Ethnography

Definition and Purpose

Definition A qualitative approach that studies the cultural patterns and perspectives of participants in their natural settings

Objectives 1.1 & 1.2

Definition and Purpose

Purpose To describe, analyze, and interpret the culture of a group over time to understand the groups shared beliefs, behaviors, and language

Definition and Purpose

Ethnographic research Culture is the set of shared attitudes, values, concepts, beliefs, and practices that can be attributed to the members of the group being studied

Objective 1.3

Definition and Purpose

Three broad areas to help focus on tangible cultural behaviors Cultural orientation where the people are situated Cultural know-how how a group goes about daily activities Cultural beliefs why a group does what it does

The Process
Permission to study the group is obtained The researcher observes the group
Privileged observer just observes Participant observer functions as part of the group

The Process
Researcher watches and listens attentively and records as much detail as possible (this is called naturalistic observation). Large amounts of notes are typically generated. This process may last a week or two or could be years.

The Process
The researcher analyzes the notes, identifies themes, looks for answers to research questions, and makes logical inferences.

The Process
The final step is to write the research paper describing the process, observations, findings, and conclusion. Often rich descriptions are provided so the readers can make their own interpretations.

Types of Ethnographies
Macro ethnography

Micro ethnography

Types of Ethnographies
confessional ethnograhphy life history Autoethnography feminist ethnography ethnographic novels visual ethnography found in photography, video and electronic media

Types of Ethnographies
3 common types 1 The realist ethnography ( Culture )
is a traditional approach is an objective account of the situation (personal bias, political goals and judgment) written in the third person point of view reporting objectively on what is observed or heard from participants at a site
Objectives 3.1 & 3.2

Types of Ethnographies
provide mundane details of every day life among the people studied uses standard categories for cultural description (e.g., family life, communication networks, worklife, social networks, status systems). The ethnographer produces the participants' views through closely edited quotations and has the final word on how the culture is to be interpreted and presented Example - studies the culture of schools

Types of Ethnographies
2 The case study ethnography
the focus is on describing a specific case (person, event, activity or process) descriptions of the activities undertaken by the group and the shared patterns of behavior that develop over time

Objectives 3.1 & 3.2

Types of Ethnographies
3 The critical ethnography
is a today approach is in response to current society in which the systems of power, prestige, privilege, and authority serve to marginalize individuals who are from different classes, races and ganders highly politicized

Types of Ethnographies
The critical ethnographers typically are politically minded individuals through their research to speak out against inequality and domination inequality, inequity, dominance, repression, hegemony, and victimization Example - studies schools that provide privileges to certain types of students

Types of Ethnographies
Ethnology (the comparative study of cultural groups) Ethnohistory (the study of the cultural past of a group of people)

Characteristics of Ethnographic Research

Conducted in a natural context (data are collected in a naturalistic way) Involves intimate face-to-face interactions with participants Holistic approach (work almost exclusively on people, their language, perspectives, interactions, lifestyles,behaviors and their ways of thinking) Native perspectives (the researchers gradually understand the framework in which the natives think and feel and try to describe and interpret the culture within that framework)

Characteristics of Ethnographic Research

Uses the concept of culture as a lens through which the results are interpreted Investigates a small number of cases in detail Data is collected primarily through fieldwork experiences (one cannot make sense of the data unless one understand the cultural context in which the data exist) Uses multiple data sources including both quantitative and qualitative

Characteristics of Ethnographic Research

Uses data analyses and offers interpretations of peoples actions and behaviors through the investigation of what they actually do and the reasons for doing it within the context or group setting Bound by what can be handled within a certain time, under certain specific circumstances and from a particular perspective

Ethnographic Data Collection

Two major techniques
Interviewing Participant observation - Field notes

Triangulation
Collecting data using many sources rather than a single one Multiple sources
Interviews Observations Artifacts

Ethnographic Data Collection and Analysis

Triangulation (continued)
Multiple informants Consistency across sources and informants creates a stronger understanding of what is truly going on

Participant observation
The researcher is immersed in the research setting in order to get close to those studied as a way of understanding what their experiences and Objectives 5.1 & 5.2 activities mean to them

Ethnographic Data Collection and Analysis

Participant observation (continued)
Two purposes
To observe the activities, people, and physical aspects of a situation To engage in activities that provide useful information in a given situation

Three varying degrees of participation

Active participant observer active engagement Privileged active observer engaged in a more active, privileged manner such as teaching a lesson Passive observer little, if any, engagement
Objectives 5.3 & 5.4

Ethnographic Data Collection and Analysis

Participant observation (continued)
Recommended social behaviors
Negotiating entrance into the setting requires the researcher to be able to clearly describe the purpose, plan, and constraints likely associated with the research Reciprocity requires the researcher to move between formal and informal ways of interacting with participants
Objective 5.5

Ethnographic Data Collection and Analysis

Recommended social behaviors (continued)
The researcher must have a tolerance for ambiguity The researcher must have personal determination coupled with a faith in oneself

Objective 5.5

Ethnographic Data Collection and Analysis

Field notes
A record of the researchers understanding of the lives, people, and events that are the focus of the research The link between field notes and the research
What is observed is ultimately treated as data When writing field notes researchers should give particular attention to the indigenous meanings and concerns of the people studied
Objective 5.6

Ethnographic Data Collection and Analysis

The link between field notes and the research (continued)

Field notes provide essential grounding for writing broader, more coherent accounts of others lives and concerns Field notes detail the social and interactional processes that make up peoples everyday lives and activities
Objective 5.6

Ethnographic Data Collection and Analysis

Recommendations for observing and recording field notes
Make mental notes and record them as soon as possible after observing Jot down key information
Capture key words and phrases without a lot of explanation Use a mnemonic device to help reconstruct the observed events
Objective 5.7

Ethnographic Data Collection and Analysis

Recommendations (continued)
Dont worry about grammar or other rules Trace what you did during the day Avoid the temptation to recreate dialogue Describe as completely and accurately as you can all relevant aspects of the observation

Objective 5.7

Ethnographic Data Collection and Analysis

Recommendations (continued)
Record your personal reactions (i.e., reflective field notes) Observe and record everything you possibly can

Objective 5.7