Summer camp is a great example of an ethnography because it interprets observed informations and goes chronologically. The questions about summer camp were simple easy to understand. When it comes to our critical questions however this has to be used by analyzing and interpreting all this observed information. It focuses on a wide range of people and their experiences at summer camp. I think that the so what is theme reflecting back on the lessons learned as children. They don’t realize that what they learned as a child was influential and useful later in life. I think that is the lesson they are trying to get across. That you learn things as a kid, such as right and wrong, and all these team building skills. They may seem dumb and that you would rather do something else, but they will come in handy later in life. During summer camp no one is worried about the big picture of life, however the experiences of summer camp taught and prepared them for the bigger picture! In the Batman podcast it really shows that you can do whatever you want with your own time. It is kinda crazy to think that someone who is blind is automatically written off and told that they can’t do anything. Who is someone else to tell you what you can and can’t do. The choice is always up to you, and you have to proactive about your life. You hear more from the subject that the journalist. They also have all these cool background noises that put you right there with them as they are telling their stories. Clearly when we write we won’t have the same ability to do that through audio but we can but them still there though they way we tell the other person's story!
My critical question is difficult. It has to do with why people want the underdog to win so much. I could do a group of people like a team or something. I could also do just one person who has possibly been on both sides of the token, It is a very interesting thing to look at psychologically I believe. If I did a sports team for example I would look at the team dynamic maybe upperclassmen and lower class-men. How the team and coaches gets excited when the lower class-men wins. If I did I single person I could have them reflect back on how they were once the underdog and how the transitioned out of that phase and the differences on they are reacted to now and before. This is actually a hard questions to study! I am up for the challenge though! I think that it will be very interesting to hear from these people and what they have to say.
I think you have good perspective about these subjects. Personally, I think "Batman" is about the effect of society expectation, I guess. I have to admit Project 2 is a challenge.
ReplyDeleteTiani,
ReplyDeleteYou do a great job explaining how the podcasts work and why they are examples. I especially like your reflection on how they can help you think about this writing project.
In terms of your project, I think you're right about your question potentially being a tough one to study, but you've got some good ideas. I particularly llike your idea about studying a team dynamic--I think that would yield some really interesting results. How does the idea of an underdog play out with int he dynamics of a team? Does the uderdog get more or less chances to prove themselves? I was also thinking you could think about something doing an ethnography of a group of fans as as they watch a sporting event. It's too bad the MBA finals are over, but maybe you could do something like how the ans cheer for a particular team in the college world series or something. Just an idea to consider...