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Ethnographic Design. Randy Huberman Ariel Johnsey Steve McGuire. What is Ethnographic Research?. Qualitative research method Used to describe, analyze, and interpret culture Significant time needs to be spent “in the field”. How Did E thnographic R esearch D evelop?.
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EthnographicDesign Randy Huberman Ariel Johnsey Steve McGuire
What is Ethnographic Research? • Qualitative research method • Used to describe, analyze, and interpret culture • Significant time needs to be spent “in the field”
How Did Ethnographic Research Develop? • Began in the late 19th and early 20th centuries • Solidifies in the 1950s • The “watershed” event was the publication of Writing Culture, by Clifford & Marcus in 1986
Realist Ethnography • An objective account of a situation gained through observation • Usually narrated in 3rd person • Should contain no bias, political goals, or judgment • Participants views are presented in direct quotations
Case Studies • Studies individuals or groups involved in a process • If the case is unusual it is an intrinsic case • If the case illustrates an issue it is an instrumental case • Collective case studies encompass multiple cases
Critical Ethnographies • Studies of social issues such as power, inequality, dominance, repression, and victimization • Studies are done with the interest of improving the situation • Not an objective method. The researcher is “in the text” • Often messy and multilevel
What are Ethnographers Looking For? • Shared Patterns – common social interaction that stabilizes the rules and expectations of the group • Behaviors • Beliefs • Language
Fieldwork – Types of Data • Emic Data – Information provided by participants • First order concepts • Etic Data – Information representing the researcher’s interpretation • Second order concepts • Negotiation Data – Information that the researcher and the participants agree to use
When should ethnographic research be used? • Ethnographic research is when the researcher wants to learn more about a specific person or group of people • Results are qualitative
Who uses ethnographies? • Ethnographic research is common among social and cultural anthropologists. • Researchers hope to gain a better understanding of different divisions of cultures
What are issues with ethnographies? • Ethics • Do not “out” any specific people • Your sample • Is your sample an accurate representation of a population? • Data analysis • How do you organize your data – dealing with people’s stories
Examples of ethnographic studies • Research on the smokers community – Bumming cigarettes • Research on education – Studying abroad • Research on gender and sexuality – GLBT community
Participant Observations • Take part in the culture you are studying
Interviews • Getting to know your sample • Asking questions • Allowing your subject to feel safe
Reporting results • How do you inform others of what you researched? • How well was your question defined?