Abstract
During the workshop I will highlight several methods of research in the fields of religious, cultural and anthropological studies and anthropology. These will be: covert and open participant observation and possible mistakes; open and semi-structured in-depth interviews using closed and open-ended questions; focus groups; qualitative and quantitative analysis; cognitive analysis. I will also address the matter of ethics, political correctness, safety precautions and the issues of gender during the cooperation with people from different cultures. All research methods will be supported by practical examples from my 15 year field research. All research methods will be supported by practical examples from my 15 years of field research. Participants will learn how to apply all of the above in practice and share their experiences. In this way, they will not only be able to learn from me, but also analyse practices of other participants. We will also look for common threads in research from Africa and elsewhere, helping participants see which methods are most universal and how to apply them.
Presenters
Agnieszka PodoleckaAssistant Professor, Chair of African Languages and Cultures, University of Warsaw / University of South Africa, Poland
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
2026 Special Focus—Indigenous Spiritualities in Global Perspective
KEYWORDS
Field research, Participant observation, Focus groups, Ethical research, Culture protection
