Читать книгу Introducing Anthropology - Laura Pountney - Страница 98

Anthropology is defined by its research method: ethnographic fieldwork. This method allows the researcher to gain valuable information without disturbing and intruding on the privacy of the people being studied. The researcher participates in all daily activities of the community, observes the group or individuals, records their findings and then reflects on those findings. The body of data collected is often substantial and is used selectively in analysis and in writing up the results. Fieldwork data is usually supplemented by other data collected in libraries and museums. Nowadays fieldwork is used in many other disciplines outside anthropology and is recognized as a valuable way of gathering rich and valid data. In the world of technology, anthropology is adapting to new forms of media and plays an important part in studying cultures online and virtual worlds as well as using new technologies in processing gathered data.