Multispecies Ethnography

Definition

Multispecies ethnography is an approach in anthropology that expands the traditional focus on humans to include the study of other living organisms, such as animals, plants, fungi, and microbes, and their interactions with humans. It examines the complex relationships and entanglements between humans and their nonhuman counterparts, acknowledging the agency and significance of all living beings in shaping the world around us.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Multispecies ethnography emerged as a response to the anthropocentric bias in traditional anthropological research, which often overlooked the importance of nonhuman entities in human lives and societies.
2. This approach emphasizes the need to consider the perspectives and experiences of other living beings, and how they are entangled with and shape human existence.
3. Multispecies ethnographers study the ways in which humans and nonhumans co-constitute each other, and how their relationships and interactions are mediated by various social, cultural, and environmental factors.
4. The methodology of multispecies ethnography often involves close observation, participation, and engagement with the nonhuman subjects of study, in addition to traditional ethnographic methods.
5. Multispecies ethnography has been applied to a wide range of research topics, including the study of human-animal relationships, the role of plants and fungi in human societies, and the impact of microbes on human health and well-being.

Review Questions

• Explain how multispecies ethnography differs from traditional anthropological approaches that focus solely on humans.
  • Multispecies ethnography expands the scope of anthropological inquiry beyond the human to include the study of other living organisms, such as animals, plants, fungi, and microbes, and their interactions with humans. This approach recognizes the agency and significance of nonhuman entities in shaping the world, challenging the anthropocentric bias of traditional anthropological research. Multispecies ethnographers examine the complex relationships and entanglements between humans and their nonhuman counterparts, and how these relationships co-constitute each other in various social, cultural, and environmental contexts.
• Describe the methodological approaches used in multispecies ethnography and how they differ from traditional ethnographic methods.
  • Multispecies ethnography often involves close observation, participation, and engagement with the nonhuman subjects of study, in addition to traditional ethnographic methods such as interviews and participant observation. Researchers may, for example, closely observe the behaviors and interactions of animals, or immerse themselves in the environments of plants and fungi to better understand their roles and relationships within human societies. This hands-on, multispecies approach allows researchers to gain a more holistic and nuanced understanding of the complex relationships between humans and nonhumans, and how they shape and are shaped by their shared environments.
• Analyze how the application of multispecies ethnography has contributed to our understanding of the human condition and our place within the broader web of life.
  • By expanding the scope of anthropological inquiry to include the study of nonhuman entities, multispecies ethnography has challenged the traditional anthropocentric view of the human as the central and superior being. This approach has contributed to a more nuanced and holistic understanding of the human condition, recognizing that our existence is fundamentally entangled with and shaped by the other living organisms that inhabit our world. Multispecies ethnography has shed light on the ways in which humans and nonhumans co-constitute each other, and how our relationships and interactions are mediated by various social, cultural, and environmental factors. This has led to a greater appreciation for the agency and significance of nonhuman entities, and has prompted a rethinking of our place within the broader web of life, ultimately contributing to a more inclusive and sustainable vision of the human experience.

Related terms

Anthropocentrism:

The belief that human beings are the central or most significant entities in the universe, and that all other entities (including animals, plants, and the environment) are secondary and exist primarily for human use or benefit.

Interspecies Relationships:

The relationships and interactions between humans and other living organisms, including animals, plants, fungi, and microbes, and how these relationships shape and are shaped by the shared environment.

Posthumanism: A philosophical and theoretical approach that challenges the traditional humanist view of the human as the central and superior being, and instead recognizes the agency and significance of nonhuman entities in shaping the world.