HarryPotter Literature & Language Essay Research Paper

Papers should be in 12 pt font, 1 inch margins, double-spaced, and include a title that reflects your content. This description should be 2-3 pages long.



Ethnography is the scientific description of the customs of individual peoples and cultures.



The major assignment  is to go out into "the world" and do ethnographic study to explore a social or cultural issue of particular interest to you. It is not a library project, though in some cases a little library research or outside reading may be appropriate. You will need to think about three major areas as you develop your project idea and engage in ethnography: (1) a site/topic; (2) a research question: an issue or problem that focuses your discussion of the site/topic; and (3) a well-thought out set of methods, or ways to investigate the issues that interest you in context of the particular site you have chosen. These three areas are related: an issue that may be very fruitful in one site may leave you with little to work with in another site. A method, or way of approaching your issue that works well in one context–or to illuminate one theoretical issue–may be completely inappropriate or non-illuminating in another case.


Because of the current coronavirus crisis, you may use topics that are not typically associated with ethnography including fictional universes.


Sample Topics: You do not have to use any of these, especially if you have a project that you are interested in doing. These would have to be narrowed and focused.

Middle Earth—The cultural practices of Middle Earth in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings and or The Hobbit. The books, the visual representations of the different peoples (e.g. what are the variations in the physical settings, and what do they mean, Rivendell, Lothlorien, Moria, Edoras, Minas Tirith, Mordor) would give you plenty to describe.
Marvel Universe—Describe the different cultural contexts for the films.
Star Wars
Star Trek

More traditional ethnography Topics:

Gender Roles and Performance
Coronavirus Responses—e.g. social distancing; behavior at parks and public spaces, restaurants
Children’s behavior
Workplace culture
Hobby Performance—collecting; arts and crafts; games, video games, Sports teams
Any music genre and its cultural practice—Opera, Rap, Metal, etc.
Ethnic Cuisine and rituals

PART I Topic

The most important factor in your choice should be access to the community to complete your observations and interviews (i.e. ability to complete the assignment on time).

Make sure you include a brief summary of:

- Part 1: Your plan for observing this group. When and where you will observe them and how.

- Part 2: Why you are interested in this group, what you know about them already (before observing), and what your expectations are.