Doing Field Projects: Methods and Practice for Social and Anthropological Research

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Ethnographic fieldwork is a cornerstone of sociocultural anthropology, remaining vital since its inception over a century ago. The scope of questions addressed through fieldwork has significantly broadened. For example, anthropologist Olga Lidia Olivia Hernandez investigates Aztec dance collectives across Baja California, Mexico, and California, USA. Her research focuses on the emergence of Aztec dance as a form of ethnicity among non-indigenous participants on the US-Mexico border, examining the interplay of national, political, religious, and bodily processes in the reappropriation of this cultural practice. In a multidisciplinary approach, Juno Salazar Parreñas conducts fieldwork with Orangutan care workers in Borneo, integrating insights from anthropology, primatology, gender studies, and more. She explores the violence faced by both care workers and Orangutans, questioning whether conservation biology can shift from violent methods to a feminist perspective on welfare. Meanwhile, Anthony Kwame Harrison immerses himself in San Francisco's underground hip hop scene, performing as the emcee "Mad Squirrel." His engagement with local hip hop artists provides a unique lens to analyze the evolving nature of race among young Americans, as well as the diverse ways ethnic groups navigate hip hop culture to assert racial identity and subcultural authenticity.