fieldwork

is a process of intersubjective construction of liminal modes of communication.

a process of intersubjective construction of liminal modes of communication' (Rabinow 1977: 155).

is asthe only method capable of unraveling the latent functions of culture and myth in societies, proof of the importance of the native point of view for a truly scientific ethnographic theory.

For Malinowski, fieldwork was the only method that could unravel the latent functions of culture and myth in societies. He thereby proved the relevance of the native point of view for a truly scientific ethnographic theory.

is based on the notion that, in a year, you can learn about any subject in the world.

There's one small problem,' I said timidly. 'I don't know a thing about transportation.' -'Neither do I,' replied my boss serenely. 'That's why I was chosen. In a year, you can learn about any subject in the wold. There's work ahead, but it will be good for your education. You're going to lose your innocence about the sexuality of techology, Mister Young Engineer' (Latour 1996: 11)

is concerned only and exclusively in the fixing the chaos of observed facts into interpretation such that they can be subordinated to laws and generalizations (i.e. Scientific facts).

In the field one has to face a chaos of facts, some of which are so small that they seem insignificant... others loom so large that they are hard to encompass with one synthetic glance. But in this crude form they are not scientific facts at all... they are absolutely elusive, and can be fixed only by interpretation, by seeing them sub specie aeternitatis, by grasping what is essential in them and fixing this. Only laws and generalizations are scientific facts, and field work consist only and exclusively in the interpretation of the chaotic social reality, in subordinating it to general rules. Bronislaw Malinowski

is the production of an account of another society, made by stepping into the flow of events and constructing an interpretation that can be represented to another audience.

according to Geertz, the anthropologist's concern in doing fieldwork is to produce an account of another society by stepping into The flow of events and constructing an interpretation that can be represented to another audience. Indeed, ethnography takes its name from the inscription of social action: from writing it down.'

is grounded in the idea that, as Jung said: anyone who wants to know the human psyche will learn next to nothing from experimental psychology. He would be better advised to abandon exact science, put away his scholar's gown, bid farewell to his study, and wander with human heart through the world. There, in the horrors of prisons, lunatic asylums and hospitals, in drab suburban pubs, in brothels and gambling-hells, in the salons of the elegant, the Stock Exchanges, Socialist meetings, churches, rev

[A]nyone who wants to know the human psyche will learn next to nothing from experimental psychology. He would be better advised to abandon exact science, put away his scholar's gown, bid farewell to his study, and wander with human heart through the world. There, in the horrors of prisons, lunatic asylums and hospitals, in drab suburban pubs, in brothels and gambling-hells, in the salons of the elegant, the Stock Exchanges, Socialist meetings, churches, revivalist gatherings and ecstatic sects, through love and hate, through the experience of passion in every form in his own body, he would reap richer stores of knowledge than text-books a foot thick could give him, and he will know to doctor the sick with real knowledge of the human soul.

fieldwork, n.Definitions

fieldwork