A Portrait of Dharamsala:
A Field Study Proposal to Explore the Universal Importance and Nature of Stories
by Rachel Rueckert
Intent:
Stories are an essential part of the human experience, both wonderful and terrifying in their possibilities. In order to understand this universal narrative, I want to write a creative project that encompasses two things. First, I want to record stories from the population that makes up the unique city of Dharamsala, India, and second, I want to gain a better understanding of the nature of stories by writing a self-reflexive narrative of my own experience. This second account will highlight some of the limitations of my own subjective experience abroad to better understand the fragile nature of stories. By conducting this project, I hope to help others learn more about Dharamsala and show that stories are universally important, but at the same time encourage people to recognize stories within their proper context and scope.
Aside from academic reasons, there are several things I hope to gain from this field study experience on a personal level. I am interested in the Tibetan culture thriving in this distinctive location and am anxious to learn more from the individual narratives of the people who live there. Eastern thought and religion has always fascinated me, and I look forward to exploring these different truths by experiencing a different way of life through immersing myself in another culture while learning more about the diversity of Dharamsala. One of the things I am most excited about is having the time and space necessary to write. It is easy to get caught up in the daily routine of life here at BYU, and I often have a difficult time practicing writing amidst all of my other responsibilities. I am thrilled to have an experience where my writing can be a priority in a way I have always struggled with at home.
Academically, I hope this experience will help me to further develop my writing skills so that I canobtain more experience with creative writing and academic blogging.I am excited to work on my interviewing and observation skills, but alsoto gain more research experience in general. This project is a continuation of the research I did in Ghana on a field study in the spring/summer of 2010, and I am anxious to learn more about the methodology I developed and further understand the nature of stories. Furthermore, this project will be the foundation for my honors thesis, and I hope that itwill help me be a more qualified candidate for graduate school.
Background and Significance and Literature Review:
My creative work will consist of two things. First, a collection of personal narratives that the people I come across in Dharamsala may share with me, and second, a personal account of my own experience. In order to put this in an academic context, I will demonstrate two things—why we need to tell stories, and second, that stories are inherently fragile and need to be understood within that limited context.
In order to understand why we need to tell stories, we have to understand that telling stories is a part of the human condition. There are plenty of examples of this. Hamlet’s dying wish to Horatio was not “please feed my cat when I am gone” or “don’t let Fortinbras take over the kingdom,” it was “if thou didst ever hold my in thy heart…tell my story” (Shakespeare 145). But why is telling Hamlet’s story so important to him? Margaret Atwood, a prominent Canadian writer, says that the reason why we need to tell stories is because “language is one of the most primary facts of our existence.” It is what sets us apart from animals. She also says that “we know that people learn and assimilate information much more through stories than they do through charts and graphs,” and it is how we find meaning in life (Atwood). Many others have picked up on this, including Christophor Booker, the author of Seven Basic Plots, who argues that no matter where you go, all stories comprise of seven basic plots—overcoming the monster, rags to rights, the quest, voyage and return, comedy, tragedy, and rebirth. It is an inherent part of us to tell these kinds of stories.
If we look at another influential person more appropriate for the location I want to study, His Holiness the Dalai Lama is a great teacher about the importance of stories. The Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of the exiled Tibetan government. In his autobiography we get a glimpse of his immense love for stories as a child and his vivid imagination (Dalai Lama 28). In another one of his books, The Art of Happiness, he says that through meditations, stories, and the meeting of Buddhism and psychology, we can learn to defeat day-to-day depression, anxiety, anger, jealousy, or just an ordinary bad mood.
Emily Bell, a former field study student who constructed a creative writing project in Dharamsala in the spring/summer of 2010, had several insights that strengthened the argument that the Dalai Lama not only holds a special place for stories, but also encourages his people to tell them. Storytelling is one of the oldest and most universal forms of communication, a long standing tradition in humanity (Thomas), and it is definitely a prominent part of culture of Dharamsala. Emily was surprised by how "readily Tibetans will talk about their lives." She argues that it is from a sense of responsibility since the "Dalai Lama himself has encouraged all newcomers to share their experiences with the world" (Bell 3), something that was reiterated almost daily in her experience in Dharamsala. This gives me encouragement that I will be successful in finding people to share stories with me.
