MAF 506 - Advanced Fieldwork in Coastal Cultures, Prof. Sarah Meltzoff

Course Goals:

Advanced field course in which the students participate in the social and economic analysis of a coastal culture (e.g. Louisiana bayou fisherman, Abacos boat builders, Tarpon Spring spongers). Students will utilize field research techniques learned in MAF 505 and develop skills in framing a research problem. They will examine a coastal issue from an anthropological perspective, structuring a field research proposal.

Material:

1. Review of Analysis of Coastal Cultures
   
2. Basic Theory for Research Proposal Development
   
3. Background on the Field Site
   
4. Roundtable Summation of Fieldwork

Assignments:

Each student will be required to write up interview fieldnotes and prepare a network file following the guidelines of the course. Students will also prepare a research proposal analyzing an aspect of the social economy of the coastal culture.

Grades:

Class and Field Participation 35%, Fieldnotes and File 35%, and Research Proposal 30%.

Textbook:

Current proposals and papers In progress about the field site.