Social researcher online and in the field. Cyberculture, memes, ethnography 3002-2SEM2023F1

The seminar aims to provide methodological preparation for master's thesis work, gathering bibliographic resources and developing a research plan for each participant. Through the sessions, students will become acquainted with various research tools and methodological concepts that will serve as a foundation for independently and consciously conducting their master's projects using empirical research as the primary source of analyzed material or as a complementary data collection method.
The topics covered will primarily focus on methodological approaches, research ethics, and the definition of basic research categories. The instructors will particularly emphasize the different levels of media entanglements encountered by contemporary field researchers. The issue of remediation will be discussed, both in terms of sources (e.g., recording and transcription) and methods (e.g., telephone interviews, internet chat-based interviews, and observation in virtual reality).
We will contemplate whether there is a distinct "internet moment" in the context of anthropological research. Reflections will be made on sensory experience and embodiment during research, as well as on collecting and preserving sensory data (visual, auditory, olfactory, tactile, and gustatory). Special attention will be given to the challenges posed by the virtualization of the research field.
The specific topics covered will largely depend on the needs of the students.