Introduction
Geertz believes an ethnographer should make use of thick description when doing anthropological studies, this means that an ethnographers study should not only consist out of facts but it should also include interpretations, commentary and comments on the interpretations. In this essay, I will discuss Varsity Cup Finals and my experience there off. I will argue that the Varsity Cup is not simple a rugby game it represents the current cultural phenomena at universities especially Stellenbosch university. The varsity cup is a representation of the sexist, resist, patriarchal and immoral behaviour of students that has been suppressed that it becomes very visible at the sporting event. Firstly this essay will discuss “thick description” …show more content…
According to Geertz, ethnographic findings describe local behaviours and truths as serve as an ethnographical miniature. We always view specific and contextualized happenings, and these make up the thick description (5)
Thick description
Geertz focused on the idea of thick description. Thick description can be seen as symbolic anthropology. It disagrees with the idea of understanding cultures, in a mechanistic and technocratic manner. Geertz is credited with resuscitation field research from an end devour of ongoing objectification, the focus of research being” out there” too
Context
Varsity cup 2017 Finals. Vrasity Cup represents the Varsity Rugby is South Africa. Varsity Rugby involves the top rugby universities in South Africa.8 different universities participate in the varsity. Varsity Cup finals was between Stellenbosch (Maties), and the University of Pretoria (Tuks). I watched this game at my part time job at the most popular club in Stellenbosch (Tin roof).
What I …show more content…
Regardless of whether or not Maties won or not which they did not, it always leads to the idea of alcohol, sex and drugs amongst students, and due to this being so part of tradition it is being accepted in that moment even though it is rejected when they are not at Stellenbosch. Due to being able to observe students in a bar I saw and heard what they discussed and it was all part of drinking and “having fun”, and “living without regrets”
Varsity cup in the Stellenbosch context thus represents two things, status for the university and an excuse to abuse alcohol and drugs and provide a perfect excuse to act “immorally”. The Varsity Cup shares a lot of similarities with the Baliense Cock Fights. The baliense Cock Fight intensity gets determined by risk(Geertz, 1973: 25) . The higher the risk or the better the team plays in varsity cup the buigger the “afterparty”, the higher the risk, money being wasted, on alchohol and
Geertz believes an ethnographer should make use of thick description when doing anthropological studies, this means that an ethnographers study should not only consist out of facts but it should also include interpretations, commentary and comments on the interpretations. In this essay, I will discuss Varsity Cup Finals and my experience there off. I will argue that the Varsity Cup is not simple a rugby game it represents the current cultural phenomena at universities especially Stellenbosch university. The varsity cup is a representation of the sexist, resist, patriarchal and immoral behaviour of students that has been suppressed that it becomes very visible at the sporting event. Firstly this essay will discuss “thick description” …show more content…
According to Geertz, ethnographic findings describe local behaviours and truths as serve as an ethnographical miniature. We always view specific and contextualized happenings, and these make up the thick description (5)
Thick description
Geertz focused on the idea of thick description. Thick description can be seen as symbolic anthropology. It disagrees with the idea of understanding cultures, in a mechanistic and technocratic manner. Geertz is credited with resuscitation field research from an end devour of ongoing objectification, the focus of research being” out there” too
Context
Varsity cup 2017 Finals. Vrasity Cup represents the Varsity Rugby is South Africa. Varsity Rugby involves the top rugby universities in South Africa.8 different universities participate in the varsity. Varsity Cup finals was between Stellenbosch (Maties), and the University of Pretoria (Tuks). I watched this game at my part time job at the most popular club in Stellenbosch (Tin roof).
What I …show more content…
Regardless of whether or not Maties won or not which they did not, it always leads to the idea of alcohol, sex and drugs amongst students, and due to this being so part of tradition it is being accepted in that moment even though it is rejected when they are not at Stellenbosch. Due to being able to observe students in a bar I saw and heard what they discussed and it was all part of drinking and “having fun”, and “living without regrets”
Varsity cup in the Stellenbosch context thus represents two things, status for the university and an excuse to abuse alcohol and drugs and provide a perfect excuse to act “immorally”. The Varsity Cup shares a lot of similarities with the Baliense Cock Fights. The baliense Cock Fight intensity gets determined by risk(Geertz, 1973: 25) . The higher the risk or the better the team plays in varsity cup the buigger the “afterparty”, the higher the risk, money being wasted, on alchohol and