Dr. Jennifer Erickson
<b>Department: </b>Anthropology<br><b>Research Area: </b>Urban anthropology, feminist anthropology, immigrants and refugees
Department: Anthropology
Research Focus: Urban anthropology, feminist anthropology, immigrants and refugees
Potential Student Project(s): I am interested in working with students who want to learn more about Muncie. Muncie became famous as the city that Robert Lynd and Helen Lynd studied for their books about "Middletown U.S.A." in the 1920s and 1930s. This project will train students in the methods of ethnography and urban anthropology. We will research who has power in Muncie and who does not, what residents love about their city, what diversity looks like in Muncie, barriers for equity and full inclusion for all residents in the city, and more. We will examine cultural, political, and economic structures in the city as experienced by individuals and different groups of people. Students will be asked to attend public events and meetings (city council meetings, for example), conduct participant observation at different places around the city (we'll talk about what participant observation is before sending you out into "the field"), meet regularly to discuss methods and findings, and maybe even help to publish an academic paper or present at a conference.
Attributes/skills/background sought in undergraduate: I am looking for students who are able to attend different public events around the city. You don't need to have a car but will need to be able to get around the city in some way (MITS bus, bike, skateboard, etc.). I am also looking for someone who is curious, observant, a good note taker, and excited about exploring the city of Muncie.
Mentoring Plan: The student researcher will work 5 h/week on the project including a 1-on-1 interaction with you for at least 1 hour/week. We will meet once per week to discuss plans, methods, and data analysis.
Contact: 765-285-1512, BB 301