A Dispute in Donggo PDF

A Dispute in Donggo 1. Why is "participant observation" so important in the field? Participant observation can be essential to research because it allows researchers to get as close as possible to the environment they are studying. Becoming involved in the environment, researchers can adapt and un...

A Dispute in Donggo 1. Why is "participant observation" so important in the field? Participant observation can be essential to research because it allows researchers to get as close as possible to the environment they are studying. Becoming involved in the environment, researchers can adapt and understand the social structures, beliefs, behaviors, and other perspectives of the subject, as well as providing researchers the chance to look below the surface of a community. Living these experiences can prevent incomplete or misleading perceptions from altering research. 2. How does the case of la Ninde and ina Mone illustrate the importance of the ethnographic experience in understanding a culture? This case highlights the importance of ethnography by showing how much information can be missed through recorded documents. In the discussed culture, there are many unspoken factors that run deep into the traditions and functions of the village. Since the case was actually about infidelity, not assault, the truth of the incident would be “invisible” to anyone who did not experience it from within the culture. 3. How does a cross-cultural comparison call into question the universality of "evidence, liability and justice"? Cases like the one involving la Ninde and ina Mone call these categories into question because of how differently these proceedings are handled compared to most western cultures. In that case, ina Mone’s physical evidence was accepted by the elders, even though the entire village, presumably including the elders, knew it was falsified and la Ninde was convicted of an unproven act. Often we think that evidence must be certifiable and that “justice” involves publicly identifying the truth, but this culture proved that this is not always true. 4. In what ways must an anthropologist be prepared to work in the field? An anthropologist must prepare to enter the field with extensive knowledge of the specific case that they plan to study. This can include fluency in a language and a specialization based on what exactly is being observed or researched. There is a need to be as familiar with the field space as possible in order to overcome the initial complications that revolve around adapting to an area. 5. In what ways have anthropologists attempted to overcome their own subjectivity? Can this ever truly be done? When it comes to social sciences, avoiding any bias is almost impossible. Since the observations are being made through an individual, each interpretation is passing through an unconscious bias formed by unique life experiences. Despite this line of thinking, many anthropologist have taken steps to avoid bias, some even as extreme as psychoanalysis. 6. What are some of the ethical dilemmas anthropologists face with respect to the people they are studying? There are quite a few ethical dilemmas faced by anthropologists, one being in regard to harm that can be done to the people they interact with. Especially in politically heated or dangerous climates, the individuals being observed could face retaliation for even speaking to a researcher. This can generally be avoided by the use of pseudonyms, but this does not entirely erase the danger. Researchers also must be aware of their influence on the culture or environment they are studying.