Prospectus

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Ethnographic Research

Course
2023-2024

Admission requirements

Entry requirements for students in the BA Midden-Oostenstudies (track Modern Middle East).
Propedeutic exam and 15 EC trackspecific courses (BA 2/1st semester)

Description

The course teaches qualitative research methods such as participant observation, interviewing, working with focus groups, online / digital, and visual ethnography. Students develop their research skills by carrying out in-class and other assignments. They also learn how to design a research project: to formulate a research question, use theories and concepts, do fieldwork, write down their findings and relate them to available literature. Students write a report at the end of the semester on a topic of their choosing that they do fieldwork on in Morocco.

Course objectives

  • Acquiring skills for ethnographic research

  • Designing and executing a research project

  • Developing an in-depth insight to Moroccan society

Timetable

The timetables are avalable through My Timetable.

Mode of instruction

  • Seminar

Attendance and active participation are obligatory for seminars. Students are required to prepare for and attend all sessions. The course is offered as part of a full-time program of studies, and therefore work commitments, holidays, or overseas travel do not constitute valid reasons for absence. The lecturer should be informed in writing of any classes to be missed for a valid reason (i.e., due to unforeseen circumstances that are beyond the student’s control, such as documented illness, family bereavement, problems with residence permits, victim of crime, or railway delays). In case of a justified absence, it is up to the Lecturer to decide whether the missed class should be made up with an extra assignment. The maximum of such absences during a semester is two. Please note that you are required to provide documentation that supports your case for absence where possible. Absence without notification and approval could result in a grade deduction, or in work not being marked and a failing grade for the course.

Assessment method

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to be familiar with Leiden University policies on plagiarism and academic integrity.
Plagiarism will not be tolerated. It is assumed that students' work is their own work with all sources used properly indicated and documented in the text (with quotations and/or citations). Students may not substantially reuse any work they have previously submitted in this or other courses. Minor overlap with previous work is allowed as long as it is duly noted in citation.
Assignment(s) must be submitted to Brightspace through Turnitin, so they can be checked for plagiarism. Submission via email is not accepted.

Assessment

Weekly assignments: 40%
Participation and attendance: 20%
Final Report: 40%

Weighing

The final mark for the course is established by determining the weighted average.

Resit

If the final grade is below 5.5, the students have to rewrite the final report based on feedback.

Inspection and feedback

If a student requests a review within 30 days after publication of the final results, a final mark review will have to be organized.

Reading list

  • Hennink, Monique; Hutter, Inge; Bailey, Ajay; 2010; Qualitative Research Methods. London: SAGE Publications

  • Newcomb, R. (2017) Everyday Life in Global Morocco. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.

  • Pink, Sarah; 2007; Introduction; in: Pink, Sarah; Doing Visual Ethnography; London: SAGE Publications (Second Edition); pp. 1-18.

  • Barendregt, Bart; 2017; “Deep Hanging Out in the Age of the Digital: Contemporary Ways of Doing Online and Offline Ethnography”; Asiascape: Digital Asia, 4(3), pp.307-315. Available Leiden University Library Online

Registration

Enrolment through MyStudyMap is mandatory. General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website

Contact

  • For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar.

  • For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office: De Vrieshof.

Remarks