Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology: Visual Ethnography

Master

Visual Ethnography is a specialisation of the master's programme Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology and is offered by the Institute of Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology. It is a one year Master's programme of 60 ECTS.

This specialisation draws upon audiovisual media’s unique ability to share insights about people and places on multiple registers – discursive, sensory, embodied, spatial, etc. Furthermore, with the growing prominence of digital media, Visual Ethnography offers an expanded framework for producing contemporary anthropological research. Multimodal approaches have become increasingly important components in ethnographic research for collaborating with research communities and expanding the range of scholarly outputs. Visual Ethnography highlights the vital role anthropology plays in the greater public.

The range of topics which the institute’s staff members can supervise is almost endless, as long as legal and practical conditions of health and safety are respected. The CADS staff actively encourages and supports students, in addition to their audiovisual research, to make use of the technical means available to conduct both ‘ethnography at a distance’ (making video calls and so on), as well as ‘digital ethnography’ (doing research on and in online environments). The CADS Master’s programme offers also the opportunity to join staff members on their own research topics.

Admission and application

For information on admission to the Master's programme Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology, specialisation Visual Ethnography, please check our website.

Note: This Specialisation starts in September only

Schedules

Use the link under Files for access to the time-table for Visual Ethnography. Other details can be found at the website and in the course descriptions (see below).

Career Preparation

Throughout the Master’s programma both academic and transferable skills are developed: critical and analytical reading, thinking and writing; oral, written and audio-visual communication; giving and receiving feedback; teamwork and working independently as well as time-management.
During fieldwork, practical research experience is gained and training is provided in skills such as interviewing, observing, intercultural awareness and communication, networking, rapport-building, problem-solving, self-reflection and budgeting.

Besides the coursework, the institute of Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology and Study Association Itiwana organise ‘get-togethers’ with alumni, and excursions to relevant organisations.
To fully support CADS students in entering the labour market, the FSW Career Service offers career advice, workshops, and CV checks and assessment of covering letters.

Coördinator career preparation programme CADS: Simone de Boer

Visual Ethnography Curriculum

Course	EC	Semester 1	Semester 2
Large Issues, Small Places: Theorizing Ethnographic Research	10
Research Design for Visual Ethnography	5
Research Proposal CADS	5
Visual Ethnographic Fieldwork	20
Thesis Seminar CADS	5
Master Thesis Project CADS	15

Career Preparation

Description

By studying Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology you become an independent, critical thinker with a creative and problem-solving attitude. You are trained to adapt a broad range of social scientific methods to specific research problems, and use a comparative and holistic approach to both the big critical problems of our times and local manifestations thereof. This unique combination of skills and approach is highly valued and relevant to our fast changing and interconnected globalising world.

To help you prepare for your future career, you acquire valuable knowledge and skills during all your courses. These skills include: critical and analytical reading, thinking and writing; verbal, written and audio-visual communication; giving and receiving feedback; teamwork and working independently; and time-management. During fieldwork, you gain practical research experience and train skills such as interviewing, observing, intercultural awareness and communication, networking, rapport-building, problem-solving, self-reflection and budgeting.

Besides your coursework, the institute of Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology and Study Association Itiwana organise meet-ups with alumni and excursions to relevant organisations.

To fully help you prepare for entering the labour market, the FSW Career Service offers career advice, workshops, and CV and cover letter checks.

More information

See for more information the Leiden University Career zone.

Contact information

Coordinator career preparation programme CA-DS: Simone de Boer