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113bprojectspacepromptspring17 2
113bprojectspacepromptspring17 2
During this project, we will discover that essays, books, and articles are not the only things that can be
analyzed. We can also look critically and academically at places and spaces. Project Space requires you to
consider the social and cultural aspects of places and spaces, as well as any socio-economic or political aspects
that may be important. This project asks you to think deeply about cultural places and spaces in the Los
Angeles and SoCal Areas, as well as the communities/ cultures/subcultures they are connected to, how
they affect and define each other, and how they contribute to the unique cultural landscape that makes
up the Greater Los Angeles area.
A note on the terms place and space: For Project Space, we are defining place as a permanent physical location (a
building, a park, a store, restaurant, school, etc) and space as a temporary area or location set up for a purpose (a fair, a
rave, a festival, a farmers market, etc). Space and places can be defined as urban, community, cultural, political, personal
and they can also be institutional (for example: the university and hospital).
Project Space: Ethnography - Instructions and Guidelines
FIRST, go to your chosen place or space and spend time observing. You should allow yourself as much
time as possible (at the very least a few hours, more is better). Observe, explore, and interact! If at all possible,
you should take notes about the place and people while you are visiting. Record your immediate observations,
thoughts, and reactions. Think about the following questions:
The Place/Space:
o Describe your place/space. Where are you? When did you go? What is it like there?
o What is the dcor? The physical look? What does it sound like? Smell? Taste?
o Are there any cultural signs or symbols in this place/space?
The People:
o Who are they? What are their interests, values or other attributes? Who are the people who own it? Can
you tell who is regular and who might be there for the first time?
o How open or closed to outsiders is this place/space? Is it easy to feel comfortable there if you are not part
of the community or subculture, or is the place/space so strongly associated with that particular
community that outsiders might feel awkward? Why or why not?
o What are people doing? What is the significance of the events and activities? Is there any specialized
language or slang that here people use? How do people behave? Would they behave the same way
anywhere else, or is their behavior connected to vibe of the place/space in some way?
THEN, use your notes and observations to write a 900 word (2-3 page) Ethnography. You will write about
your observations of the place/space and the people/community that it is connected to. You should include
detailed description of the place and what it looks/feels/sounds/smells like, and details on the people and
activities going on there, but save the actual analysis for your essay. An Ethnography is a like a detailed
report on where you went, what you saw, and what happened while you were there. You can also record
any interviews you may have conducted (if allowed).
PLEASE NOTE: You can and should use material from your Fieldwork Report in your Essay Rough Draft, but they
are NOT THE SAME THING. Please do not turn in your Fieldwork Report as your Rough Draft. They have different
purposes, and they should be written differently.