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240525 SE MM3 Visual Ethnographies of Science: Investigating knowledge production through media practice (2024W)
Continuous assessment of course work
Labels
This is a 10 ECTS course, consisting of:
**SE 233043 (5 ECTS, STS department)
*SE 240525 (5 ECTS, Anthropology department).The two courses can only be taken together, not seperately. Therefore, please register for the class 240525, and you will then automatically be registered for 233043!The obligatory corresponding seminar (233043, S. Davis) is creditable for MM3 (MA KSA new), P2, P3, P4, APA (MA KSA old) and Visual Culture, Popular Culture (MA Creole)Participation at first session is obligatory!The lecturer can invite students to a grade-relevant discussion about partial achievements. Partial achievements that are obtained by fraud or plagiarized result in the non-evaluation of the course (entry 'X' in certificate). The plagiarism software 'Turnitin' will be used.
The use of AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT) for the attainment of partial achievements is only allowed if explicitly requested by the course instructor.
**SE 233043 (5 ECTS, STS department)
*SE 240525 (5 ECTS, Anthropology department).The two courses can only be taken together, not seperately. Therefore, please register for the class 240525, and you will then automatically be registered for 233043!The obligatory corresponding seminar (233043, S. Davis) is creditable for MM3 (MA KSA new), P2, P3, P4, APA (MA KSA old) and Visual Culture, Popular Culture (MA Creole)Participation at first session is obligatory!The lecturer can invite students to a grade-relevant discussion about partial achievements. Partial achievements that are obtained by fraud or plagiarized result in the non-evaluation of the course (entry 'X' in certificate). The plagiarism software 'Turnitin' will be used.
The use of AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT) for the attainment of partial achievements is only allowed if explicitly requested by the course instructor.
Registration/Deregistration
Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).
- Registration is open from Su 01.09.2024 00:01 to Mo 23.09.2024 23:59
- Deregistration possible until Mo 14.10.2024 23:59
Details
max. 25 participants
Language: English
Lecturers
Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N
UPDATE 17.01.2025: Please note: On Tue 21st & 28th January the class will be from 11.15-14:15 in the Seminarroom STS (Universitätsstraße 7, staircase II / 6th floor, 1010 Wien)
- Tuesday 08.10. 11:15 - 12:15 Seminarraum STS, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/6. Stock, 1010 Wien
- Tuesday 15.10. 11:15 - 14:15 Seminarraum STS, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/6. Stock, 1010 Wien
- Tuesday 22.10. 11:30 - 14:45 Übungsraum (A414) NIG 4. Stock
- Tuesday 05.11. 11:15 - 14:15 Seminarraum STS, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/6. Stock, 1010 Wien
- Tuesday 12.11. 11:15 - 14:15 Seminarraum STS, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/6. Stock, 1010 Wien
- Tuesday 19.11. 11:15 - 14:15 Seminarraum STS, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/6. Stock, 1010 Wien
- Tuesday 26.11. 11:15 - 14:15 Seminarraum STS, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. II/6. Stock, 1010 Wien
- Tuesday 10.12. 11:30 - 14:45 Übungsraum (A414) NIG 4. Stock
- Tuesday 17.12. 11:30 - 14:45 Übungsraum (A414) NIG 4. Stock
- Tuesday 14.01. 11:30 - 14:45 Übungsraum (A414) NIG 4. Stock
Information
Aims, contents and method of the course
The course focuses on the use of visual ethnographic practices in the context of science. Students will be introduced to media practices that have been used in anthropological and ethnographic research, focusing on film, sound recording, and montage. Simultaneously, they will learn to think about the diverse spaces and practices through which scientific knowledge is produced, negotiated, and contested, from the laboratory to the city, and the ways in which scientific knowledge has been represented. Classes will involve workshops in which students participate in hands-on media work, discuss ethnographic films and key texts concerning the representations of science, and present and analyse their own work in progress. Students will further conduct a fieldwork assignment where they implement what they have learnt and interrogate examples of scientific practice.Classes are set up to create a workspace in a creative and collaborative atmosphere. Students will (1) learn how science and technology studies (STS) scholars think about knowledge practices and study examples of anthropological “process films” that have been made to support the study of practices; (2) obtain hands-on experience with skills required to create process films themselves (camera, sound recording, montage, and co-creation); and (3) conduct a fieldwork assignment to implement what they have learnt. In groups of three, they will create a process film about a knowledge practice that is relevant to STS. In student-oriented feedback seminars, students present their initial footage in the classroom and engage in peer-to-peer discussion about their experiences and challenges, while the lecturers links student experiences back to core discussions in the field of STS and visual anthropology.
Assessment and permitted materials
To pass the seminar, students are expected to complete the following tasks:
- Actively participate in class activities, workshops, and discussions of films and literature (10%);
- As part of a group of three students, carry out a fieldwork assignment involving camera-based research investigating scientific practice at a site of their choosing. This results in a mid-term assignment (30%) and a final film presentation (30%);
- Write an individual reflection paper concerning their fieldwork experiences, implementing key ideas from the course literature, films, and classes (30%).
