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Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology: Global Ethnography

This specialisation provides students with the opportunity to do their own three-months field research, create their own research networks and build on the experience of our specialised researchers, gaining excellent social scientific skills.

Successful completion involves the following components:

  • 3 compulsory courses

  • 2 elective courses (only in 2016-17)

  • writing a solid Research proposal

  • ethnographic field research on location

  • writing an MA thesis (for the “Visual Ethnography” track, the thesis consists of visual or multimedia components).

NB: The electives will not be a part of the programme in 2017-18 and for students starting their MA in February 2017.

September 2016 Intake

Use the link under Bestanden to access the schematic time-table for the September-intake of the programme Global Ethnography. Room numbers and other details can be found in course descriptions below.

Vak EC Semester 1 Semester 2
Large Issues, Small Places: Theorizing Ethnographic Research 5
Research Design CA-DS 5
Research Proposal CA-DS 5

Choose the electives (part 1 and 2):

Environment and Development 1 5
Environment and Development 2 5
Global Economy and Culture 1 5
Global Economy and Culture 2 5
Media and Material Culture 1 5
Media and Material Culture 2 5
Ethnographic Fieldwork 15
Writing Seminar: Telling your story 5
Master Thesis (CA-DS) 15

Visual Ethnography as a Method

Students who start in February cannot make use of ‘Visual Ethnography as a Method’.

The Institute for Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology now offers ‘Visual Ethnography as a Method’ as a part of both specialisations of the MA programme. ‘Visual Ethnography as a Method’ is a methodological option, embedded within the MA CA/DS. This option qualifies students for the use of audiovisual methods as a part of anthropological research. Skills are acquired through coursework as well as the conduct of an independent academic research project. This methodological option within the MA combines anthropological theory and hands-on audiovisual practice.

Admission to ‘Visual Ethnography as a Method’

‘Visual Ethnography as a Method’ is only accessible to a limited number of qualified students. Students taking ‘Visual Ethnography as a method’ can only start by September 1st (not by February 1st). The MA admissions committee assesses and prioritizes applications. Students who would like to be placed for ‘Visual Ethnography as a method’ need to write an application that includes reference to the criteria mentioned below:

  • The completion, with good results, of the BA course Visual Methods or (in very exceptional cases) equivalent. Visual Methods is accessible within the regular BA programme of CA/DS. If required, students from abroad can incorporate Visual Methods in a pre-Masters programme. Please enclose copies of the relevant course certificates with your application.

  • The viability of the proposed MA research project. Viability depends on the topic chosen, but also significantly on the location at which fieldwork is to be conducted. For ‘Visual Ethnography as a Method,’ students are only allowed to do fieldwork at a site where they have a good command over the language. Dutch students are therefore normally not allowed to conduct fieldwork outside the Netherlands. Please enclose an outline of the MA research project envisaged (450 words max.) with your application.

  • If, considering the earlier study trajectory, a student can be expected to complete the MA option ‘Visual Ethnography as a Method’ on time, that is, within one year. Please add a copy of your BA grade sheet with your application.

Deadline for applications June 1st; the decisions of the MA admissions committee will be communicated by July 1st. Presently, no more than twelve (12) students can be admitted annually. In case more than 12 qualified students apply, a selection will be made based on the quality of the previous work and possibly the admission interviews.

Study trajectory ‘Visual Ethnography as a Method’

Students taking ‘Visual Ethnography as a Method’ with some adjustments follow the regular CA/DS MA programme. (1) In November, students do not enrol in the second part of their chosen elective course, but take the course ‘Visual Ethnography: Fieldwork Preparations.’ (2) The MA fieldwork is limited to two months: January and February. (3) In March, students take the course: ‘Visual Ethnography: Analysis and Editing.’ The MA trajectory ‘Visual Ethnography as a method’ is concluded with the completion of a short film in combination with a paper.

Use the link under Bestanden to access the schematic time-table for ‘Visual Ethnography as a Method’. Room numbers and other details can be found in course descriptions below.

Vak EC Semester 1 Semester 2
Large Issues, Small Places: Theorizing Ethnographic Research 5
Research Design CA-DS 5
Research Proposal CA-DS 5

Choose one of the thematic electives:

Media and Material Culture 1 5
Environment and Development 1 5
Global Economy and Culture 1 5
Visual Ethnography: Fieldwork Preparations 5
Fieldwork for ‘Visual Ethnography as a Method’ 10
Visual Ethnography: Analysis and Editing 5
Writing Seminar: Telling your story 5
MA Thesis (audiovisual and textual) 15

February Intake 2016: 2nd part of the programme

Use the link under Bestanden to access the schematic time-table for the programme of February intake. Room numbers and other details can be found in course descriptions below.

Vak EC Semester 1 Semester 2

SECOND HALF OF THE PROGRAMME for students who started in Febr. 2016

Large Issues, Small Places: Theorizing Ethnographic Research 5
Writing Seminar: telling your story (for February intake) 5
Master Thesis CA-DS (February intake) 15

Choose the electives (part 1 and 2):

Environment and Development 1 5
Global Economy and Culture 1 5
Media and Material Culture 1 5
Environment and Development 2 5
Global Economy and Culture 2 5
Media and Material Culture 2 5

February Intake 2017: 1st part of the programme

The MA programme takes one year (two semesters) to finish and consists of 60 ECTS (European credits), divided to 30 ECTS per semester.

Students starting with the MA programme in February 2017, will take the components listed below in the first part of their programme. Please click on the course title in order to read the detailed description an dto access the time table.

The months of July and August are lecture-free and can be used for wrapping up the research and sorting out the data.

In the second part of the MA programme (September 2017 - January 2018) students will take the courses "Writing Seminar" (5 EC, Sept-Oct) and "Large Issues, Small Places" (10 EC, Sept-Nov) and will write their MA Thesis (15 EC, Sept-Jan). The descriptions of these three programme components will be available in the e-Prospectus for 2017-18.

Please use the link under Bestanden to access the schematic time-table for the programme of February intake. Room numbers and other details can be found in course descriptions below.

NB: Students who start in February can not make use of ‘Visual Ethnography as a Method’.

Vak EC Semester 1 Semester 2
Research Design CA-DS (February Intake) 5
Research Proposal CA-DS (February intake) 5
Fieldwork / Research Internship (February intake) 20