Training course “Ethnographic Fieldwork Practice: Between Participation and Observation”

The lecturers participating in the training were Prof. Andrea Lauser (Acting Director of the Institute of Cultural and Social Anthropology) and Dr. Jovan Maud (Director of the Internationalization Project of the Training Program, Institute of Cultural and Social Anthropology).

The students are lecturers, young researchers, graduate students and postgraduate students in many majors such as History, Culture, Language, International Studies... from inside and outside the University of Social Sciences and Humanities.

Prof. Andrea Lauser

The training focuses on one of the most important methods in ethnographic research, participant observation. This is considered the fundamental method of ethnographic fieldwork. The training course introduces students to this method both in terms of its main theoretical issues and its application in exercises and reflections. The main objective is to help integrate participant observation into the student's repertoire of research techniques, specifically addressing core concepts: the conflict between participation and observation; the nature of “fieldwork”; research relationships and social obligations; methodological orientations...

Dr. Jovan Maud

Students will have the opportunity to observe and participate in spirit possession rituals at Lanh Temple and Dai Lo Temple (Ha Nam), discuss with lecturers and write final reports.

The training course is an activity within the framework of the cooperation program between the Faculty of Anthropology and the Institute of Cultural and Social Anthropology, which has been implemented since 2017. The program has sent a number of students from the Faculty of Anthropology to study at the University of Goettingen; 02 lecturers from the Institute have come to exchange teaching at the Faculty of Anthropology.

This year, the cooperation activities between the two sides continue to focus on exchanging lecturers; selecting students to study in Germany; connecting learners and lecturers of the Faculty with international teaching methods and documents. Young staff and lecturers of the Faculty are able to participate in learning from German experts about the most modern teaching methods of Anthropology. At the same time, German lecturers have the opportunity to learn more about research, teaching of Anthropology, and the need to innovate teaching methods of Anthropology in Vietnam.

Students observe a spirit medium session.