Reflections on Fieldwork in Morocco

The concept of Otherness is a central theme of anthropology. Rabinow goes even further, stating multiple times that Otherness is the core concept on which all of anthropology hangs. Throughout Rabinow’s work, it becomes clear that although he has contemplated Otherness intellectually, he has had no real experience with it firsthand before moving to Morocco. Key moments in the text help Rabinow understand the true depth of the concept, beginning when Ali performs a spontaneous and, to Rabinow, mystifying healing routine on a baby in the Sefrou medina. Although he had been starting to feel at home in the frantic streets as a native New Yorker, this everyday ritual for which he completely lacks context is the first of many situations in which Rabinow is clearly the Other. Some are specific religious or cultural rituals, but most are basic social interactions.

As these scenes occur, Rabinow delves deeper into what this means for him as an anthropologist, and for the discipline in general. When viewing events like the Aissawa night, Rabinow is doing what could be seen as traditional anthropology. These rituals are relatively easy to interpret because Rabinow’s Otherness is clearly defined; he has no direct relationship to what is happening, but he has an academic knowledge of the ritual’s context and is able to see the power that the ritual holds for both participants and observers.