300670 Friction/Assemblage/Entanglement in the Study of Globalisation (LEH) (SoSe 2020)

This two-semester research seminar investigates the implications of globalization in the lives of individuals, communities and societies around the world. We shall critically engage with notions of assemblage, friction and entanglement in the study of globalization to explore the global circulation of people, ideas, images, capital, and goods and how it plays out in local life worlds and places. Under supervision, students will each work on an individual mini research project that investigates a relevant topic, such as systems of production and consumption, citizenship and mobility, the internet, mass media, tourism, or pop culture to identify the dynamics of globalization in particular places. Methodologically, you will use ethnographic methods to conduct field research in a chosen location.
The main aim of this research seminar is to accompany you on the process of conducting a research project, from formulating research questions and designing a suitable data collection plan to carrying it out and writing up as a research report. Modest financial and practical assistance will be available for fieldwork in selected research sites as set by the convener, but you will be largely responsible for organizing your own field research.
The seminar is intended to deepen and consolidate existing skills in ethnographic research through practical application − the assumption is that you come to the seminar with prior knowledge of the approach. It is therefore recommended to students who have attended or at least are in the process of attending a methods seminar that focuses on ethnography (Phill Wilcox is offering one in the summer semester of 2020). Students who have attended the MA seminar Anthropology of Globalization (WS 2019) will have additional advantage in terms of familiarity with the literature – if not, you should consult its syllabus for key texts.

Requirements for participation, required level

Classes in the summer semester of 2020 will be conducted online. You will receive log-in information half an hour before the session begin.