https://studiegids.vu.nl/en/courses/2024-2025/S_FRDThe course is designed to support you in defining and designing your research plan. You relate your own research to key theories and thematic focuses in anthropology. You also connect your research (questions) to relevant qualitative data collection methods. By the end of the course, you will have written a full-fledged research plan and made practical arrangements ahead of conducting field research. Learning outcomes: Knowledge and understanding. You have acquired knowledge and understanding of: (1) qualitative social science methodology, in particular advanced methods of ethnographic research; (2) the chances and limitations of the application of anthropological views, theories and concepts in dealing with societal or organisational problems. Application. You have acquired competences to: (3) analyse, summarise, and synthesise complex societal issues from a theoretical perspective and relate them to scientific and societal debates; (4) formulate a scientific definition of a social problem and make an analysis of a concrete societal issue on the basis of anthropological literature and raw empirical data collected; Making judgements. You are able to demonstrate: (5) critical engagement with various scientific theories and relevant concepts, compare them and connect them to concrete societal issues; (6) critical reflection on the professional ethics and responsibilities of anthropologists in wider academic and non-academic contexts; (7) a critical and reflexive attitude with regard to research plans and results. Communication. You are able to: (8) translate anthropological issues and debates at a high level of conceptual abstraction into terms understandable by a wider public; (9) make use of a variety of communication methods to share knowledge with an academic and non-academic audience. Learning skills. You have acquired the skills to: (10) learn, collaborate and communicate in an intercultural context; be highly sensitive to cultural and other types of differences. (11) assess the scientific work of peers and provide academically sound and constructive feedback.During the first part of this course and building on the theoretical basis gained in the parallel course "Diversity, (In)equality and Power" (DIEP), you select a theme and topic for your individual research project, a geographical region, and conduct literature-based research. Through weekly assignments, in-class exercises, peer review and (group) discussions, the course supports you in selecting a research topic, further developing an initial idea and learning from/inspiring other students. All students are encouraged to participate in or link up with research projects and themes of staff members. For students choosing the Professional Anthropology track, this is a mandatory requirement. At the end of the first part of the course, your progress is assessed through a so-called Explorative Paper. During the second part of the course, you are guided in developing an analytical research question, informed by your previous and continuing literature search and supported by the parallel course "Theoretical Orientation on Social and Cultural Anthropology" (TOSCA). As your research project becomes more defined, you also become acquainted with doing ethnography. This is achieved through hands-on assignments in which methods are applied in practice. You are trained in qualitative data collection methods such as open interviews and participant observation; you take part in intensive workshops about writing field notes and other research methods; you are also sensitized to ethical and reflexive issues in doing fieldwork. In this period, you also arrange practicalities for your field research. By the end of the course you will have written a Research Plan containing a well-argued research problem; a critical discussion of relevant literature about the selected theme and region; an operationalisation of the research question; a short description of the intended research methods; a brief reflection on research ethics pertaining to the intended research; a small report of practical preparations for the fieldwork. The plan is integrated with an annotated bibliography on the research topic and geographical area.PracticalThe final grade is based on a weighted average of your grades for the Explorative Paper and the Research Plan. A 'fail' for the Explorative Paper can be compensated with the Research Plan. All other assignments for the course also need to be assessed with a pass grade.Sunstein, B.S. & Chiseri-Strater, E. (2012). FieldWorking. Reading andWriting Research. 4th edition. Boston and New York: Bedford/St. Martin's[the 2007 edition is accepted as well]. Available at VU bookshop at €30).Additional elective literature depending on topic of research andtheoretical approach.Students in the Master Social and Cultural Anthropology.In this course, you cannot enroll for one of the study groups yourself, but you will be assigned by the course coordinator. The allocation will be announced via Canvas. Please note: You do have to register for the course and the other course components on VU.nl.Participation in the parallel course "Diversity, Inequality and Power" (DIEP).