Researching parliaments: ethnography

1. Researching parliaments: ethnography Emma Crewe, June 2015

2. What is ethnography? Methodological and theoretical approach to studying social worlds as well as the written product, usually a book, that contains findings

3. Observation • Chamber & Select Committees • APPGs & other meetings • Media (press, radio, TV, web, twitter) • Seven constituencies: surgeries & meetings Methods – how did I study them? • Interaction • Formal interviews with: 121 peers, 44 MPs, 24 former MPs (18 of these were peers) and 100 staff, civil servants, or journalists • Informal conversations/gossip • Participation in policy forums • Advising Commons’ officials on research • Submitted evidence to committees • Case Studies • House of Lords Bill 1999 • Children’s and Families Bill 2014 • Selection of an candidate • Eastleigh by-election • Lit review, analysis & outputs • Review of biographies & literature • Report for parliament • Journal articles • Two books (two long, one short) • Radio programmes and talks

4. What is distinctive about ethnography? • Theory and methods are entangled: different methods for different research questions • Reflexivity is essential for rigour: how is the researcher influencing the research? • Attention to patterns: what are the similarities, differences, changes, gaps, and contradictions

5. Theory and method entangled: Why are MPs more rebellious?

6. Reflexivity – why can’t I ignore feminism? The Daily Mail’s Downing St catwalk

7. Patterns – what is below law-making? Clause 11 • Welfare of the child: parental involvement • (1) Section 1 of the Children Act 1989 (welfare of the child) is amended as follows: • (2) After subsection (2) insert - • "(2A) A court, in the circumstances mentioned in subsection (4)(a) or (7), is as respects each parent within subsection (6)(a) to presume, unless the contrary is shown, that involvement of that parent in the life of the child concerned will further the child's welfare." • (2B) In subsection (2A) “involvement” means involvement of some kind, either direct or indirect, but not any particular division of a child’s time.” • (3) After subsection (5) insert: • "(6) In subsection (2A) "parent" means parent of the child concerned; and, for the purposes of that subsection, a parent of the child concerned - • (a) is within this paragraph if that parent can be involved in the child's life in a way that does not put the child at risk of suffering harm; and • (b) is to be treated as being within paragraph (a) unless there is some evidence before the court in the particular proceedings to suggest that involvement of that parent in the child's life would put the child at risk of suffering harm whatever the form of the involvement. • The circumstances referred to are that the court is considering whether to make an order under section 4(1)(c) or (2A) or 4ZA(1)(c) or (5) (parental responsibility of parent other than mother)."

8. 5 tips for doing a good ethnography • Work out how to establish trust as quickly as possible • Continually notice & challenge your own assumptions • Hone your skill as asking questions, listening & watching • Take account of multiple views and how Parliament is changing • Test out your interpretations on as many as possible