Not only does Emily’s experience and the Dalai Lama’s thoughts on stories make this a great location for my field study, but the unique diversity is also necessary for my project. In order to write my creative project, I need to have to interview a wide range of people from different backgrounds with varying motivations for being in Dharamsala. The goal of my project is to create a portrait of the diversity that exists in this community, and this is something very special and specific to this city that I could not necessarily find in other potential locations.
In addition to the human need to tell stories and the importance of this location to my project, storytelling is a method that has been acknowledged and encouraged more recently in qualitative research. In the book Method Meets Art, Patricia Leavy says that by doing arts-based research we can "bridge and not divide both the artistic-self and the researcher-self." There is a "profound relationship between the arts and sciences," and there are several viable reasons that more and more people are turning towards alternative methods (Leavy 2). Art-based research is more holistic—a new genre that "comprises new theoretical and epistemological groundings that are expanding the qualitative paradigm" (3). In many ways it can capture and represent what traditional research cannot, some of the most fundamental aspects of human experience. Additionally, there are "tremendous meaning-making and pedagogical capabilities" within this emerging genre. It is not merely used at the representation stage of research, but during all phases instead (4). This book also argues that this art based method looks more at how knowledge is a process, “a temporary state,” and that it is not linear. Rather, it is iterative, and meaning emerges through "labeling, identifying, and classifying emerging concepts and testing hypotheses; finding patterns; and generating theory." It helps us to look more at the process of meaning-making as well (9-10). It allows questions to be posed in different ways, promotes dialogue, raises new questions, and also reaches nonacademic audiences in a way that standard methodology cannot. Art-based research pays more attention to process, promotes dialogue, requires us to be more flexible, and it also crosses disciplines (18). Although this deviates from traditional research, it is certainly becoming a very useful tool that yields interesting and valuable results that are sometimes weeded out in the more traditional methods, and it is for these reasons that I want to use it.
The second part of this academic background that I need to establish is that although stories are an integral part of our human experience, they must be understood in their proper context as being limited interpretations of subjective truths. Whether these truths are more “truthful” than what really happened, we could find a copious amount of arguments stemming as far back as Aristotle’s Poetics, but truth is not what I am questioning here. I am more interested inauthenticity. This is not to discredit the value of stories, but it should get us thinking about the problems of representation within narratives. My personal narrative that I will write alongside the process of gathering stories will look specifically at this issue.
Clifford Geertz, an extremely influential anthropologist, has an interesting take on representation in his book The Interpretation of Cultures. He says that all “anthropological writings are themselves interpretations” and “second to third ones to boot” (Geertz 15). We cannot be native or express a native point of view because of our lack of context. This is critical to understand for ethnography, travel literature, and any document that attempts to translate a foreign experience outside of the original context. “Thick Description,” perhaps the most influential chapter in his book, says that the more layers you add to ethnography, the more holistic your findings will be represented. This also applies to memoirs and creative nonfiction in general.
Nine Lives, a book that looks at nine very different individuals living across India, retells their stories in nine separate narratives. This book was the first one that really helped me to see how diverse India is and what kinds of people make up the unique population. The author was able to utilize “thick description” in a creative and meaningful way, and it is a model I want to emulate through my own creative writing project. Of course, we can never reach a perfectly authentic work, but I think that adding these different layers certainly increases the level authenticity.
Writing, however, is by no means the only limited medium of expression, and since photography will also be a part of my personal narrative, it is important to establish the academic significance of this form of documentation. Diana L Eck in her book Darsan says that although the photography has “sometimes been claimed that the photograph is a kind of universal 'language,'” we should question that claim. “Every photograph and film raises the question of point-of-view and perspective—both that of the maker and that of the viewer." It also questions “meaning" and "obstruction," and that we have to understand the context to really know what is being represented. A picture may "be worth a thousand words, but still we need to know which thousand words" (Eck 16). Walter Benjamin, postmodern author of Illuminations, also claims that because a photograph is a problematic medium in and of itself simply because there is no original to refer to. He states that “the presence of the original is the prerequisite to the concept of authenticity” and that the translation has no regard or relation to the original, thus having no relationship to it (Benjamin 220).
