USF Economy and COVID 19 Participant Observation Research Paper

Dear Class,

We have options for GEA1. Please read this announcement carefully. If you have not already done your observation please do not go to observe people. This is an unnecessary risk and I hope that you are all safe in your homes. Therefore, we will have alternate options for those of you who still needed to complete the observation before spring break. This will consist of special topics that require a bit of research to replace the observation portion. The structure of the paper and field notes will remain the same. I have included a list of topics to substitute for the observation. There are several options that include coverage of COVID 19, but not all of you may want to watch additional media coverage about the pandemic, so I have also included other options. I will create a poll or assignment so that everyone can choose the topic. After we decide the topics, I will send resources to complete the assignment.

COVID19

There are many topics you could explore related to the pandemic that are relevant to topics discussed in class. This may be easiest since you are already monitoring it and experiencing the effects of a pandemic. I have several sources that I can provide if you choose this option that will allow you to connect the current situation to topics from class and the book. If you want to focus your paper on the pandemic, you can choose from the following categories:

1. vulnerable populations- who is vulnerable

2. agism

3. racism

4. family

5. the economy

6. representation in the media

7. poverty

Migration

1. current topics related to the U.S. border

2. Refugees: U.S. policy, a specific route ex. Central Mediterranean Sea Route, current events in Libya and the effects on refugees,, or another regional topic. If you choose this topic be careful that you do not focus on too broad of an idea.

3. You can also propose a topic related to migration

Health and Illness

1. Rather than look at COVID 19, you could examine other pandemics: the Spanish flu, Ebola, or SARS. This would also need to connect with other topics (see above under COVID 19 option).

2. Cross-examination of the “Opioid Crisis” and the “Crack Epidemic”

3. Neurodiversity

4. Hela cell and Henrietta Lacks

Multi-species

This topic would include the examination of human and animal interactions. This can be a very interesting topic. Please email me if you are interested in multi-species ethnography and we will find a topic.

Art and the Media

This option is fairly open as well, but you would need to examine a current topic in art or the media and how it relates to the concepts that you need to discuss. One example could be about artists such as Banksy, who question contemporary art. Please email me if you want to choose this option.