- Actively participate in class activities, workshops, and discussions of films and literature (10%);
- As part of a group of three students, carry out a fieldwork assignment involving camera-based research investigating scientific practice at a site of their choosing. This results in a mid-term assignment (30%) and a final film presentation (30%);
- Write an individual reflection paper concerning their fieldwork experiences, implementing key ideas from the course literature, films, and classes (30%).
Minimum requirements and assessment criteria
The grading of the course is based on the separate assessment of different tasks on a scale of 1-5. These tasks are:
- Active participation in class: 10%
- Mid-term assignment: 30%
- Final film presentation: 30%
- Reflection paper: 30%
- Active participation in class: 10%
- Mid-term assignment: 30%
- Final film presentation: 30%
- Reflection paper: 30%
Examination topics
By the end of the course, students will:
- understand how different media practices (film/photography, sound recording, and montage) have been used in ethnographic research;
- understand key ideas concerning public and scholarly representations of scientific knowledge production;
- have gained experience with conducting research into scientific knowledge production through a small-scale ethnographic film project, and feel equipped to implement such media practices in future research.
- understand how different media practices (film/photography, sound recording, and montage) have been used in ethnographic research;
- understand key ideas concerning public and scholarly representations of scientific knowledge production;
- have gained experience with conducting research into scientific knowledge production through a small-scale ethnographic film project, and feel equipped to implement such media practices in future research.
Reading list
Readings and films
-theoretical literature from STS
-methodological literature from Visual Anthropology, including the handbook "Filmmaking for Fieldwork" by Andy Lawrence (2020), as well as technical equipment manuals and research ethics guidelines.
-films, some of which to be viewed at home independently before the classEquipment and Vienna Visual Anthropology Lab (LAB A0421)
Besides studying literature and films, students will be trained to work with equipment that is available in the equipment library of the Vienna Visual Anthropology Lab (www.vval.univie.ac.at): camera sets, specialised sound recording devices, and tripods/shoulder rigs. Students are expected to use the Lab’s equipment to make their films, thus to gain experience with different techniques and materials besides the ones they are already familiar with. Materials can be borrowed free of charge, but need to be reserved in advance with the Lab’s coordinator, Paul Katterl. Paul is also available for technical support during the opening hours (see https://vval.univie.ac.at) or on email (video.ksa@univie.ac.at). All groups are encouraged to meet with Paul already in November-December to discuss the planning of the film project and the equipment that can best be borrowed. It is possible to schedule additional meetings with specific questions later on, for example to start or refine the montage.Equipment planning
•Students of this course can borrow the camera equipment of the Vienna Visual Anthropology Lab in December, January and February. Plan filming days with your group, the research interlocutors and the VVAL well in advance, so that you can ensure camera availability on your desired days.
• The VVAL editing sets are reserved for the students of this course in January-February, until the submission date end of February.Hard Drives
Note that working with visuals takes up a lot of storage space. If you work in a team, you will probably need an external Hard Drive that is suitable for multiple computer systems (e.g. for exchange between Mac/Windows, format on Exfat). Test your storage methods at the start of your group work to ensure compatibility.
-theoretical literature from STS
-methodological literature from Visual Anthropology, including the handbook "Filmmaking for Fieldwork" by Andy Lawrence (2020), as well as technical equipment manuals and research ethics guidelines.
-films, some of which to be viewed at home independently before the classEquipment and Vienna Visual Anthropology Lab (LAB A0421)
Besides studying literature and films, students will be trained to work with equipment that is available in the equipment library of the Vienna Visual Anthropology Lab (www.vval.univie.ac.at): camera sets, specialised sound recording devices, and tripods/shoulder rigs. Students are expected to use the Lab’s equipment to make their films, thus to gain experience with different techniques and materials besides the ones they are already familiar with. Materials can be borrowed free of charge, but need to be reserved in advance with the Lab’s coordinator, Paul Katterl. Paul is also available for technical support during the opening hours (see https://vval.univie.ac.at) or on email (video.ksa@univie.ac.at). All groups are encouraged to meet with Paul already in November-December to discuss the planning of the film project and the equipment that can best be borrowed. It is possible to schedule additional meetings with specific questions later on, for example to start or refine the montage.Equipment planning
•Students of this course can borrow the camera equipment of the Vienna Visual Anthropology Lab in December, January and February. Plan filming days with your group, the research interlocutors and the VVAL well in advance, so that you can ensure camera availability on your desired days.
• The VVAL editing sets are reserved for the students of this course in January-February, until the submission date end of February.Hard Drives
Note that working with visuals takes up a lot of storage space. If you work in a team, you will probably need an external Hard Drive that is suitable for multiple computer systems (e.g. for exchange between Mac/Windows, format on Exfat). Test your storage methods at the start of your group work to ensure compatibility.
Association in the course directory
Last modified: Fr 17.01.2025 07:06