Ethics in Contemporary Ethnographic Research  Check-in [da151b8275]

# Assignment 1: Data Walk

Due date
: May 3, 15:00

The goal of this assignment is to sensitize you to the ways in which data is continually produced in contemporary social settings. In another context we might talk about the *opportunities* this holds for social researchers, many of whom have welcomed the "data deluge" as an opportunity to invent new ways of knowing the social. In the context of this class, however, we will mostly discuss its ethical implications---the ways in which the research process is shot through with ethical concerns when it takes place in data-saturated environments.

Canadian media scholar [Alison Powell](https://www.alisonpowell.ca/?page_id=71) came up with the idea for **data walkshops** with the express purpose of "opening up civic discussions about data and its ethics within urban space." A variation on the ethnographic go-along method, it has been adopted by scholars around the world, including the [Centre for BOLD Cities](https://www.centre-for-bold-cities.nl/projects/data-walks) in our own region.

In this assignment, you will plan, carry out and report on a data walk. Each student will submit **a brief report** (around 800 words) with supporting materials such as maps, photographs and notes taken en route.

During the walk, you will focus on _data hubs_: objects or sites that collect data. Examples include customer loyalty cards, ATMs, traffic cameras, RIFD tracking systems, OV chip card scanners, QR codes, parking meters, air quality meters, but the list could go on and on.

A data walk should involve a small group, with members taking on different roles, such as navigator, note-taker or photographer. For the purposes of this assignment, you should involve at least one other person, such as a roommate or family member. Plan your walk someplace convenient, for instance in your own neighborhood, and restrict it to about one hour. You may also ride by bike, but we advise not to drive unless you or your participant is unable to be mobile in other ways.





Your report should address the planning, execution and your reflection on the data walk. You may take the following points as a guide as you complete the assignment:

1. **Plan your walking route ahead of time.** Make a map or list some landmarks you intend to pass on your walk.
2. **What will you look for?** Which data hubs do you expect to encounter along the way?
3. **Collect evidence.** Take pictures or bring back objects from your walk.
4. **Tell a story.** Why did you walk where you walked? What was an important thread that you decided to follow? What did you learn about your environment? Did the other participant in your walkshop see things differently?
5. **Discuss the results.** How visible are the data hubs you spotted? What kinds of data do they collect? Who owns the data? Where are they stored? What value might they bring to you or others? What do you think are the "costs" of data collection---in terms of the technology required for its collection, the likely environmental impact, encroachments on privacy, or possible "chilling effects"?

Please write your report in clear and coherent prose. The format should resemble a fieldnote memo rather than an academic paper. Use proper references as needed.

# Assignment 2: Hacking Ethnography

Due date
: May 19 (end of day)

Working in groups of up to four students, you will design and produce a contribution to a collection of public-facing resources on the theme of Hacking Ethnography. Your contribution can take one of two forms:

1. A zine (for instance, to provide guidelines for how to protect the identities of your research participants).
2. An instructional video (for instance, to show how to use a certain tool to secure research data).

**You will find a selection of earlier assignments in [this collection](https://www.jboy.space/blog/hacking-ethnography.html).**

Regardless which format you choose, try to create your resource in such a way that it will be useful to others like you wondering what kinds of practices they can adopt in the course of ethnographic research to protect research participants, secure data, and otherwise ensure that their research is ethical. We will discuss possible topics during tutorials in [week 3](../weeks/3.md).

When you have created your resource, [choose a Creative Commons license](https://creativecommons.org/choose/) under which to release your work into the public.

## Zine

Zines are a self-published format with a DIY aesthetic. They usually consist of literally cut-and-pasted texts and graphics, and traditionally they have been reproduced using copying machines. Zines have been associated with a variety of subcultures, such as the punk scene of the seventies and riot grrrl scene of the nineties.

ABC No Rio, a cultural institution in New York City that archives zines, has the following [advice](http://www.abcnorio.org/facilities/zine_library.html) for "new zinesters":

> Look at a variety of zines before starting out on one of your own, to really take your time with the layout, and to think about how your zine might be different, depending on where you are in the world: does it have a sense of PLACE? Be specific and descriptive. ... Just to let you know, there are a LOT of punk rock zines out there, so if you're doing one, go the extra mile to make yours stand out. 

You can find lots of examples of zines created through the ages on [archive.org](https://archive.org/details/zines). For additional inspiration, look at the zines created or curated by [Nika Dubrovsky](https://a4kids.org/), [Psaroskala](https://psaroskalazines.gr/zines/), [Julia Evans](https://wizardzines.com/zines/wizard/), and [Sprout Distro](https://www.sproutdistro.com/). Design tools like Canva and templates can be helpful, they don't exactly help with standing out---and they may also contain copyrighted material, limiting your ability to share your zine.

Let your creativity run free. You don't even have to stick to the zine format too strictly. For instance, you can also consider making a deck of [tarot cards](https://bleu255.com/~marloes/projects/Tangible_Cloud_Oracle/).

After choosing a Creative Commons license for your zine, submit it, preferably as a single PDF, through Brightspace. Making hard copies to distribute to your friends is optional but encouraged!

## Instructional Video

Create a video that conveys a useful skill for ethnographers in 4--9 minutes. Aim to make an engaging and concise video that (1) incorporates visual cues highlighting important information, (2) uses minimal text, and (3) has some personality!

Once you have chosen a Creative Commons license for your video, upload it to [archive.org](https://archive.org/create/), the university's [Kaltura site](https://video.leidenuniv.nl/), or a PeerTube instance like [TubEdu](https://tubedu.org). Submit the public link through Brightspace.

# Assignment 3: Essay Question

Due date
: June 7 (end of day)

Self-assessment due date
: June 9 (end of day)

This assignment consists of **an essay question** that will be posted to Brightspace in the final week of May. In your answer to this question, you will have the chance to demonstrate what you have learned about ethical issues contemporary ethnographers face and ways they can respond practically. Successful answers will make connections between the course content (lectures, readings, and discussions in tutorials) and _Dealing in Desire_.

This assignment is **self-assessed**. This means that, after submitting your answer, you will grade your own effort. Here's how that works:

1. We will prepare a "model answer" for the essay question. Read the model answer and the assessment criteria it is intended to demonstrate. The "model answers" are *not* the definitive answers, and it is possible that a good answer will differ significantly in its content provided it successfully demonstrates understanding and analytical thinking.
2. You will write a brief reflection on your own answer. Think of your reflection as a letter addressed to the instructors in which you explain what you think was successful about your answer, and what, with the benefit of hindsight, you think could have been improved. What did you find challenging about writing your answer? What did you learn as a result of preparing your answer and reviewing it?
3. Finally, you will tell us what grade you would give yourself. (Ideally, we would give everyone the grade they give themselves, but we reserve the right to raise or lower grades as appropriate.)

You will find the self-assessment on Brightspace after you submit this assignment and the deadline has passed.