The question, “Do people here still value this tradition?” appears helpful but it actually assumes what answer the participant will give. The use of the word still suggests that this tradition may be fading away, and the word value requires…

Even the most mundane objects, such as a chipped cup, a bus card, a woven bag or a key left by a door, might not seem worth studying. Yet these objects can provide a window into a community’s routines, values,…

Time yourself for 10 minutes, bring out a field notebook, and select one small-scale activity in a familiar public location. You could observe how customers get into a coffee shop, how people navigate a holding area, how a set of…

Someone walks into a cafe, scans the room, sits at a table by the window, puts a bag on the chair next to him. An observer writes down “He wanted some privacy, he didn’t want anybody sitting next to him.”…