Qualitative research experience and services

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
I was trained as an ethnographer and have conducted fieldwork in Cuba since 2004 in the cities of Havana, Matanzas, and Santiago. My academic research focused on a range of Afro-Cuban folkloric and popular musical practices, including rumba, timbason, and folklore oriental (eastern Cuban folklore), and the ways they are impacted by notions of race and place in contemporary Cuba. I spent 10 months on the island in 2006 and 2007, during which time I established relationships with dozens of musicians and groups, networked with local scholars and state cultural officials, and conducted archival research at various Cuban institutions. Since then, I have returned for several shorter research trips.

As a freelance qualitative researcher, I have consulted on several projects—including one for the Institute for Scientific Analysis in Alameda, CA—and offer a range of services, including design and implementation of online surveys and qualitative analysis.

RELEVANT SKILLS

  • Experience with a variety of qualitative research methods, including participant-observation, interviewing, documentation through field notes
  • Research design and implementation
  • Design and implementation of online surveys
  • Strong interpersonal skills within a cross-cultural context
  • Qualitative analysis of societal and cultural phenomena
  • Fluent in Spanish with ability to transcribe interviews from Spanish to English
  • Expertise operating a range of fieldwork technology, such as digital music recorder, video camera, digital camera
  • Extensive experience communicating research outcomes to diverse audiences

If you have a need for a qualitative researcher/ethnographer for a specific project, please contact me to learn more about my rates and availability.