What is digital ethnography and how do anthropologists do research in virtual worlds?

Digital Anthropology and Technology

Reflection 22

For today’s assignment I would like you to consider the intersection of advanced technology and anthropology. Please watch the following TED Talk, We Are All Cyborgs Now (link here), and make sure that you have read the essay on digital anthropology and the lecture notes.

Answer the following questions in your assignment:

1) Describe the interconnection between anthropology portrayed in your course materials today. Use examples and think about how technology has implications for our subjects as anthropologists as well as the methods we use.

2) Why does the speaker suggest that we are all cyborgs?

3) What is digital ethnography and how do anthropologists do research in virtual worlds?

4) How might advanced technologies such as social robots help us answer the question “what does it mean to be human?”