Monday, August 25, 2008
Sorry for the lack of update!
I have been busy studying- seriously
Anyhow, here is part of what I have generated outa 2 days
Since I have never blogged about my fieldwork in Northern Thaialnd I thought of sharing this with you guys
Geertz’s article, ‘Thick Description: Toward an Interpretive Theory of Culture’ provides us a way in uncovering the agency of the people under the state which is ‘comprehended in ways analogous to totalizing or super-organic models of culture’ (Steedly, 1999). I personally employed this ‘methodology’ when doing fieldwork amongst the Akha in Northern Thailand. Upon arriving at the field, I noticed that many of the Akha were actively in the process of applying for a Thai identification card. By looking at this particular action superficially, it may seem that they were actively identifying with the central control of the Thai state and were hence in the process of being assimilated into Thai society. But, when I probed further, the reasons behind the application of the Thai identification card was almost always not for the purpose of identification with the state. For example, one of my informants- ‘A’ told me that only with an identification card can she then apply for a passport which will in turn allow her to visit her boyfriend in Singapore.
However in the process of doing fieldwork, I noticed that the process of obtaining a ‘Thick Description’ of a particular phenomenon is not an easy task. My informants were constantly weary about my background and were not very willing to reveal a lot of information to me. Not many of them were as straightforward as ‘A’ and I felt that in many occasions I had to interpret their interpretation. By doing so, all I could get at was just a ‘best guess’ (Geertz, 1973) of their actions. Although I felt disheartened, I consoled myself by acknowledging that I attempted to at least provide a thick instead of thin description of things.
My fieldwork amongst the Akha in Northern Thailand has given some weight to Ortner and Sherry’s call to acknowledge the agency of the people under the state. The culture and agency of the people -I believe, still lives under the powerful apparatus of the state.
I have been busy studying- seriously
Anyhow, here is part of what I have generated outa 2 days
Since I have never blogged about my fieldwork in Northern Thaialnd I thought of sharing this with you guys
Geertz’s article, ‘Thick Description: Toward an Interpretive Theory of Culture’ provides us a way in uncovering the agency of the people under the state which is ‘comprehended in ways analogous to totalizing or super-organic models of culture’ (Steedly, 1999). I personally employed this ‘methodology’ when doing fieldwork amongst the Akha in Northern Thailand. Upon arriving at the field, I noticed that many of the Akha were actively in the process of applying for a Thai identification card. By looking at this particular action superficially, it may seem that they were actively identifying with the central control of the Thai state and were hence in the process of being assimilated into Thai society. But, when I probed further, the reasons behind the application of the Thai identification card was almost always not for the purpose of identification with the state. For example, one of my informants- ‘A’ told me that only with an identification card can she then apply for a passport which will in turn allow her to visit her boyfriend in Singapore.
However in the process of doing fieldwork, I noticed that the process of obtaining a ‘Thick Description’ of a particular phenomenon is not an easy task. My informants were constantly weary about my background and were not very willing to reveal a lot of information to me. Not many of them were as straightforward as ‘A’ and I felt that in many occasions I had to interpret their interpretation. By doing so, all I could get at was just a ‘best guess’ (Geertz, 1973) of their actions. Although I felt disheartened, I consoled myself by acknowledging that I attempted to at least provide a thick instead of thin description of things.
My fieldwork amongst the Akha in Northern Thailand has given some weight to Ortner and Sherry’s call to acknowledge the agency of the people under the state. The culture and agency of the people -I believe, still lives under the powerful apparatus of the state.
what we could have been, 11:04 PM.
Monday, August 11, 2008
I've got an inspiration of how to write my paper!
One down - I am so glad that I took SE4101
Seriously! and also... philo
Its really useful in organizing the huge mass of thoughts in my brains!
Read abit on environmentality- quite difficult I must say
I wonder how my bb is going to help me out especially when the stuff I am doing is getting more and more difficult!
Opps!
One down - I am so glad that I took SE4101
Seriously! and also... philo
Its really useful in organizing the huge mass of thoughts in my brains!
Read abit on environmentality- quite difficult I must say
I wonder how my bb is going to help me out especially when the stuff I am doing is getting more and more difficult!
Opps!
what we could have been, 10:52 PM.
I suddenly realized today that when I was young I thought that only 4 racial categories existed for the different races/ethnic groups
Indian-Malay-Chinese-Ang Moh
Only after getting interested in the Akha people and studying about race and ethnicity that I knew that there were many more categories and that these categories can be infinite like colours mixing with each other!
But when doing all those readings, I never knew that when I was a kid, I only recognized these 4 categories
It seems that I am unlearning stuffs which I have been learning when I was younger
Is this the fault of the teacher, MOE or the government?
Indian-Malay-Chinese-Ang Moh
Only after getting interested in the Akha people and studying about race and ethnicity that I knew that there were many more categories and that these categories can be infinite like colours mixing with each other!
But when doing all those readings, I never knew that when I was a kid, I only recognized these 4 categories
It seems that I am unlearning stuffs which I have been learning when I was younger
Is this the fault of the teacher, MOE or the government?
what we could have been, 8:28 AM.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Tomorrow is stay at home day as I have school the next day!
Going to bb's house too to clear and get some stuff
I am actually quite sad that my bb is not here with me in Singapore
But after this year we will be together all the time!