From these accounts, we can see that not only is writing a limiting way in which we try to mediate our experiences, but that all other mediums, including photography, have the same short comings that must be properly understood. We have discussed why stories are so important to humanity, but without proper perspective we run into serious danger. My creative project will work to help people better understand the need to be skeptical of stories in general, while at the same time sharing some of those stories that make up a portrait of Dharamsala.
Methodology and Procedures:
I will be addressing three things in this section. First, how I will gain access to the community and recruit my population, second, the conventional methods I plan to utilize, and third, a methodological approach to this project that my faculty mentor and I developed for my field study in Ghana last year.
First, I would like to look at my plans for access, recruitment, and the population I am looking at specifically. From my previous field study experience, I have learned that gaining entry in a community is not easy. It is not something you can guarantee or schedule out, but there are certainly things I can do to get out and try. Each day I will be going out into the community and exploring, ensuring that I am not spending too much time staying at home in a sphere of familiarity. Going out each day and walking around town will hopefully put me in the path of potential informants and also strengthen my observation skills. I will do all of my coursework in local hang outs and always try to have conversations with the people I encounter in Dharamsala. Some of these locations will likely be around the temple, at local restaurants, participating in Hindi lessons, attending religious ceremonies, shopping at the market, etc. I will recruit through convenience sampling.
After getting out into the community and identifying a few potential informants, I will then formally explain to them what it is I am doing in Dharamsala and my desire to collect personal stories from the people who make up this unique location. In order to determine if this individual will be a good potential informant, I will ease into some of my informal interview questions and see if they are willing and able to share their stories without reservation or placing an unnecessary burden on them and their daily responsibilities. I will try to establish sufficient rapport with each key informant so that I will be able to evaluate whether I would be requiring too much time from them to participate in my project.
As far as population, there is a large pool that I want to tap into. Like the book Nine Lives I previously mentioned, I want my creative writing project to paint a portrait of the diversity found in Dharamsala by representing all kinds of different people who live and pass through there. Because of this aim, my subjects will be both male and female and anyone over the age of eighteen. This will include people like the backpackers passing through, monks and nuns, my host family, Tibetans—both those who were born in Dharamsala and those who immigrated there, and also the local Indian population.This is quite a varying population, but variety is exactly what I need in order to create this portrait of the diversity in Dharamsala. Irecognize the importance of reciprocity, especially since I will not giving monetary compensation, but within my project I also realize that giving proper reciprocity will vary quite drastically, say,between a local monk and a European backpacker. I am also aware that these individuals are freely giving me their timeand that I need to do something in return to show my appreciation. I will be very conscious of their generous contribution to my project. In the field I will determine different types of reciprocity that will cater to each of the unique populations I want to work with.
The second componentof this section I need to address are the conventional methods I plan to utilize for this project. For my methods, I plan on using informal interviews and participant observation. Some of my questions will be asking them what they are doing in Dharamsala, what growing up was like, a favorite childhood story, or a description of a typical day in Dharamsala. A sample of some of these interview questions can be found in the Appendix Cof this document. In order to find informants, I will make sure to go out every day and try to always meet new people.
Another important method I will be using will be participant observation of local activities and interactions in Dharamsala. I will always take a jotting notebook with me so that I can record the details I come across and also do creative writing exercises, such as character sketches. It is these small observations of detail that bring stories to life.
I will take also be doing daily field notes where I document the things I learned that day and flesh out some of my creative ideas. I will do this every night so that the information I learn can be recorded as accurately as possible while it is still fresh on my mind.
