Analyzing

Sociocultural Systems

Ethnography

What is Ethnography??
"When used as a method, ethnography
typically refers to fieldwork
(alternatively, participant-observation)
conducted by a single investigator who
'lives with and lives like' those who are
studied, usually for a year or more."
--John Van Maanen, 1996.

 "Ethnography

literally means 'a

portrait of a people.' An
ethnography is a written
description of a particular culture the customs, beliefs, and behavior
- based on information collected
through fieldwork."
--Marvin Harris and Orna Johnson, 2000.

 "Ethnography

is the art and

science of describing a group or
culture. The description may be of
a small tribal group in an exotic
land or a classroom in middleclass suburbia."
--David M. Fetterman, 1998.

 Ethnography

is a social science
research method. It relies heavily
on up-close, personal experience
and possible participation, not just
observation.

Components of an Ethnography
Field

work
Field notes and observations
Cross cultural and theoretical
background
Literature search/research
Write up

Preparation for Ethnographic

Fieldwork
Research

Design

What is your question?

What is the previous scholarship?
Who are your contacts?
Language Preparation.
Historical Research.
Plan for going about getting the right
information.

Fieldwork

Participant-Observation:
Language proficiency
Long-term duration in field
Living (more or
less) with and as
the group you
are studying
rapport

Malinowski in the Trobriands, 1918.

ETHNOGRAPHIC FIELDWORK
METHODS

everyday contexts
observation and/or relatively informal conversations
data collection is "unstructured
The focus is usually a single setting or group, of relatively small
scale.
The analysis of the data involves interpretation of the meanings
and functions of human actions and mainly takes the form of
verbal descriptions and explanations.

As a set of methods, ethnography is not far removed from the

sort of approach that we all use in everyday life to make sense
of our surroundings.

Ethics in Anthropological Research

Full

Disclosure
Permission (in writing)
Sensitivity to information
Shared authorship when applicable
Protection of identity
Consultation with informants on analyses

Writing Ethnography: Writing

Culture

QUALITATIVE DESCRIPTION WHAT IS THE SETTING.a

narrative PICTURE of the situation.
Analysis

Overview of the bigger picture.

assembling the raw data organizing into patterns,
categories Looking for trends
Interpretation -- analyzing the MEANING of trends.
Using Theory to Make sense of data for EX.:
analyzing culture as a function of the mode of
production

Ethnographic Writing
Writing Culture pretending to be
objective reporting of facts, but is
NARRATIVIZED, with a particular logic
superimposed
Objective vs. Subjective voice
Authority vs. Authenticity

Constructing the
other

difference is
inscribed through
the use of the
ethnographic
present
Appadurais
time locked
native