I miss the times when we will hang out together in school and go for boring lectures together
Especially the times when we hung out with both Kenneth and Winna
But now, Winna and Kenneth - broken up and my bb- not in Singapore
Well at least Winna and I still meet up quite alot!
I hope you blow away
Going to bb's house too to clear and get some stuff
I am actually quite sad that my bb is not here with me in Singapore
But after this year we will be together all the time!
I miss the times when we will hang out together in school and go for boring lectures together
Especially the times when we hung out with both Kenneth and Winna
But now, Winna and Kenneth - broken up and my bb- not in Singapore
Well at least Winna and I still meet up quite alot!
I hope you blow away
what we could have been, 7:31 AM.
Friday, August 8, 2008
I am super pissed off
Finished my 6km walk at East Coast... feeling really hot and sticky
Went home and quickly took a bath
Only to find out after I am totally wet that the shampoo and my preferred body soap was not in the toilet
Wanted to wash my face
Went up to my room's toilet to see if my other facial foam was in the toilet
Toilet was locked... wanted claris to pass it to me through the door
But! It turns out that Claris was not the one in the toilet
Great! What a wonderful day!
Can another person's presence make someone else feel so unhappy?
I am wondering why didn't it happen the other times...
Finished my 6km walk at East Coast... feeling really hot and sticky
Went home and quickly took a bath
Only to find out after I am totally wet that the shampoo and my preferred body soap was not in the toilet
Wanted to wash my face
Went up to my room's toilet to see if my other facial foam was in the toilet
Toilet was locked... wanted claris to pass it to me through the door
But! It turns out that Claris was not the one in the toilet
Great! What a wonderful day!
Can another person's presence make someone else feel so unhappy?
I am wondering why didn't it happen the other times...
what we could have been, 8:22 PM.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
My Dentist sms-ed me to ask if my teeth are fine
I was quite surprised!
That was really nice of him and I will def go back to him for cleaning
Next appointment will be in December
I cannot believe that I am actually going to the dentist so often now
I must also thank my dear bf for bugging me to go to the dentist
Feel better after all the cleaning!
I miss pork porridge from the market at Bukit Timah
Haiz, I haven't been eating alot of porridge lately
But it's okay because my bb is coming back soon!
I was quite surprised!
That was really nice of him and I will def go back to him for cleaning
Next appointment will be in December
I cannot believe that I am actually going to the dentist so often now
I must also thank my dear bf for bugging me to go to the dentist
Feel better after all the cleaning!
I miss pork porridge from the market at Bukit Timah
Haiz, I haven't been eating alot of porridge lately
But it's okay because my bb is coming back soon!
what we could have been, 8:21 PM.
My days have been always good in the morning-afternoon
But whenever its time for dinner (or around that time), I will be unhappy
I know this unhappiness will continue unless I eat out every night (or almost every single night)
But I cannot help it! I love my grandmother's cooking and I am poor
I love staying at home too!
Went shopping with Winna today
She was suppose to be the one buying stuff while I look around
But! Haiz... I ended up buying more stuffs then her
Although she tried more clothes
GG<5 had 20% discount so I bought a belt too
I am quite proud of my belt collection actually =)
Anyhow after shopping I was dead tired and thankfully Winna sent me home!
She said she will buy me a present when I give birth
Haha! I told her ... " Still very long la!"
But whenever its time for dinner (or around that time), I will be unhappy
I know this unhappiness will continue unless I eat out every night (or almost every single night)
But I cannot help it! I love my grandmother's cooking and I am poor
I love staying at home too!
Went shopping with Winna today
She was suppose to be the one buying stuff while I look around
But! Haiz... I ended up buying more stuffs then her
Although she tried more clothes
GG<5 had 20% discount so I bought a belt too
I am quite proud of my belt collection actually =)
Anyhow after shopping I was dead tired and thankfully Winna sent me home!
She said she will buy me a present when I give birth
Haha! I told her ... " Still very long la!"
what we could have been, 4:43 AM.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
射鵰英雄傳 always reminds me of Mei Chow Feng
Its been many years - like 15 years and I am still freakin scared of her
Yesterday Teddy was telling me about the new version of that show, so I went to have a look at it on Todou
Wah! I saw Mei ChowFeng again! No need to sleep anymore
Went to the dentist today as well
It wasn't as painful as I have expected it to be
and the funny thing is that this dentist reminds me of Kian Mo
Wierd...
Its been many years - like 15 years and I am still freakin scared of her
Yesterday Teddy was telling me about the new version of that show, so I went to have a look at it on Todou
Wah! I saw Mei ChowFeng again! No need to sleep anymore
Went to the dentist today as well
It wasn't as painful as I have expected it to be
and the funny thing is that this dentist reminds me of Kian Mo
Wierd...
what we could have been, 5:11 AM.
Friday, August 1, 2008
I finished my DET already!
It has been a long time since I last did a English Comprehension and it was super tiring
Grammer exercises too
I am having a very bad headache now actually ^_^
Met Victor there and he told me that his gf is in NIE
He met up with Stan too
I wonder how will class be like under Stan again
It has been a long time since I last did a English Comprehension and it was super tiring
Grammer exercises too
I am having a very bad headache now actually ^_^
Met Victor there and he told me that his gf is in NIE
He met up with Stan too
I wonder how will class be like under Stan again
what we could have been, 5:54 AM.