In additional to these traditional methods, the third point that needs to be addressed is a methodology of my own—my “avatar” approach. It is a method that my faculty mentor, Gideon Burton, and I created to challenge the authenticity of experience and conventional documentation. It is the method that I experimented with when I conducted my last field study in Ghana, Africa. In an effort to have a self-reflexive narrative, or a memoir that is conscious of the creation of that memoir, I will essentially look at different aspects of my personality and emphasize them on certain days in order to focus on what it is I am recording and juxtapose my experience against some of the other mediums and viewpoints I utilize. It is just one way to generate the material needed to see the limitations of experience, and it also adds additional layers to my experience, which Geertz would argue makes it a better representation.
There will be three main avatars of myself, or lenses that I try to see my experience with while I am in Dharamsala. These approaches will be first, a postmodern travel writing approach, second, a romantic, student anthropologist, and third, a photographer. Each day I go out I will try and use these perspectives to see and document my experience. Having these different accounts, I can then juxtapose them in order to offer a more complex representation of my experience and also show how subjective this experience really is.
In summary, through convenience sampling I hope to access a very wide range of people for my creative project. I will using conventional methods, such as informal interview and participant observation, and also include my avatar method in order to further challenge the nature of experience and the authenticity of stories. As in all field work, there is a chance that I will encounter potential barriers—not gaining access, lacking key informants, losing documents, having a case of writers block, etc. I hope, however, that by including several different methods I will be able to combat these concerns to the best of my ability and rely on other aspects of my project to compensate for potential holes. All of these points combined will help me to fulfill my project purpose, which is to look at the importance of stories while at the same time recognizing them within their proper context and scope.
Analysis and Final Product:
In order to collect data, I will use narrative inquiry, or a study through stories whether the stories are written down or not. Narrative inquiry looks at how experience and story can work together in qualitative research.
I will begin the drafting process in the field as well as some preliminary revisions. I will continue these revisions until four months after I return from the field. My drafts will be polished with the help of faculty and peer workshops. Upon returning, I will also code my notes in order to pull out interesting insights and connect themes in order to make sense of the experience. Coding will consist of looking for similar themes, identifying key passages to further explore, and insights about my avatar methodology that I want to make sense of. I will maintain a detailed time log while I am in the field to ensure that I am pacing myself appropriately and staying on track with my writing goals.
My final product will consist of a collection of essays drawing from my own experience and also from the people I come across in Dharamsala. I will also keep an academic blog that documents my learning experience.
Ethics and Approval:
Ethics is something I will constantly keep in mind while conducting my study. Because I intend to share the information and personal histories of the people I meet, I will need to change the names and any identifying information. I plan on documenting a lot of my learning process on an online blog as well, and I will need to be careful about what I post and, again,eliminate identifying information and sift through all of my material to ensure I am not posting anything sensitive without permission. If needed, I will obtain informed consent to be as ethical as possible during my stay in Dharamsala. I have a consent document prepared if the IRB thinks it is necessary. Otherwise, I will obtain verbal permission.
Also, in order to maintain confidentiality of data, I plan to keep all raw materials, notebooks, writings, digital negatives, etc., in a briefcase with a secure lock. I will keep my memory cards to my camera in there as well. The door of my bedroom will be locked at all times when I am not there, and I will never tell anyone where I store my information. No one will have access to the raw data other than me and my field mentor. I have no intention of destroying my material upon returning, but the data will be stored under the protection of a secure, locked box upon returning. I will be the only one with a key, and will only access it for further research.
In order to minimize risk and maximize the benefits of my study, I will make sure that I am up front with what I am doing with the people I meet. I will always ask them if they are okay if I share their stories, and I will not press them on sensitive topics. It is my job to let them know that they are participating voluntarily, and that they can stop at any time. Other than some potentially sensitive subjects, I think that the risks are fairly minimal as long as I am careful and respectful about what I am representing. I will facilitate sustainability, practice appropriate reciprocity, and be mindful of the people who are helping me with this experience.
In order to keep my ethics in check, I will receive approval from the IRB (Institutional Review Board) to ensure that there are more benefits than risks to my presence in Dharamsala. Since I am planning to have a creative project as my outcome, I am planning to be consideredexempt from being a “research” project, but I will still need to be extremely mindful of ethics.
