The Art of Fieldwork

In this long-anticipated second edition of The Art of Fieldwork, prominent anthropologist and educational researcher Harry F. Wolcott updates his original groundbreaking text, which both challenges and petitions anthropology and its practitioners to draw both on the traditional precepts of science and on the richness of artistry in the collection, interpretation, and expression of fieldwork data. Each of the original chapters has been thoughtfully revised to reflect the past decade of developments in methodology. Combined with a new final chapter on the art of discretion, this refreshing text makes an exciting reentry into the ongoing debate of the processes, challenges, and rewards of fieldwork. Qualitative researchers across the disciplines will find this well-crafted, approachable book a thought-provoking read and a perfect introduction to the nuances of field methods for their students. Book jacket.

Harry F. Wolcott is professor emeritus in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Oregon