Introduction to ethnography

This semester we are finishing I had the subject Introduction to Etnography, that was rather a subject about practical or applied subjects than on theoretical aspects, We mainly review ethnographic reflection, practice and writing as well as the position as an ethnographer in the field work and some key concepts such ethnic, contexts, alterity and the “Cultural Other”, which allow us to situate our field work and the subsequent approach and analysis of the information found.

It's a subject I liked because in almost two years of career we hadn't had subjects focused on ethnographic work and because we could do our own ethnography doing a field work during a week, making a trip to Chol-chol commune near Temuco, to know more about the conflict between the Medical Legal Service of the sector and the Mapuche communities in defense of their community cemeteries and their funeral practices, however once visited the place and known more the alleged conflict this was not so obvious, which gave us another look on the subject. Summarizing both the subject and the field work as experiences where I personally learned a lot.

David Graeber

David Graeber is an anthropologist and American anarchist activist.And it has contributed, on the one hand, since he has linked to the anthropology and ethnography, with the anarchist thought, because it's the only discipline that directly studies the way of life of non-state and egalitarian societies, and on the other hand, contributes to the proposal that if the anthropologist proposes and is creative, it can be a great contribution to social change, retaining a political and commitment role, since much of the social tragedies incited by politicians is due to a lack of imagination can be considered the way of life of tribal societies in which there is no inequality, abuse of power, theft or competition.

It’s important today for his political activism as for his contribution to socially and politically committed anthropology, as well as for his publications and to be a university professor. I met Graeber because of a book I read called "Fragments of anarchist anthropology", and I recommend it to know other forms of anthropological thought.

Ethnography

Ethnography it’s a study method used by anthropologists to describe the customs and traditions of a group, which operates in a particular sociocultural environment, is established as a relevant method of study in anthropology with authors such as Malinowski and his emphasis on participant observation, as with Radcliffe-Brown and Evans-Pritchard. And it’s a subject that interests me because I consider it one of the most useful methods for the study of different social groups or communities.

Besides it’s important because it allows us to observe the reality of the study group from their own perspective and worldview, achieving a better understanding of their identity, which is very useful to interpret and analyze the processes that occur in that group.

The application of this method depends on the focus and purposes that they want to give  it, but generally an approach is made to the study group, it’s seen and interact to varying degrees depending on the ethnographer, collecting information in the field notebook for later review and analysis, but you can also record or photograph to complement.

Moreover this method of research isn’t just for exotic or unusual study groups, it can also be used for contemporary social groups or communities within urban spaces such as social camps, malls or fairs to meet the different interactions within the group understood as part of a culture and possessing its own identity. To finish it should be mentioned that although this method of study is initiated and known in anthropology, also used in other disciplines such as sociology or psychology, also many times to make a complete ethnography requires an interdisciplinary work.

Necessary jug

It was 2008 when the jounalist was captured this direct action to Minister of Education of those years, Mónica Jiménez in the context of discussion by the General Education Law, that was a mediocre law because it didn't attack the basic problems of the educational system. Besides Jiménez seems not hear the demands and proposals of the students and the government only replied with more repression and throwing water in the streets, therefore María Música Sepúlveda 14 years old, replied in the same way. I a pic that I like because shows a symbolic act, that the authorities aren´t untouchables and should be to listen the demands. Besides is a reaction to the response of only repress having to accept different abuses only for walk the streets expressing.

With two wheels no more

I think that different pieces of technology are good inventions but the way we use them could be bad, above everything when we become dependent, especially to technological devices like mobile phones, notebooks or game consoles, causing that people spend more time being in front of the screen instead of doing different activities in the real life or sharing with family or friends.
For this reason I use technological devices the shortest time possible. But moreover, with regard to a piece of technology in general, I consider my favourite is the bicycle that is a human-powered vehicle pedal driven, with two wheels and there are a great variety of them.

Although I learnt to ride and got a bike, maybe later that the common children, using the bike of my dad which was very large, I love bike riding. And the first thing I did when I arrived to Santiago I searched and bought a bike. I would like to go to the university by bike but unfortunately I live very near. I go out to ride my bike very often, to anywhere and to visit new places. I love riding a bike because it makes me feel more relaxed and free, and also I love speed and is more faster to transantiago like means of transport that's why I generally go to anywhere on bike, and although I have driver's license I don't would have a car or motocycle because bike is not comparable to be enclosed in a car or travell without the effort come from me. Three weeks ago a taxi hit me while I was cycling, luckily it was nothing serious just hit my leg but my bike was bent and I haven't had time to fix it and it's sad when I want to go cycling.

Since social control to self-exploitation

Some time ago I was read an interesting article of an southkorean philosopher called Byung-Chul Han, he has written characterizing current society, based on the proposals of two other authors. On the one hand, Foucault and his concept of "Disciplinary societies" characterized by controlling behavior through vigilance and institutions, power is exercised by structuring the parameters and limits of thought and practice, through prescription and punishment. Later, on the other hand, Deleuze proposes that society was evolving to "Control societies", where can do without the physical limits of confinement and shaping of subjects, thanks to communication tools such as press or statistics such as civil registration.

In this context Byung-Chul Han introduces the concept of "Society of performance", where the subject doesn't suffer from an external exploitation as in previous societies, but it is self-possessed but by internalizing patterns and social pressures the subject it exploit himself. In this process the person tends to do many activities at once, called "multitaskting", implying superficial attention constantly and a similar phenomenon to remain in alertness, which impides us attain deep thought or great achievements and cultural creations. This explains much of the time we are tired because we often force them to do things that really don't want, like going to the gym, college or shopping. And I think that these characteristics differ greatly today's society. Finally, there have always been dominant classes but these no longer are responsible for correcting physically, but through the implementation of an ideology we can dominate and impose ourselves.

Anthropology a little-known career

When I was a child I dreamed about being a scientist who performs studies, discoveries and invented machines. But that didn't last long, overtime in secondary I didn't like Math or Chemistry but I did prefer Biology that's why I became interested in the health's area with careers like medicine, although I was always interested in psychology or sociology to study human behavior and social processes. Later when I cursed third and fourth year in High School, I did considered other careers like dentistry, architecture, or geology, besides the others I mencioned. Therefore it was so difficult to choose one, because my interests were varied, I finally decided on Anthropology because I like the variety of subjects and topics covered.

And my experience at university has been very good, I love the atmosphere of the campus and the possibility of fully developed beyond academic and not necessarily by teachers and classes but by people and partners you known and the workshops or talks that you can attend. 
Regarding the kind of job I would like to have, I'm not completely sure yet but I know I want to mention social anthropology, because is the most interesting and because it's more directly related to topics and social issues. And I think that if Anthropology is little known it is because it isn't responsible for applying the knowledge produced.