to your field work, can be used as part of your secondary source research Word Bank.

For instance, going to the Columbia College library's on-line database and searching "proxemics" leads to about 83 articles. Sifting through the list, one can find connections made between proxemics and texting; proxemics, gender and leadership; proxemics and gender; proxemics and architecture; even proxemics and HULA HOOPS!!!

aside: there are quite a few relevant articles to those in our course that I have found doing research practice for this course. I suggest typing in "codes", "culture" and "urban in the three fields in EBSCO on the library's on-line database.

Homework:

• First, e-mail me an article (that you found on your own and that was not given by teacher) that you are reading that deals with your own field work. It does not have to be on "proxemics" or non-verbal communication. But, I'd like to see an example of secondary sources you are using as a guide to your own critical thinking about your subject-culture.

• Read (29 pages): "Crip Walk, Villain Stroll, Pueblo Stroll: The Embodiment of Writing in African American Gang Dance," by Susan A. Phillips. Now, instead of "giving" you the handout, you are going to have to search for the article (put in title and/or author) on Columbia College Library on-line database! (Oasis will not let me upload the article, plus it gives you a chance to do source research.)