Argument

The panel intends to discuss the role of participatory methods within contemporary ethnography and anthropology. While the stance of the ethnographer as cultural observer and narrator has been (since the beginnings of the so-called "crisis of representation") subject to a constant and thorough re-evaluation, it is true that within anthropological praxis, participatory methods still play a very minor part.

The frequent calls for a more collaborative and reflexive anthropology seem to be based on ideas that demand the social scientist's contribution to the empowerment of the cultural protagonists that take part in anthropological research, and a renewed attention to their world views and narrative forms. It implies, in various ways, to share the representational authority between the differing actors in the ethnographic field. In this context, the important experiences carried out since the 70s by those who have been using participatory media and visual collaborative methodologies, should be noted. In a world where individuals and communities have ever more access to a multitude of communicational devices which enable them to reinforce their self-representational capacities, the need to question and reconsider the role and the voice of the anthropologist is evident.

For the panel, we suggest a debate based on proposals reflecting on: (a) epistemological issues of participatory methodologies; (b) ethnographic experiences using these methods; (c) the links between the aesthetic (Art) and the epistemological (Science) in the construction of collaborative ethnographic narratives.

Submission guidelines

The call for papers closes 22nd April 2013.

Proposals should include the following:

• paper title
• short abstract of less than 300 characters
• bstract of 250 words.

The proposal may also state the audio-visual requirements you have for your presentation.

ATTENTION : Abstracts and presentations may be in Portuguese, Spanish or English. Each panel should specify the languages they are using at the end of their panel title.

Please browse the list of accepted panels and make your proposal to an appropriate panel. On the panel page, beneath the long abstract you will find a link stating ‘Propose a paper’. Click that to access the online form.

All proposals must be made via the bespoke on-line facility that APA is using to handle all proposals. Proposals should not be sent by email. Convenors wishing to present in their own panel should also use the online form to enter their proposal.

On submission of the proposal, you should be taken to a screen stating that your submission was completed successfully. If not then you need to try again. On completion the convenors will be sent an automated email alerting them to your proposal. You will also be sent such an email. If you do not receive this email, please first check the login environment (click login above) to see if your proposal is there. If it is, it simply means your confirmation email got spammed/lost; and if it is not, it means you need to re-submit, as the process went wrong somewhere!

Proposals will be marked as pending until the Call for Papers closes, and convenors are asked to make decisions. They will then be marked as accepted or rejected; and the panel convenors will inform you of their decisions.

Rules

Delegates may only make one presentation, although they may also convene one panel and/or be a discussant in one panel. Clearly delegates may make multiple proposals, however we discourage this practice as later you will be required to withdraw papers where you have multiple acceptances, inconveniencing those convenors.

Useful information for after you’ve proposed your paper

Paper authors can use the login link in the toolbar above to edit their proposals. Co-authors cannot be added/removed nor can papers be withdrawn through this environment – please email congresso(at)apantropologia.org to do this.

Pre-circulation of papers

APA has no rule about this; however many convenors are keen to pre-circulate completed papers. To facilitate this and save on email traffic, if requested by convenors, authors can upload PDFs of their papers within the online system, which will then show as a downloadable file beneath their abstract on the public panel page on this site.

Timing of presentations

Convenors are free to allocate the time of their sessions as they like, although we’re suggesting allotting each presenter a maximum of 30 minutes (for presentation and questions/discussion); however convenors should let you know about this nearer the conference. We are unable to represent specific intra-panel timings in our programme. Delegates reading the conference book will have to work on the assumption that papers will be evenly distributed through the panel.

We accep papers in portuguese, english ans spanish.

Scientific coordinators

• Peter Anton Zoettl (CRIA-IUL, Lisbon)
• Ricardo Campos (Universidade Aberta)