As previously mentioned, I understand the importance of appropriate reciprocity. My informants are giving me their time and expertise without any monetary compensation, and I will need to show my appreciation for their generous contribution to my project in some way specific to them, which could seriously differ from one informant to the next. Unfortunately, I will not know until getting into the field specifically what would be the best form of reciprocity for each person in my large population sampling. However, I am mindful of the importance of reciprocity and will be constant in trying to determine the most appropriate way to show my gratitude.
While there are no direct benefits to the participants, I am hopeful that I will be helping them fulfill one of their goals that the Dalai Lama has encouraged them to do, which is to tell their stories to the world. The information I gather will also contribute to an academic body of knowledge about the subjective nature of storytelling. My personal narrative in particular will add to the academic discussion about the ethics of representation in travel documentation.
Preliminary Plans for Post-field Application:
My goal is to have a creative writing project by the end of my study to submit to publishers, including the BYU Inquiry Journal. The post-field writing and revising will take place over the first four months that I am home from India. I would also like to present at the 2012 Inquiry Conference at BYU. If I am able to gather enough pictures, I would also like to have the option of having an exhibit of my photography. This study will help me gain more writing experience and make me more eligible for graduate school. I will be using this experience, as well as what I learned in Ghana, as material for writing my honors thesis.
Qualifications:
As an undergraduate student, my qualifications are limited. However, I have already completed a successful field study on a similar topic in Ghana, Africa during the spring/summer of 2010. I have also taken the field study prep class (IAS 360R) in order to prepare me for this new project and have taken several classes that have trained me for this project. The preparation course has taught me a number of things, including how to ask descriptive questions, the importance of proper reciprocity, how to gain access to a community, the role of ethics, how to recognize and handle culture shock, etc.
For my anthropology minor, I have taken Language Culture and Society (ANTHR 309), which trained me about some of the errors of translation and how to be culturally sensitive, as well as Contemporary Theory in Anthropology (ANTHR 206), a class that was more philosophical in some of these pressing questions about representation, the nature of humanity, and role of social construction in society. Most applicable is my Peoples of India course (ANTHR 335) that I am currently enrolled in, which has helped me to understand before I get there what some of the basic cultural practices and beliefs are in India.
As an English major, I have taken all of my foundational English classes which have given me the skills of a good writer. I have also taken Travel Writing (ENGL 306), which looked at some of the styles and ethics of travel documentation, as well as Creative Writing (ENGL 218R), which helped me to craft my own creative writing style. In addition, I have had extensive writing practice through maintaining an academic blog of my experience in Ghana, as well as through daily writing in general.
I am also a professional photographer, and with more than five years of practice I know how to explore all of the features of my camera in order to create the best image possible. My experience in Ghana last year also helped me to see some of the ethics that come with photography, such as some of the problems of representation, appropriate reciprocity, authenticity, etc., and I will be sure to apply these lessons to my photographing experience in Dharamsala.
Qualifications of Primary Faculty Mentor:
Because my qualifications are limited, I have a great faculty mentor, Gideon Burton from the English department, who was also my mentor for my field work last summer in Ghana. He will be guiding me through this project. He is a Professor of English who specializes in the history of rhetoric and new media. He maintains several academic blogs and websites, including Silvia Rhetoricae: The Forest of Rhetoric and The Mormon Literature Database, and is interested in incorporating new media into our understanding of literature. Professor Burton graduated from Brigham Young University in 1989 and went on to receive his Master of Professional Writing (MPW) degree from the University of Southern California in 1955. He later received his Ph.D. in Rhetoric, Linguistics, and Literature in 1994 from the University of Southern California. Professor Burton’s qualifications will compensate for my lack of experience. Completing a field study to India himself, he has gone on to oversee many other students doing field study projects. His interest in incorporating other mediums into literary studies suits my project where other mediums, such as photography, will be used in conjunction with a narrative to question the authenticity and nature of experience. His interest in India and travel writing will also be well suited to my project.
