Browse Working at the University by Series/Report

    Series/Report
    ANTH 411: Methods for Sociocultural Anthropology, Prof. Nancy Abelmann. This course introduced students to a variety of ethnographic methods. Students tried their hand at some of these methods through a focused project. I had students think about their semester-long work as "pilot research"; although they did write up a short paper on their findings (their "discuss" section of the database), the culminating assignment was a research proposal in which they envision building on their preliminary findings in a longer/larger project. In the beginning of the semester, students did some warm-up exercises not directly related to their projects (an observation, an analysis of a university document, and an interview) -- some students elected to remove these from their databases while others left them in because of their connection to the final project. Students' "question" and "plan" sections of the database include multiple entries as I encouraged them to continue to refine these over the course of the semester in dialogue with their own emerging findings. I also asked students to search both the U of I Student Life and Cultures Archives and well as this EUI IDEALS collection to find archives relevant to their pilot/proposed research. All students were asked to "reflect" on the research experience and to make "recommendations" to the University on the basis of their research findings. The course syllabus is available at: www.eui.uiuc.edu/docs/syllabi/ANTH411F07.doc [1]
    ANTH 411; Fall 2010 [1]
    Ellen Moodie, Instructor [1]
    English 199/CHP; Spring 2012 [1]
    EOL 574, Lorenzo Baber, Instructor, Spring 2013 [1]
    EPS 500pf1: Race and Ethnography: A Study of the University, Prof. Priscilla Fortier. As a member of this course students join a campus-wide learning community in which the University of Illinois is being explored ethnographically. Students begin the course by thinking about what the university is, as well as about race and ethnicity as phenomena within the university's narratives. One area of concentration will be "ethnography," and students learn and practice the basic skills of observation, interviewing, and writing as an ethnographer. They complete several relatively short assignments that are intended to help them develop these skills, as well as one larger ethnographic project on the University. The latter allows students to explore an aspect of the university that has to do with as issue of race or ethnicity. The course syllabus is available at: www.eui.uiuc.edu/docs/syllabi/EPS500F07.doc [1]
    History 396; Fall 2012 [1]
    In today’s world, sport and athletics are ubiquitous and central to the lives, imaginations, and consumer behaviors of many people. Through readings and a variety of media and active learning experiences this course familiarizes students with important issues and perspectives related to the study and criticism of sport and modern society. The course focuses upon themes in sport studies such as those having to do with the nature of sport, hegemony theory, and body culture. [1]
    Instructor, Catherine Prendergast [1]
    KIN 249 Fall 2010 [3]
    Mireya Loza, Instructor [1]
    Professor Synthia Sydnor [2]
    SOC249 Section AL1 (Sport & Modern Society) [2]
    Sport and Modern Society [3]
    Synthia Sydnor, Instructor [3]
    This course took an in-depth look at some of the residents from Latin America who live in the Urbana-Champaign community. In this intensive eight-week course, students worked to capture, interpret, and present the stories of Latin Americans living, working, and studying at the U of I. Through oral histories, students explored Latin Americans’ memories of their home countries, their current ties to home, and their lives here in Urbana-Champaign. We considered what can be learned from these stories, and thought about how we might use them to educate others in our community about Latin America today. Each student was responsible for planning, researching, and conducting one audio-recorded oral-history interview with a U of I faculty, staff or student who is of Latin American origin. Through these oral histories we focused on 1) the interviewees’ descriptions/memories of their place of origin, 2) how they come to the U of I, and 3) whether and how the U of I figures into their transnational stories. The collective goal for the course was to build a small collection of audio-recorded oral histories that future students and teachers can use to develop K-12 educational materials about Latin America through the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies. [1]