Dr. Sita Hidayah, a lecturer from the Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Cultural Sciences at Gadjah Mada University (UGM), was invited by the Laboratory for Language and Cultural Studies (LKBB) of the Faculty of Humanities, UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim, Malang, to speak at a Workshop on Ethnographic Research in Culture. The event took place on Wednesday, August 21, 2024, and was attended by university leaders, faculty members, and lecturers from across the campus. The workshop, divided into two sessions, was held at the 3rd-floor auditorium of the Faculty of Humanities.
In her presentation, Dr. Sita, affectionately known as “Mbak Sita,” emphasized the importance of understanding paradigms in research. She stressed that paradigms serve as guiding frameworks in both research and writing. Discussing paradigms, she explained, is crucial to understanding their strengths and weaknesses in the context of theory, as each discipline has paradigms that provide specific direction or ideology. These paradigms, often referred to as theoretical frameworks or conceptual frameworks, help distinguish social sciences from humanities. While the social sciences rely on empirical facts (external), the humanities are rooted in interpretation and understanding (internal). Different paradigms, such as phenomenology, structuralism, and ethnoscience, come with their own methods, analyses, and approaches.
Dr. Sita also referenced her mentor, Prof. Dr. Heddy Shri Ahimsa-Putra, M.A., M.Phil, who has written extensively on paradigms. His works delve into fundamental perspectives that influence key elements such as basic assumptions, values, research topics, models, concepts, research methods, analytical methods, and ethnographic representation. Besides paradigms, Dr. Sita highlighted the importance of addressing the concept of “truth,” especially in the context of UIN, where the majority of attendees are Muslim, to align on shared perceptions of truth in research. Truth, she explained, is empirical and can be explored through two approaches: quantitative (surveys, questionnaires, polling) and qualitative (ethnography). In anthropology, ethnography is often employed, where data comes from community actions and statements gathered in everyday contexts, rather than being directed by the researcher. The ethnographic method typically involves extended stays, mastery of the local language, and the researcher as the primary instrument through participant observation.
The workshop participants displayed great enthusiasm, evident from the numerous questions they posed. Beyond the Q&A session, participants and speakers also shared their experiences in conducting research. Those interested in following the discussions can view the event on the YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ExX2BC413Q
[Public Relation of FIB UGM, Author: Dewi N, Editor: Aldiza, Translator: Aldiza]
