Hello,

We are looking for co-presenters and a discussant to collaborate with us on a panel discussing qualitative, arts-based methods used in anthropological research for the upcoming conference in Cuba in 2018. Fitting with the conference theme, we would like to explore in our discussion the epistemological underpinnings of certain arts based methods and the potentials and limits for sharing arts-based work. Specifically, we focus on photo voice— as a visual method and ethnodrama. We would welcome presenters who use these or similar methods.

Below is a rough abstract that we will build upon for our final proposal.

Multimodal Methods in Applied Qualitative Research: Leveraging participation with arts-based methods

Social scientists increasingly look to novel research methods with the aim of gathering, analyzing and presenting data in more inclusive and egalitarian ways. Anthropologists have contributed valuable discussion on the virtues of visual data collection methods in ethnographic projects. In this symposium, we discuss how visual methods and multi-modal research dialogic strategies to foster communicative practice between researchers the researcher and her participants. We will focus on key methods, such as photovoice, which simultaneously for example, privileges/gives voice to the voices and perspectives of participants, while combatting the subjective nature of photographs. We also focus on ethnodrama and illustrate how this form of qualitative data analysis and presentation can transform data into more accessible, nuanced forms of writing and data sharing.
We draw from our respective research as examples of applied participatory projects and highlight current trends in the field, as well as to showcase our epistemology, axiology and dilemmas we face as researchers using arts-based methods. We aim to create a space for diverse scholars to discuss the challenges and ethical questions that often arise in collaborative and community-based research and to engage ideas on effective strategies for authentic participation in fieldwork, as well as to discuss the challenges and ethical questions that often arise in collaborative, visual/arts-based endeavors.

We are happy to hold a bilingual presentation in Spanish and English if that is of interest.
We look forward to hearing from you!

Anneliese Cannon, Ph.D. and Jamie Joanou, Ph.D.
Faculty of Education
Westminster College
1840 S 1300 E-Malouf 122
acannon@westminstercollege.edu
jjoanou@westminstercollege.edu

Call for Paper

CASCA-CUBA
Canadian Anthropology Society Annual Meeting 16-20 May, 2018
Universidad de Oriente – Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

Panel Organizer: Maxime Polleri, York University

Panel

Ethnographic Practices and the Temporality of Evidence

Following the ongoing concerns surrounding questions of scientific knowledge and the role of anthropology in accessing, rationalizing, and circulating data, (Kirksey 2009; Fortun 2012; Hetherington 2013) this panel invites papers that ethnographically explore the practices of evidence-making and the challenges that anthropologists face in this endeavor. While there is a growing acknowledgement that collecting data and disseminating evidence is deeply political in nature (Cruikshank 2006), there is little on the question of temporality of evidence (Kumar 2016). Since anthropologists typically focus on the here-and-now, relying on participant-observation and interviews, this panel addresses how ethnographic temporality and evidentiary regimes work for the discipline of anthropology and how they intersect in the production of knowledge. This panel aims to re-examine the temporal politics of everyday discourses and practices of evidence-making, while reflecting on how ethnographic practices shape or legitimate particular temporal constructions about the rationalization of what is considered as sound evidence.

Some of the possible questions the papers may explore are:
- The ethnographic sensibilities needed to engage with forms of harm that imply a high degree of temporal indeterminacy (e.g., exposure to hazardous materials, chronic illnesses, trauma, deep time).
- How ethnographic approaches potentially discourage the study of a broader range of contemporary illnesses that might be traceable to past contamination?
- How to rationalize the outcomes of past actions when the narratives and significance of evidence have already been sorted out?
- How the temporal limitations of ethnography constitute specific categories of authoritative actors and how this influence the evidence collected?

Other themes are of course welcome. If interested, please send a 150 words abstract to Maxime Polleri by October 25, 2017 at maxpo88@yorku.ca

Dear colleagues:

I am interested in organizing a round table to discuss the framing of migration in North America with Cuban colleagues. I am beginning to wonder about questions such as: What are the dimensions of consensus or lack of it between the framing coming from the government, non-governmental organizations, immigrants? What can we make of the heavy emphasis on immigration in North Americans? How do Cubans study emigration from the Island?

If you have similar interests, please write.

Thanks!

--
Judith Freidenberg

Department of Anthropology

0101 Woods Hall

4302 Chapel Lane

University of Maryland

College Park, MD 20770

jfreiden@umd.edu

301 405 1420 Phone

301 314 8305 Fax

www.anthropologyoftheimmigrantlifecourse.org

www.umdmuseumcert.wordpress.com

WELCOME TO THE CASCA CONFERENCE CLASSIFIEDS!

Are you looking for panelists? Do you want some advice as to where to stay or places to go while at the CASCA Conference? If yes, please feel free to submit a short blurb to cascanews@cas-sca.ca. We will post all pertinent information to this section to facilitate communication between members as they prepare for the upcoming conference.