Ethnographic Observation

Workshop participants will be divided into pairs or groups (depending on size of workshop), and sent to a public space to conduct observations. Each group will be assigned a particular part of the area, and will have... [ view full abstract ]

Workshop participants will be divided into pairs or groups (depending on size of workshop), and sent to a public space to conduct observations. Each group will be assigned a particular part of the area, and will have semi-structured instructions to inform their observations.  Approximately 20-25 minutes will be spent observing their respective areas.  Upon return to the workshop space, each group will spend 5-10 minutes of intensive write-up.  We will then come back together as a group for the final chunk of time for discussion and debriefing.  The outcomes of the workshop will be:

• to gain some basic experience in what it is like to observe people in open public spaces

• to reflect on experiences of observation

• to connect experiences with observations with knowledge of respective library/university contexts

• to reflect on implications both of what is observed and what remains unseen

• to situate observations and recollections in a larger socio-cultural context

• to reflect on what methods beyond observation are required for a holistic picture of what is going on in given contexts and situations