The Ethnographic Craft: From Data to Dissertation

The transition from the exciting period of fieldwork to the world of dissertation writing poses multiple challenges. This three-day intensive workshop supports doctoral candidates returning from fieldwork to reflect on how to transform field data into an ethnographic narrative that balances description of empirical details with the production of rigorous theory.

On Day 1, participants will reflect on the complexity of fieldwork, with particular attention to how unexpected experiences in the field can be turned into analytical insights, and they will practice the art of “thick description.” On Day 2, by shifting to a macro-level perspective, participants will focus on how to produce a coherent narrative that combines ethnography with valid interpretation and compelling theory. Finally, on Day 3, we will turn to key elements of the writer’s craft: acts of more or less radical revision and strategies to sustain writing momentum. By the conclusion of the workshop, participants will have gained both a roadmap for how to write a dissertation and practical tools needed to create a compelling ethnography.

Important: participants should bring their laptops and full dataset to the course.