The Art of Fieldwork - 2nd Edition by Harry F Wolcott (Paperback)

About the Book

In this long-anticipated second edition of The Art of Fieldwork, prominent anthropologist Harry F. Wolcott updates his original groundbreaking text, which both challenges and petitions anthropology and its practitioners to draw not only on the traditional precepts of science, but also on the richness of artistry in the collection, interpretation, and expression of fieldwork data.

Book Synopsis

In this long-anticipated second edition of The Art of Fieldwork, prominent anthropologist Harry F. Wolcott updates his original groundbreaking text, which both challenges and petitions anthropology and its practitioners to draw not only on the traditional precepts of science, but also on the richness of artistry in the collection, interpretation, and expression of fieldwork data. Each of the original chapters have been thoughtfully revised to reflect the past nine years of anthropological development. Combined with a new final chapter, this refreshing text makes an exciting reentry into the ongoing debate of the processes, challenges, and rewards of fieldwork methodology. Researchers in qualitative methods and field methods--and fieldworkers across disciplines--will find this well-crafted, approachable book a thought-provoking read.

Review Quotes

Harry F. Wolcott's The Art of Fieldwork presents thorough and captivating discussion of the issues surrounding ethnographic fieldwork, with particular focus on the many contradictory facets of the science. It is an excellent resource for both experienced and new fieldwork researchers.-- "Qualitative Social Research"

Praise for the first edition: Far more than a how-to-do-it handbook, The Art of Fieldwork offers a rich, engaging discourse drawing from a lifetime of personal experiences.--Donald A. Ritchie, associate historian, U.S. Senate Historical Office; author of Doing Oral History "Routledge Studies In Memory and Narrative"

Praise for the first edition: This is a fine introduction to the perils and pleasures of fieldwork. Broad, eclectic, and open, it deals with questions of both epistemology and technique straightforwardly and without pretension.--Leslie Salzinger "American Journal of Sociology"

The author has many helpful suggestions for the first-time fieldworker.-- "Journal Of The Royal Anthropological Institute"

Wolcott updates his original groundbreaking text, in this long-anticipated second edition of The Art of Fieldwork, which appeals to anthropology and its practitioners to draw on the traditional precepts of science as well as on the richness of artistry. The Art of Fieldwork 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.-- "Sir Read Alot Book Review"

About the Author

Harry F. Wolcott (1929-2012) was professor emeritus in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Oregon and a leading author in anthropology and research methods. Wolcott's major works include anthropological studies of American education: Teachers Versus Technocrats and The Man in the Principal's Office: An Ethnography. He also wrote extensively on fieldwork and writing: Transforming Qualitative Data; The Art of Fieldwork; Ethnography: A Way of Seeing; and Writing Up Qualitative Data and is the author of the more recent Sneaky Kid and Its Aftermath: Ethics and Intimacy in Fieldwork (all published by AltaMira Press).