introduction

As an emerging discipline, the core research method of regional and country studies is field investigation. The requirements emphasize that researchers need to master the language of the target country and live and study in the target country to gain a deeper understanding of its culture and society. Field investigation originated from anthropology, which requires researchers to immerse themselves in the studied group and analyze social and cultural phenomena through observation and question and answer recording. With the intersection of disciplines, field survey method has expanded to multiple disciplines and become a core method for regional and national studies. American scholar Benedict emphasized the importance of conducting systematic research on other countries or regions. Qian Chengdan and Ren Xiao also pointed out that regional and national studies need to attach importance to field research, and scholars must have solid field investigation abilities. The direct result of anthropological fieldwork is ethnography, which has accumulated rich methodologies and research achievements. Gao Bingzhong, Liu Qi, and others believe that anthropological fieldwork can serve as the core of the regional and national studies methodology system. However, regional studies and anthropology are not completely consistent in their disciplinary settings, and it is necessary to draw on the field investigation method of anthropology and adjust it according to the characteristics of the discipline, forming a "field investigation+" research method. This article will compare the field investigation methods of regional and anthropological studies, clarify the characteristics and processes of regional and anthropological field investigation methods, and look forward to their future.

1、 The Origin, Development, and Application of Field Research Methods

The field investigation research method originated from anthropological academic practice in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, shifting from literature research to field investigation. The Torres Strait Expedition Team at the University of Cambridge marks this shift, as scholars obtain first-hand information through short-term field investigations. The classic field investigation method was born during World War I, and Malinowski conducted a long-term investigation in the New Guinea region for more than two years, constructing a set of field investigation research methods. At the beginning, this law had a clear Western centric and scientific orientation, but after World War II, with the rise of colonial independence and social movements, the humanistic nature of fieldwork gradually emerged, and ethnography shifted from a scientific paradigm to a "deep description" paradigm. Field investigation has developed into a diverse methodological system, with research methods expanding from textual records to various techniques, emphasizing the establishment of reciprocal relationships with research subjects and the protection of the rights and interests of reporters. The field investigation method has moved from anthropology to broader humanities and social sciences research, becoming a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary intersection. For example, American political scientists, historians, and sociologists have used field research methods to complete their studies on China, while sociologist White used field research methods to analyze the living conditions of Italian American slums in the United States. Political science, history, philosophy, geography, and other disciplines are also widely using fieldwork methods. In the second half of the 20th century, the field investigation method continued to be systematized and diversified, promoting the development and innovation of numerous disciplines.

2、 The demand for field investigation method in regional and country studies

Emphasizing the need for field investigation methods in regional and national studies, it is pointed out that field investigation methods can provide local experience and first-hand information, which is beneficial for talent cultivation. The field investigation method has characteristics such as presence, integrality, comparability, and reflexivity, which helps to comprehensively and deeply understand the research object. This method system includes data collection methods such as observation, interviews, and questionnaires, as well as analysis techniques such as profiling, lineage mapping, and social network analysis. The field investigation method helps to build an independent knowledge system, reduce the deception of Western second-hand knowledge, and meet China's demand for breadth and depth of external world knowledge. Mastering the language of the target country and deeply cultivating the local society are the key to the success of regional and national studies. Western universities emphasize the core role of field research in regional and national studies, while China is increasingly valuing field research and incorporating it into the education system and academic research to cultivate talents with corresponding knowledge and abilities.

3、 The research method of "field investigation+" in regional and country studies

The anthropological fieldwork method has been extended to multiple disciplines, and regional and national studies can draw on its methods to obtain suitable fieldwork methods through comparison and adjustment. The characteristics of anthropological fieldwork include emphasizing the whole and details, having uncertainty, and respecting research ethics. The research scope of regional and country studies is more macro, requiring comprehensive, multi angle, and broad perspective research results, which is different from anthropology that focuses on individual and group life. The field investigation of regional and national studies should be more extensive, moderately adopting the characteristics, perspectives, and methods of anthropological field investigation, transcending ethnography, and forming a broader social science classic work.

4、 A Study of Regional and Country Studies from the Perspective of "Field Survey+"

This chapter discusses the application of "fieldwork+" research method in regional ethnology by comparing and analyzing the Political Systems of Myanmar Highlands by Edmund Leach, a British anthropologist, and the Art of Escaping from Rule by James Scott, an American political scientist. Both books focus on the political culture of Southeast Asia and use field research methods, but present the differences in field research between anthropology and regional ethnology. Myanmar focuses on the political structural changes of the Kachin people in the northeastern mountainous areas of Myanmar, proposing the "Gonsa"/"Gonglao" political system model, emphasizing the dynamic nature of social structure. And 'Escape' analyzes the history of anarchism in Southeast Asia's highlands, explores the social structure, survival strategies, and cultural identity of mountain residents, and proposes concepts such as' terrain resistance '. Litchi's research relies on field investigations, while Scott combines various methods such as historical documents, archival materials, and geographic information systems. The success of 'Escape' demonstrates that 'fieldwork+' does not necessarily have to reach the depth of anthropological fieldwork, but rather the integration of fieldwork methods with various other approaches. Regional studies should integrate multiple methods and not overly rely on field investigations. Litchi and Scott's research presents a field investigation method that meets the different needs of anthropology and regional ethnography, reflecting that regional ethnography field investigation method is a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary "field investigation+" research method with anthropological field investigation method as its core.

5、 Conclusion

The "field investigation+" method system of regional ethnology is based on anthropological field investigation method, combined with literature review, data analysis and other methods, to adapt to the research objectives and macro objects of regional ethnology. The field investigation method collects first-hand information through activities such as participation, observation, and interviews, and is suitable for regional and national studies. It needs to be adjusted according to the characteristics of the discipline. The field investigation method of regional and national studies emphasizes interdisciplinary research, moderately uses anthropological field investigation method, and combines it with other methods. The comprehensive use of "fieldwork+" will help to build an independent knowledge system of regional national studies and provide intellectual support for global initiatives and the "the Belt and Road" initiative.