What are we researching?
The Ethnography Incubator@EUR (EIE) aims to establish an inter-disciplinary, inter-faculty platform that will foster more dialogue, exchange and collaboration among ethnographers at the Erasmus University Rotterdam and represent the ethnographic research done at the EUR towards the outside world.
How are we conducting the research?
Ethnography, a research approach that deploys participant observation to study communities in their local environments up close, is perhaps more relevant than ever. The EIE considers ethnography to provide a unique lense to gain in-depth understandings about drivers and experiences of pressing societal challenges in times of polycrisis. As an impact- and community-oriented approach, ethnography can also be used to challenge dominant understandings and give voice to marginalized communities that experience the effects of this polycrisis on the ground. The EIE serves to highlight the groundbreaking research being done by ethnographers at the EUR while creating a platform and research infrastructure that spans across disciplines, faculties and initiatives. You can read about our first and second meetings.
How does our research make an positive impact?
Embedded in the ongoing Erasmus Initiatives Vital Cities and Citizens and linked with Wijkwijs and Dynamics of inclusive prosperity, the EEI focusses on:
- Exchanging on the latest developments and innovations within ethnographic methods;
- Stimulating team science by presenting, giving feedback on and supporting ongoing; research and funding applications;
- Organizing trainings and educate (junior) academics around ethnographic methods and ethical issues;
- Invite a leading external speaker every year to stimulate dialogue and exchange;
- Creating a stage to publicly represent and showcase cutting-edge ethnographic research that is being done at the EUR;
Outreach
By stimulating a research method that generates in-depth insights into diverse and often-overlooked voices and communities, the Ethnograpy Incubator aims to nuance and stimulate public ddiscussions.
Team
Thomas Swerts (DPAS, ESSB)
Nanneke Winters (ISS)
Mieke Kox (ESL)
Malika Ouacha (RSM)
Funding
This initiative is funded by a grant of the Erasmus Trustfonds.
Partners
The EEI is embedded within the Erasmus Initiative Vital Cities and Citizens. It is supported by several faculties, including ESSB, ESL, ESHCC, ISS, ESBR, EUC, RSM and HIS.