Erasmus+ Lecture on Research Methods in Anthropology Held at ISEC NAS RA

October 1, 2026

On September 29, 2026, the International Scientific-Educational Center of NAS RA hosted an Erasmus + open lecture by Prof. Eugenio Zito of the University of Naples Federico II, Italy, as part of the Erasmus+ KA171 international mobility program. The audience included ISEC NAS RA staff and scientific staff of the Scientific and Technological Center of Organic and Pharmaceutical Chemistry of NAS RA>

The lecture, titled "Research Methods in Cultural/Social Anthropology and Medical Anthropology: From Basic Concepts to Advanced Contemporary Ethnographic Approaches," was delivered interactively in two modules.

Module I: Ethnography and fieldwork

Prof. Zito introduced cultural and social anthropology as a foundation for qualitative research and explained what it means to do ethnography, from Polish anthropologist and ethnologist Bronislaw Malinowski's pioneering fieldwork to contemporary practice. He covered participant observation, interviews, field notes, reflexivity and research ethics, as well as new research fields such as digital environments and multi-sited ethnography.

Module II: Medical anthropology

The second module focused on medical anthropology and its methodological specificities. Prof. Zito presented the body as a socio-cultural and historical product, discussed the distinction between disease, illness and sickness, and showed how an anthropological approach can help humanize biomedicine. He stressed the role of participant observation in understanding healthcare settings.

The lecture concluded with an overview of the phases of anthropological research, followed by an active discussion of methodological issues in qualitative and quantitative research.

 

ISEC NAS RA thanks Prof. Zito for an informative and engaging lecture, and looks forward to continued academic exchange under the Erasmus+ program.

 

ISEC NAS RA Public Relations and Career Department