Ethnographies of Ordinary Life

Katie Stewart 1.138 EPS.
kstewart@mail.utexas.edu
Office hours:
Monday 3:45 - 4:30
Tuesday 3:30-4:30
Thursday 3:30 - 4:30

This course tries to approach the "ordinary" through ethnographic research and writing. Each student will choose a project (or a series of short projects) for participant observation. Questions include: how is the ordinary made to seem meaningful or made invisible or naturalized? How is it enacted in places, temporalities, practices and habits? How is ordinary life experienced by particular people in particular situations? How is it the site of forms of attachment and agency? How do people become invested in the idea and hope of having an “ordinary life?” How does ordinariness dull us, or escape us, or become a tempting scene of desire?

Students will conduct original ethnographic research.
This is a writing component class. Requirements include:
1. Class attendance. (10% of grade)
2. One two-page paper (10% of the grade). This could be autobiographical, or more loosely, a

3. One five to ten page paper (30% of the grade).
4. A journal or blog of ethnographic fieldnotes. 2 entries a week, approximately 20-30 pages ( 5. One presentation of your work to the class which may include performance or audio

We have a writing mentor assigned to the class. Sid can help you at all stages of your writing – grammar, developing ideas, exploring styles, editing, etc. Please utilize him by meeting with him and having him read drafts of your work. He is N OT responsible for grading.

Readings will include a course pack of articles as well as selections from the required books listed below. The course pack is available through Abel’s Copies, 472-5353, 715-D West 23rd St, www.abelscopies.com

Books:
D.J. Waldie. Holy Land: A Suburban Memoir.
Thomas de Zengotita. Mediated.
David Shields. Black Planet: Facing Race during an NBA season.
Kathleen Stewart. Ordinary Affects (on black board).
Leslie Stern. The Smoking Book.

Articles (in course packet)
Stephen Collier, Andrew Lakoff and Paul Rabinow. "Bioscurity" Anthropology Today 20:5, Oct 2004.
Gladwell, Malcolm. "The Picture Problem" December 13, 2004. The New Yorker.
Flanagan, Caitlin. "The Price of Paradise" Jan 13, 2005. The New Yorker.
Gladwell, Malcolm. "Getting Over It" November 8, 2004. The New Yorker.
Thurman, Judith. "Roots" March 15, 2004. The New Yorker.
Orlean, Susan. "The Outsiders" July 25, 2004. The New Yorker.
Orlean, Susan. "Little Wing: when homing pigeons leave home" Feb 13 & 20, 2006. The New Yorker.
Bilger, Berkhard. "Nerd Camp" July 25, 2004. The New Yorker.
Gary, Romain. 1970. White Dog. (selection)
Barbara Ehereich. Nickel and Dimed. (selection).

film clips
In the bedroom
Devil’s Playground
Super Size Me
This is Nowhere
Home Economics
Falling Down
Cul de Sac
Barber Shop
Real Women Have Curves

Schedule

September 1
Introductions

September 5-7
Read D.J. Waldie. Holy Land: A Suburban Memoir.
Begin your journal of ethnographic fieldnotes. 2 entries a week, 1-3 typed pages per entry. Each

September 12-14
Read Leslie Stern. The Smoking Book.
Write 2 journal entries, 1-3 typed pages per entry. Each entry should be dated. Each entry should

September 19-21
Write one two-page paper based on your fieldnotes (10% of the grade). This could be

September 26-28
Read Orlean, Susan. "Little Wing: when homing pigeons leave home" Feb 13 & 20, 2006.

Bilger, Berkhard. "Nerd Camp" July 25, 2004. The New Yorker.
Write 2 journal entries, 1-3 typed pages per entry. Each entry should be dated. Each entry You must meet with Sid about your writing at least once between September 26th

and October 12th.

October 3
Read Thurman, Judith. "Roots" March 15, 2004. The New Yorker.

No class Thursday.
Write 2 journal entries, 1-3 typed pages per entry. Each entry should be dated. Each entry should You must meet with Sid about your writing at least once between September 26th

and October 12th.

October 10-12
Read Kathleen Stewart. Ordinary Affects (on blackboard)
Write 2 journal entries, 1-3 typed pages per entry. Each entry should be dated. Each entry should

You must meet with Sid about your writing at least once between September 26th

and October 12th.

Tuesday – turn in your journal entries to date.

October 17-19
Read Thomas de Zengotita. Mediated. (selections)
Write 2 journal entries, 1-3 typed pages per entry. Each entry should be dated. Each entry should

October 24-26
Discuss fieldwork, journal entries, and the development of your long papers.
Write 2 journal entries, 1-3 typed pages per entry. Each entry should be dated. Each entry should

October 31 November 2
Thursday - Turn in your five to ten page paper (30% of the grade).

November 7-9
Read David Shields. Black Planet: Facing Race during an NBA season.
Write 2 journal entries, 1-3 typed pages per entry. Each entry should be dated. Each entry should

Presentations Tuesday and Thursday.

November 14-16
Read Stephen Collier, Andrew Lakoff and Paul Rabinow. "Bioscurity" Anthropology Today.

Write 2 journal entries, 1-3 typed pages per entry. Each entry should be dated. Each entry should

November 21
Read Flanagan, Caitlin. "The Price of Paradise" Jan 13, 2005. The New Yorker.

Write 2 journal entries, 1-3 typed pages per entry. Each entry should be dated. Each entry should Tuesday – presentations.
No class Thursday – Thanksgiving

November 28-30
Read Barbara Ehereich. Nickel and Dimed. (selection).
Write 2 journal entries, 1-3 typed pages per entry. Each entry should be dated. Each entry should

Tuesday: Presentations
No Class Thursday, the 30th.

December 5-7
Presentations Tuesday and Thursday
Write 2 journal entries, 1-3 typed pages per entry. Each entry should be dated. Each entry should

Thursday turn in all journal entries.