0001065 - Methodologies of Historical and Social Research on Asia and the Mediterranean
insegnamento36
FILOSOFIE, RELIGIONI E STORIA DELL'INDIA E DELL'ASIA CENTRALE
UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI NAPOLI "L'ORIENTALE"
Dati Generali
Periodo di attività
Syllabus
Obiettivi Formativi
Learning objectives The course aims to provide students with basic theoretical and practical tools for designing and carrying out historical and social research projects. Particular attention will be devoted to anthropological fieldwork, oral history, interviews, participant observation, field notes, research ethics and the preparation of a feasible research proposal. Students will learn how to move from a general research interest to a research question, how to identify appropriate sources and methods, and how to organize a research plan suitable for a Master’s thesis, a mobility period abroad or a future doctoral project. Ability to apply knowledge and understanding Students will be expected to understand and discuss the main methodological issues involved in historical, anthropological and social research. They will learn to identify suitable methods and sources, assess the feasibility of a research project, and reflect on ethical and practical problems connected with fieldwork. Attending students will prepare an oral presentation and carry out a methodological exercise. By the end of the course, they may present either a research proposal or an analysis of empirical materials agreed upon with the teacher. Making judgements: students will learn to evaluate the coherence, feasibility and ethical implications of a research project. Communication skills: students will learn to present methodological issues, research designs and empirical materials clearly and effectively. Learning skills: students will develop autonomous skills in reading methodological texts, planning research activities and preparing academic work.
Prerequisiti
A good knowledge of written and oral English is required.
Previous knowledge of anthropology, history, sociology or area studies is useful but not compulsory. Basic familiarity with academic writing, bibliographic research and academic citation practices is recommended.
Metodi didattici
Teaching methods
The course will combine lectures, discussion of methodological texts, analysis of case studies and practical exercises. The first part of the course will introduce the main stages of the research process, from the formulation of a research idea to the writing-up of results. The following classes will focus on specific methods, including fieldwork, interviews, participant observation, oral history, field notes, data analysis and research ethics.
Attending students will be asked to prepare readings, take part in class discussions, give an oral presentation and complete a methodological exercise outside the classroom.
Verifica Apprendimento
Assessment methods
The final exam will consist of an oral test in English. The evaluation is expressed in 30ths. For attending students, the assessment will take into account the oral presentation, the methodological exercise and the final research proposal or analysis of empirical materials agreed upon with the teacher. Evaluation criteria for attending students: knowledge of the topics covered during the course; ability to apply methodological concepts; quality of the oral presentation; quality and feasibility of the research proposal or empirical analysis; active participation in class discussion. Non-attending students are requested to contact the teacher in good time in order to define the exam program and the required readings. Non-attending students cannot submit individual papers, research projects, methodological exercises or empirical assignments for exam or for discussion. Their exam will consist of an oral test based on the assigned readings. Evaluation criteria for non-attending students: knowledge of the exam readings; ability to discuss the main methodological issues covered by the course; ability to connect theoretical concepts, methods and case studies.
Testi
Required readings Eriksen, Thomas Hylland, Small Places, Large Issues: An Introduction to Social and Cultural Anthropology, 5th ed., London, Pluto Press, 2023, chapters 1-3. Bernard, H. Russell, Research Methods in Anthropology: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches, 6th ed., Lanham, Rowman & Littlefield, 2018, chapters 1-8. Elwert, Georg, Feldforschung. Orientierungswissen und kreuzperspektivische Analyse, Sozialanthropologische Arbeitspapiere, no. 96, Berlin, Verlag Hans Schiler, 2003, selected excerpts translated into English and made available by the teacher. Eco, Umberto, How to Write a Thesis, translated by Caterina Mongiat Farina and Geoff Farina, Cambridge, MA, The MIT Press, 2015. Wall, Caleb R. L., and Peter P. Mollinga, eds., Fieldwork in Difficult Environments: Methodology as Boundary Work in Development Research, Münster, LIT Verlag, 2008, chapters 1,2 and case studies agreed upon in class. Ritchie, Donald A., Doing Oral History: A Practical Guide, 3rd ed., New York, Oxford University Press, 2015. Supplementary teaching materials, handouts and methodological examples will be made available by the teacher during the course. Case studies and methodological examples: Abašin, Sergej, Qishloq. Il secolo sovietico in una valle dell’Asia centrale, Roma, Viella, 2024, selected excerpts in Italian. Kamp, Marianne, The New Woman in Uzbekistan: Islam, Modernity, and Unveiling under Communism, Seattle, University of Washington Press, 2008, selected excerpts. Buttino, Marco, Samarcanda. Storie in una città dal 1945 a oggi, Roma, Viella, 2015, selected excerpts. Additional texts, fieldwork materials and case studies will be presented during the course, with particular reference to research experiences in Central Asia.
Contenuti
The course introduces students to the main methodologies of historical and social research in Asian and Mediterranean contexts, with particular attention to anthropological fieldwork and oral history. The course will address the following topics: 1. Anthropology: comparison and context 2. Fieldwork and ethnography 3. Archive and library research 4. Fieldwork as a “bundle of methods” 5. Research design and research questions 6. Sampling and access to the field 7. The ethnographic interview 8. Participant observation 9. Oral history 10. Field notes and data management 11. Data analysis and writing-up 12. Difficult research contexts 13. Safety, security and research ethics Examples and case studies will be mainly drawn from Central Asia, while the theoretical and methodological framework will be relevant to different area studies contexts.
Lingua Insegnamento
English
Altre informazioni
Other information
The course is particularly recommended for students enrolled in MRIR – Relations and Institutions of Asia and Africa, Asia Curriculum, and in MAAR – Languages and Cultures of Asia and Africa.
It is especially suitable for students planning a mobility period abroad, particularly in Kazakhstan or other Central Asian contexts, and for students intending to develop a Master’s thesis based on historical, anthropological or social research. The course is also recommended for students who have already attended Societies and Cultures of Central Asia, but it is open to students with different regional interests.