Structure of the Curriculum

Contemporary Approaches to Ethnography (YE)

Course PDF
Contemporary Approaches to Ethnography (YE)
COURSE OUTLINE
GENERAL
SCHOOLSchool of Economics and Political Science
DEPARTMENTSociology
Level of StudyUndergraduate
COURSE CODE431101
COURSE TITLEContemporary Approaches to Ethnography (YE)
Independent Teaching Activities Weekly Teaching Hours CREDIT UNITS
—
Course TypeSpecial Background
Prerequisite CoursesNo
Teaching and Examination LanguageGreek
THE COURSE IS OFFERED TO ERASMUS STUDENTSNo
Course Webpage (URL)https://eclass.uoa.gr/courses/SOC259/
(2) LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to understand and apply contemporary ethnographic approaches in diverse social and cultural fields. Specifically:

Knowledge

  • To understand contemporary theoretical developments and diverse ethnographic methods in social science.
  • To apply techniques of participant observation, embodied engagement, and multimedia recording in selected social fields.

Skills

  • To analyze and interpret social and cultural practices in diverse environments, such as digital culture, urban life, work, entertainment, migration, and gender.
  • To synthesize and present qualitative data in the form of ethnographic discourse or multimodal material (text, image, video).

Skills

  • They reflect on their position as researchers and evaluate the ethical, social, and cultural impacts of research practices.
  • They design and implement small-scale ethnographic studies with a critical and systematic approach.

General Capabilities

Male and female students develop:

  • Ability to search, select, and critically evaluate information from theoretical, digital, and field sources.
  • Ability to observe, participate in, and record social practices using various media.
  • Ability to critically analyze and synthesize data in written and multimedia discourse.
  • Ability to collaborate and participate in group analyses and discussions, as well as to present findings.
  • Awareness of research ethics issues, social inequalities, and power dynamics in the field.
(3) COURSE CONTENT

The course “Contemporary Approaches to Ethnography” introduces the latest developments in the theory and practice of ethnographic research, with the aim of understanding and applying multimodal research methods in the social sciences. Particular emphasis is placed on how observation, participation, and narrative are being transformed in the context of globalization, digital culture, mobility, and contemporary forms of social interaction.

The course focuses on issues of performativity, research embodied engagement, and multimediated ethnography, examining how ethnographic practices adapt to new social, cultural, and technocultural environments. Examples of ethnographies in diverse fields are studied, such as gender analysis, technology, urban life, migration, labor, entertainment, and leisure.

The course aims to provide students with specialized knowledge of contemporary research practices and various methods of data collection and analysis, including participant observation, interviews, digital media analysis, multimedia documentation, and interpretive storytelling. Students become familiar with the theoretical and practical challenges of ethnography in different social and cultural contexts and develop skills for analyzing complex social phenomena and processes of social change.

Through the study of contemporary ethnographic approaches, students are encouraged to combine theory and practice, reflect on their position as researchers in the field, and apply critical and creative thinking to the analysis of social phenomena, preparing them for further deepening in research and the study of complex social processes.

(4) TEACHING & LEARNING METHODS – EVALUATION
DELIVERY METHODFace to face
Information and Communication Technologies
  • E-class platform: Used for posting supplementary material, instructions, and communication with students.
  • Audiovisual and multimedia material: It is utilized as a tool for qualitative data recording (video, images, sound).
Activity Semester Workload
Lectures 15
Ethnographic Observation 69
Writing a Paper 39
Standalone Study 27
Course Summary 150
Student Evaluation
Process Description Evaluation

 

  1. Attendance and Participation (10%)
  2. Participatory Observation Project (40%)
  3. Writing an Ethnographic Diary (50%)

Η Evaluation It is based on the completion of an individual assignment, which consists of creating an ethnographic diary for a selected field. The project assesses students’ understanding of theoretical frameworks, their application of participatory observation, multimedia techniques, and embodied engagement, as well as their ability to synthesize, critical analysis, and presentation of results. The goal of the assessment is to ensure that students can combine theory and practice, analyze social and cultural processes, and systematically and substantively document their observations in multimodal ethnographic texts.

(5) RECOMMENDED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Suggested Bibliography

  • Ballestero, Andrea & Winthereik, Brit Ross. 2024. Experimentations with Ethnography: A Guide for Analysis. Thessaloniki: University Studio Press.
  • Gefou – Madianou, Dimitra. 2011. Culture and Ethnography: From Ethnographic Realism to Cultural Critique. Athens: Patakis Publishers.

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