Justification of In-field Coursework and Faculty:
While in the field I will take a total of ten credit hours. One credit is required for all students doing field studies, but the other nine are classes I have had to select that would most benefit my project while also preparing me for graduation.
I plan on taking Digital Civilization (ENGL 326) with my mentor, Gideon Burton, who will oversee my research blog. This class will help me develop my academic blogging skills, practice professional networking, and explore some of the social media tools available in this emerging digital culture.This class will be where I can flesh out my avatar methodology and represent it in a nontraditional medium. A blog will allow me to juxtapose my different viewpoints and represent them in a very efficient way.My final paper for this course will be my honors thesis.
I will also be working with Aaron Eastley from the English department on a directed readings course forSoutheast AsiaLiterature (ENGL358R). I completed a directed readings course with Professor Eastley during my Ghana field study, and from that experience I have learned how important it is to read literature relevant to the culture I will be living in. This course will give me unique background and enhance the understanding of my experience in Dharamsala.
For my third class, I will be taking Creative Nonfiction (ENGL 317R) from John Bennion, another professor in the English department who specializes in creative writing, specifically about nature and travel. This course will provide me with models I can follow when constructing my own creative essays, as well the narratives I collect in Dharamsala, which will make up my final product. This class will allow me to write extensive field notes, draft, revise, and explore the genre of creative nonfiction. Professor Bennion is well qualified to help me throughout the creative writing process and give me quality feedback.
Limitations:
Like all field study experiences, there will be unpredicted circumstances and bumps that come along that require flexibility in my project. The three major limitations I am concerned with are not gaining access to the community in order to gather stories, having problems with my camera, and not being satisfied with my own writing in the field.
My project is limited because of time restraints and potential problems with access in the community. Finding key informants could be daunting task, especially considering my varying population, and because I am not working with a specific organization to help gain access. However, if I cannot find members of the community who can help me with my project, I can fall back on my own experience and write a strictly personal narrative.
Another potential problem could be my camera, which could easily be stolen or break in the field. If something were to happen to my camera that would be problematic to the visual component of my project, I am also a painter and would be able to use this skill as an alternative artist representation of my experience.
Another probable limitation is the possibility of writers block. I recognize that three months is a very short amount of time to gather sufficient material for the project I am striving to create. My project in Ghana taught me that it is hard to process and write aesthetically in the field when you are in the middle of experiencing it. While this project is putting more emphasis on the writing component of my project, there is a chance that I will not be able to write anything that would satisfy my goals. In order to combat this concern, I am enrolled inNovel Writing (HONRS 301R) in the fallsemester of 2011 that will help me to work through my Dharamsala experience and present it in an interesting way. I am also enrolled in Writing the Honors Thesis (HONRS 300R), an advanced writing course that will also help me to polish my writings and fit it into an academic context.
No matter what problems that could potentially arise, my project is focusing on the interpretation of my experience and the narrative I write about it, so any unforeseen problem will not void out my ability to conduct this creative writing project, though it has the potential to look different than what I am currently envisioning. I do not know what stories I will find yet, but no matter what experience I have I will have some kind of a story to tell.
Schedule:
From January to April 2011 I am enrolled in a field study preparation class where I am crafting my project, developing my proposal, and getting necessary approval. My IRB proposal is due March 9th, and my final project proposal is due April 13th of 2011. I will be in the field for approximately 90 days. Each night I will do extensive field notes, and twice I week I will post on my academic blog. Other than these weekly goals, here is what I plan on doing within this time frame.
· Week 1: Explore the community, map out potential places to interact with others and practice participant observation. Meet host family.
