Anthropology 1010
Ethnographic Study
Anthropology 1010
Jay Garcia-Instructor
Cauleen Hansen
September 23rd, 2012
I would like to do an ethnographic study the Wiccan/Pagan movement here in Utah. This would be fascinating to me to see how people have lived here long-term in Utah, the capitol of Mormonism, and have a faith that is outside of the mainstream beliefs of the state. I would probably need to do the study right here in Salt Lake City, as this is probably where the highest concentration of Pagans/Wiccans are located, due to the population size of the city. There is a Pagan/Wiccan community center, so I would probably be spending much of my time there.
For the preliminary research, I would need to ask questions such as: "What are the origins of your cultures? How do you identify yourselves? What is the protocol for being a part of this culture? What kind of languages do you speak, and what is the typical lingo used when speaking amongst each other? What are your religious ceremonies like?"
I would live in Salt Lake City and near the local Wiccan/Pagan community center. I would need an experienced leader in that community to assist me in gaining access to the group, someone who can help me become aquainted with not just any elders of the community, but other members as well. I would have to have them sign consent to release information forms and ask, "Is it OK for me to take photos/videotape you?" "Is it OK for me to tape record our conversations?"
If it was OK for me to use electronic equipment, I would use whatever technology they approved and I had access to in order to gather the data. I would ask questions such as, "How many of there are you in this community?" "Do you identify as a Pagan, a Wiccan, or something else?" I would then gather data such as gender, race, background, and financial information in order to get an idea of what the community is made up of. I would then analyze and interpret all of the data and write up a report of what my conclusions were.
Jay Garcia-Instructor
Cauleen Hansen
September 23rd, 2012
I would like to do an ethnographic study the Wiccan/Pagan movement here in Utah. This would be fascinating to me to see how people have lived here long-term in Utah, the capitol of Mormonism, and have a faith that is outside of the mainstream beliefs of the state. I would probably need to do the study right here in Salt Lake City, as this is probably where the highest concentration of Pagans/Wiccans are located, due to the population size of the city. There is a Pagan/Wiccan community center, so I would probably be spending much of my time there.
For the preliminary research, I would need to ask questions such as: "What are the origins of your cultures? How do you identify yourselves? What is the protocol for being a part of this culture? What kind of languages do you speak, and what is the typical lingo used when speaking amongst each other? What are your religious ceremonies like?"
I would live in Salt Lake City and near the local Wiccan/Pagan community center. I would need an experienced leader in that community to assist me in gaining access to the group, someone who can help me become aquainted with not just any elders of the community, but other members as well. I would have to have them sign consent to release information forms and ask, "Is it OK for me to take photos/videotape you?" "Is it OK for me to tape record our conversations?"
If it was OK for me to use electronic equipment, I would use whatever technology they approved and I had access to in order to gather the data. I would ask questions such as, "How many of there are you in this community?" "Do you identify as a Pagan, a Wiccan, or something else?" I would then gather data such as gender, race, background, and financial information in order to get an idea of what the community is made up of. I would then analyze and interpret all of the data and write up a report of what my conclusions were.