 Hello, I am Nina Sabnani, Professor at IDC School of Design, IIT Bombay. I practice and teach in the areas of film studies, experimental animation and visual ethnography. Welcome to our course, Understanding Ethnography, a way to engage with the other. Ethnography is one of the most interesting forms of qualitative research. In ethnographic research, we learn from the very people, places and phenomena that are also the focus of our study. We spend time with people in all kinds of places, homes, offices and other spaces that they are a part of. We observe their daily lives, converse with them and may even participate in some of their activities. It is a form of research in which we learn by engaging with the other in their environment. This is the central premise of ethnographic research. The objective of our course is to explore the application of ethnography in practice-based disciplines such as design, engineering, social work and management. In the last decade or so, ethnography has gained a considerable popularity in many disciplines, both in academics and in the industry. Business strategies, market researchers, designers, social workers and advertisers. Many of them use ethnography as a way to better understand the people and the needs they wish to serve. As you go through the course, you will learn the many different ways of engaging with and learning from the other. We will discuss what it means to observe a phenomena. How do we learn through interviewing people? What can we learn from the objects that make up someone's environment? And how to ensure that our research practices are respectful and considerate towards those who are the focus of our study? The ethnographic concepts and ideas that we discuss in this course are grounded in real-world examples. Experts from various fields share their experiences of research. Their contributions enhance our discussions on the various aspects of ethnographic practice. And the several case studies and examples show the application of the ethnographic approach in areas such as urban housing, education, product design, craft and filmmaking. Let me give you a brief overview of what to expect in this course. The course is divided into 8 modules. Each module focuses on one particular aspect of ethnography and over several sections explores its various dimensions. Within each module, we also have activities that allow you to pause and reflect on what you have learned and clarify your understanding. Module 1 is an introduction to ethnographic research and some of its most basic ideas. We discuss and define who is the other and what it means to engage with them in mutually productive ways. We talk about the ways in which ethnography has evolved over the years and how our understanding of the other has developed. We look at some tricky questions such as what is reality and whose reality is more real. Finally, we discuss concepts such as empathy which are crucial to understanding. In module 2, we unpack ethnography into three major components. Its process, the fundamental concepts that define the process and the tools through which we practice ethnography. Each of these are discussed in detail and we deliberate on what makes a research ethnographic in nature. With module 3, we take our first step into the practice of ethnography. This starts with designing our research. What should our research be about? What people, places and phenomena should we include in our study? And how can we learn from them? We reflect upon these questions in order to develop a roadmap for our research. And for each step of designing our research, we have examples and case studies from different areas including product design, brand strategy, service design and communication. Module 4 is where we address fieldwork. Here we learn how to approach the people who form the focus of our study and how to immerse ourselves in their world. We discuss some of the tricky and complex situations that researchers encounter. And we speak of the importance of being ethical in engaging with the other. In module 5, we discuss observation and participation as ways of engaging with the other and learning from them. What does it mean to observe? What are the different ways of observing? What all do we observe? And how do we make sense of our observations? These are some of the questions that we address in this module. We also explore participating in the context and discover the kinds of knowledge we can access through participant observation. With module 6, we move towards another important tool in ethnographic research – interviews. Here we discuss in detail the process of interviewing. We plan our interview, discuss the nature of questions we want to ask and how to frame them. And then we go through the process of interviewing. In this, we practice the art of listening and speaking to others so as to understand what their words say and what their silences may mean. And then we come to module 7, where we learn about visual ethnography. We learn to read images and visuals in the context that we are studying. Through this, we try to understand the meanings that people associate with these images. And we learn to make images as a way of engaging and learning. We show and discuss several examples of how film, photography, drawing and animation may be used as a way of doing ethnography. Finally, we conclude our journey in module 8 with a discussion on how ethnographic research offers new ways of seeing. And of the avenues it opens up for projects and interventions. Some of our contributors share with us case studies of projects where they have used the ethnographic approach. They introduce us to their processes and discuss what ethnographic research has brought to their area of work. We have incorporated into our modules exercises and activities of different kinds. Some of them are designed to help you reflect on our discussions. Others encourage you to step out and do your own research. Reflection spots, they will appear within each module. This is where we will ask you to reflect on the discussion by answering a question or doing a small exercise. Also within each module you will come across learning extension trajectories or LXTs as we call them. These are additional learning resources of various kinds. Films, video clips, readings or websites. You can pick an LXT based on your area of interest. And after that you can take an assimilation quiz. All the information that you require regarding these is available on the course platform. Through all this content and these features we hope that by the end of the course you will be ready to do your own ethnographic study. And that you will apply the insights you gain to your area of work. Now that you have a good idea of what is in store for you. We invite you to enrol and join us on this journey of engagement and learning through the course Understanding Ethnography.