· Week 2: Explore the community, map out potential places to interact with others and practice participant observation
· Week 3: 1 Informal interview and participant observation, preliminary draft of first essay
· Week 4: 1 Informal interview and participant observation,
· Week 5: 1 Informal interview and participant observation
· Week 6: 1 Informal interview and participant observation, preliminary draft of second essay
· Week 7: Mid semester retreat
· Week 8: 1 Informal interview and participant observation
· Week 9: 1 Informal interview and participant observation, preliminary draft of third essay
· Week 10: 1 Informal interview and participant observation
· Week 11: 1 Informal interview and participant observation
· Week 12: 1 Informal interview and participant observation, preliminary draft of fourth essay
· Week 13: Prepare to leave, say goodbyes, ensure all reciprocity has been seen to, and tie up all lose ends
I will return from the field August 23, 2011. Most of my coursework, such as my preliminary drafts, field notes, reading journals, etc. will be due by the beginning of October. I will write my honors thesis in an advanced writing class, Writing the Honors Thesis (HONRS 300R), and I will polish my creative project in Writing a Novel (HONRS 301R). The coursework for these classes will be due by December 15th, 2011. I will then present at the BYU Inquiry conference in March, 2012.
Budget:
Since I am going as a field facilitator, some of my costs will be covered through the field studies program, such as airfare, in country transportation, the mid semester retreat, and communication for the program. There are still several expenses I am responsible for though. My BYU academic scholarship will cover my tuition, and I will be applying for the Kennedy Center Scholarship offered to students going abroad. I am also tryingto receive $1,000 from the Honors Program as part of my honors thesis budget. However, I will not need outside funding in order to finance my study.
o Airfare ($1,400, covered by program)
o BYU tuition (ten credit hours/semester, covered by scholarship)
o HTH Travel Insurance ($120, already paid)
o Passport and Visa($200, already paid)
o Vaccinations (already received from Ghana field study last year)
o Living Expenses ($200 month)
o In-country Travel ($150–250)
o Application Fee ($25, already paid)
o Acceptance Fee ($100, already paid)
As far as budget goes, I do not have means to pay my informants. I will not give money compensation, which means I must be careful to ensure that my subjects are willing and able to volunteer so that I am not a burden to them. I will be mindful of their generous contribution and offer proper reciprocity, in ways other than money, which can hopefully show my gratitude.
Works Cited:
Bell, Emily. “Structure and Identity: A Personal Examination of Universal Narrative.” Final Field Study Paper.Brigham Young University. 2010.
Benjamin, Walter. Illuminations. New York: Schocken Books Inc., 1968. Print.
Booker, Christopher. Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories. New York: Continuum, 2006. Print.
Dalrymple, William. Nine Lives In Search of the Sacred in Modern India. New York: Borzoi Book, 2009. Print.
Eck, Diana L. Darśan: Seeing the Divine Image in India. New York: Columbia University Press, 1998. Print.
Geertz, Clifford. The Interpretation of Cultures. New York: Basic Books Inc., 1975. Print.
Gyatso, Tenzin. Freedom in Exile: The Autobiography of the Dalai Lama: New York: Harper Perennial, 1991. Print.
Lama, Dalai. The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living: New York: Riverhead Books, 1998. Print.
Leavy, Patricia. Method Meets Art: Arts-Based Research Practice: New York: The Guilford Press, 2009. Print.
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. New York: Batman Books, 1980. Print.
Thomas, Charlton. Thinking About Oral History Theories and Applications. New York: AltaMira, 2007. Print.
Why We Tell Stories. Big Think. Creative Commons, 21 Sept. 2010. Web. 8 Feb. 2011. http://bigthink.com/ideas/24259
Appendix C: Methodological Tools
Sample of potential informal interview questions:
· What are you doing in Dharamsala?
· What is it that you like/don’t like about Dharamsala?
· What were some of the events in your life that made you who you are today?
· What is your family like?
· What was the city you grew up in like?
· Can you give me an example of what an average day looks like for you?
· Do you have a favorite story?
· What do you think makes you different than the other people who are in Dharamsala?
· Where will you go from here?
· How do you want people to remember you?
Appendix D: Address and Title of Online Portfolio
“My Passage to India:” rachelspassagetoindia.blogspot.com
Appendix E: IRB Approval and Application
The IRB is currently processing my application. A copy of the approval letter will be submitted upon acceptance. A copy of the IRB application is available upon request.
