Bronisław Malinowski

Chapter 1 provides a definition and discussion of participate observation. This chapter explores the research method of participate observation, which involves a researcher who is interested in a certain group of people taking part in their daily activities, rituals and events in order to gain a holistic understanding of their life and culture. The chapter mentions that Malinowski is responsible for developing the method of participate observation. Although some anthropologist such as Tedlock suggests that Malinowski simply made the fieldwork method into a theory. Moreover, this chapter explores other ethnographers who practiced participant observation by living in the communities, taking part in daily life, conversing and recording their observations. I found it interesting that Crushing was criticized for having “gone native” because he was too involved with Zuni culture. Since participate observation entails immersing oneself into a culture and taking part in everyday life at what rate or level is “going native” measured? I believe the more involved one is with a culture the better they are able to understand that culture. Chapter 2 discusses the degree…

In “The Trobriander’s of Papua New Guinea” by Annette B. Weinter was about the historically against the framework of the seminal anthropological studies of Malinowski who study the Trobriander’s sixty years before Annette B. Weiner. The author realized that Malinowski annoyed or never considered significance in the matrilineal society of women own wealth since he didn’t investigate women productive by only focus on the male wealth. Therefore, the author study both Trobriand women and men from…

cumulative growth. Since the 1960s fieldwork is more commonly undertaking in a researchers own or neighbouring society, ‘since we can explore the anthropological problems anywhere we might as well go to places where it is comfortable to spend some time.’ (Firth, 1989). As Evans-Pritchard suggests anthropologist’s fieldwork should be ‘doubly marginal’ that is, suspended between one’s own society and that which is under research. It is unnecessary to now begin from scratch but today…

Ethnography is one of several unique methods of studying culture, in which anthropologists analyze a culture’s intricacies. Likewise, ethnography refers to the approach an anthropologist takes when writing about a culture (Lassiter, 71). The development of ethnography is attributed to British anthropologist Bronislaw Malinowski. Malinowski was an advocate for participant-observation, in which the ethnographer immerses themselves into the culture for a long period of time, in the hopes of gaining…

2012 pp.27). For this to happen one of the most vital preparations is to learn the language of the chosen location so that you can communicate with locals. MacClancy did this when he visited the Mediterranean due to advice from a senior academic who told him not to have an English girlfriend with him which led to learning the language quicker and he also learnt more about the local ways from the women there (MacClancy,1988 pp.239). Due to the amount of data collected by anthropologists,…

Relationships, social networking, social media, society, all terms that imply cooperation, and a willingness engage with other people. Several researchers across multiple disciplines have studied these interactions and proceedings. Some looking to gain insight into why social interactions take place, and why relationships exist. Others seeking to explain that only certain types of interactions have value and what those values are. However, no single discipline focuses solely on cooperation,…

1) The Austronesian languages are spoken throughout Southeast Asia, Madagascar and the islands of the Pacific Ocean. I believe the language started to spread in Southeast Asia, including Malaysia and the Philippians and made its way to Madagascar. Because most of these countries are islands the language would have distributed by traveling, trading, and immigrating 2) Participant observation has both its pros and cons. One of the strengths of this approach is that the researcher who does the…

The Trobriand Islands, located on the coast of Eastern New Guinea, is one of anthropology’s most “scared places”(Weiner 1). Malinowski and Weiner both did fieldwork research there that later became significant ethnographic work about the matrilineal society. Gender plays an important role in Trobriand Islands. Women and men have different duties in the economy and with children. Additionally, for the people of Trobriand Islands, food is not only something they eat, but something with …

14. Discuss the Kula Ring of the Trobriand Islands: what is it, how does it function, and what symbolic and practical significance does it have for Trobrianders? (10 Points) The Trobiand Island is populated by a society who are horticulturalists. The Kula Ring is practiced by Trobiand islanders where they exchange for ceremonial reasons. There are two important traditional items called the Soulava and the Mwali. The Soulava is a symbolic item, it is a necklace of red shell move in clockwise.…

Anthropologist’s ongoing determination towards fieldwork enhances their way of learning another culture while obtaining the native’s point of view. This term coined by Malinowski mirrors an emic perspective like the article. The context of going native for users and designers shown in the article eliminates boundaries progressively. To situate oneself in the ways of ethnographic research, one must carefully observe those you are studying. As stated in the article ethnography is conceived as, “a…