Critical Ethnography

This course will explore relational and organizational communication through research aimed at helping the community of Moss Point, Mississippi.

Specific class projects include:

*Attending a town meeting where the residents of Moss Point express their frustrations, elations, concerns, and hopes as they rebuild their community. Individual ethnographic interviews and focus groups will allow for citizens to discuss the interpersonal social support needs and how they are or are not being met.

*Conducting an organizational culture audit of schools in Moss Point in order to understand how a supportive work climate can be offered to educators there.

*Creating a video ethnography exploring perceptions of how race, class, and gender play into the rebuilding of the city and citizens' feelings regarding their portrayal through media outlets.

As you can tell, this is a unique, once-in-a-lifetime class that will allow for a different kind of learning experience.

Enrollment is through permission only. Students will receive upper level (394) credit for undergraduate enrollment in their choice of African-American Studies, Electronic Media and Broadcasting, Journalism, Speech, or Women's Studies; or 694 credit in COM if a graduate student. The research team is as follows:

• Jimmie Manning, course instructor and overall project director, will guide all three teams to successful completion of their research projects and organize the logistics of the trip. Jessica Dirr will act as his graduate research assistant.

• Sara Mahle, a documentarian and graduate student in Communication, will lead a citizen journalism project and act as director of the video ethnography and documentary. She will be assisted by video ethnography team members Daniel Strasser, Natalie Howard, and Joshua Rodamer.

• Aimee Shandy, research assistant and a graduate student in Communication, will oversee day-to-day tasks for the organizational audit of the school system. She will be assisted by team members Rob Pasquinucci, Mic Herald, Michelle Vlassis, and Whitney Ross.

• Michele Day, Communication faculty member in Journalism, will oversee the day-to-day operations for ethnographic interviews and community service. She will be assisted by team members Chasity Galpin, Evan Center, Jenny Prigge, and Alison Medley.

Costs: Each student will be required to pay normal tuition plus a special class fee of $150.00. The special class fee is non-refundable and due before enrollment will be allowed. This fee helps to subsidize travel expenses including transportation, room and board, and project materials. (Students should have to pay no more than tuition and up to $150.00 for the class fee.) Instructions on enrolling and paying the class fee will be provided to the students who applied and were accepted to the course (see the research teams above).

The class will be offered during the 2007-2008 Winter Intersession. The tentative class schedule is as follows:

• Dec. 17^th – Course textbook, Critical Ethnography: Method, Ethics, and Performance by D. Soyini Madison read by students on their own. Depending on the research team, some students may be required to read certain sections or different texts. A course Blackboard site will be set up for discussion of the text and to provide emerging information regarding the trip.

• January 3^rd – Eight hour orientation and training session. This will include discussion of the textbook, a full explanation of what will be happening during the trip, and training for procedures.

• January 6^th – Depart from NKU to Moss Point, Mississippi

• January 7^th through 10^th – Work on class projects in Moss Point

• January 11^th – Depart from Moss Point, Mississippi to Nashville, TN for a reflection and relaxation before heading home to NKU the next day.

Other than the eight-hour orientation session and the trip, no other in-person meetings are required (although independent study options will be available for students who wish to continue in data analysis).

This will be an excellent learning experience -- thank you to all who applied, and congrats to those selected for the course!