Fieldwork

I'm not a student of folklore or anthropology, just someone who is possibly interested in interviewing some neighbors in support of a freelance book project. Though this book seems designed for a college curriculum, I found this to be light reading, and surprisingly inspiring. Jackson puts proper emphasis on such topics as maintaining balance between immersion and detachment, focusing your topic, and understanding the difference between a conversation and an interview. Though I'm certainly a novice in this field, I can only imagine that Jackson's laid back but serious tone sets a great example for other folklorists. Ethical issues, such as respecting your subject's interests and time, treating them as you'd want to be treated, are pervasive throughout. More than half of the book is devoted to a section on "mechanical matters." A lot of this describes technology that is long since outdated since this book was written in 1986 (reel to reel tape recorders?), but many of the concepts (such as microphone placement and the inherent limitations of machines) still apply.