If given the option to do fieldwork in Hobart or Milan, I’d definitely be more inclined to do fieldwork in Milan. Though I am sure I’d enjoy doing fieldwork in Hobart for a litany of reasons, primarily being it’s a great opportunity to learn about different people and cultures, I think I’d enjoy experiencing life in Milan because of the much bigger population. Milan has over a million people while Hobart has just over two hundred thousand people. I think I’d be introduced to more people and a bigger variety of cultures as a result of a larger population.
While I would rather do fieldwork in Milan as a result of a larger population, both of these cities are known for their unique architecture, design, and landscapes. Milan has several culturally significant establishments, such as the Gothic Duomo di Milano and the Santa Maria delle Grazie convent, which is home to Leonardo da Vinci’s mural, “The Last Supper”. Of course this wouldn’t have any relevance to the anthropology fieldwork, but I would definitely enjoy seeing what it’s like in Milan.
While Milan is known for the artistically historical architecture, Hobart is known for unique architecture and design as well. Hobart is known for the scenic views and the beautiful landscape, and also rests on the river Derwent, and has a well preserved colonial architecture.
While both Milan and Hobart are both aesthetically pleasing cities, it is irrelevant to the fieldwork. Both cities have their pros and cons to do fieldwork in. Milan has a much larger population, which gives you more opportunities to meet different types of people. However, a largely populated city is also hard to gain informants in because of the fast paced lifestyle. Hobart would be easier to gain informants in because it’s a more rural and less populated town. However, I’d want to do fieldwork in Milan more because of the large population and the various types of people you meet in a larger city.
Urbanization Blog 