Anthropology

As a discipline concerned with cultural and social life, Anthropology has a unique scope in compare to other social sciences and humanities that addresses a thorough methodological scrutiny following the theoretical shifts over time and space.  The current methodological trends in anthropology claim the role of the researcher as observer (to explore and examine a culture) to grasp the underlying meaning of the participants to interpret the action, perception and networks of the setting in contexts. In this juncture, it is necessary for the researcher to design his/her research methodology in such a way that clarifies the dimensions of the researcher, participants, selection of the research area, and/or problem and the very pros and cons that validates the research in its own essence. Ethnography as one of the major qualitative research approach in anthropology provides an opportunity to construct a specific kind of written observational manuscript about a particular culture.
The present authors intend to address the different dimensions from historical genesis to gradual shifts into different theoretical perspectives and critiques as well, that arises from the discussions of ethnography to encircle the possibly significant ideas and issues in as simple and straightforward manner as possible.

The present article is interested to reflect the ways and avenues of incorporating the voice of personal experiences of the researcher into her/his research for understanding cultural phenomena. In this entry, we have tried to open a discussion on the issue of ‘self’ and ‘other’ dichotomy as a discourse and its changing dimensions with the theoretical developments in social sciences. . As a qualitative research method autoethnography utilizes data about self and context to develop an understanding of the connectivity between ‘self’ and ‘other’ within the same context. Writing autoethnography and experimenting with textual fragmentation and formatting might capable us to extend our understandings of personal emotions/feelings which is primarily underlined in personal experiences. We further, intend to focus on how to incorporate researcher’s personal accounts into social research limiting our discussion to autoethnography from the selected literatures.

In most of the third world countries like the Indian cities, informal economic livelihood activities have grown immensely over the past decade due to lack of employment opportunities in formal sectors of the urban areas in the spaces like-Kolkata, West Bengal. Specifically the urban ‘poor’ through such activities have gained employment and provide low cost services to a large section of the middle class residents of the area under study.
Several studies have already shown that street vendors are one of the most ‘marginalised’ and ‘vulnerable’ sections of the urban and sub-urban Indian context. To perceive the meaning, strategies, livelihood, and other dimensions of this sector, the present authors purposively selects “street vendors” including both perishable and non-perishable commodity sellers of the area under present research.
The mode and approach of one year long research is grounded on the ethnographic approach and methods from designing, framing, collection of data, triangulation, transcription, data analysis and interpretation of the findings. The data were collected through semi structured and in-depth interviews and intensive case studies.
The current effort reflects a detailed understanding of the processes and networking of informal sector that could provide an open scope for future research and innovative regulatory programmes, rather than opposing the informal workers, in part of the Government, initiatives should take into consideration in the process of implementing policies for the hawkers. The reflection of the present and in-depth ethnographic study represents a particular section of informal earning groups, but the present authors expects the research as a case and instance for better policy and actions of the area under study.

The present effort is a very brief outline on Visual Anthropology. The authors are inclined to provide a basic idea about visual anthropology and its theoretical complexities and opportunities for the interested beginners about the applied sub-disciplines of anthropology. The contemporary reflexive approaches towards the use of visual means in anthropological contexts are also outlined here as opposed to the traditional and/or conventional practices of visual anthropology.