Ethnography is a research method that allows sociologists and other researchers to study cultures, groups, and societies by observing and participating in their everyday lives. Ethnography is both a research method and a style of writing, and it can be used to study everything from small groups to entire cultures.
Ethnography research method has its roots in anthropology, but it has been adopted by other disciplines as well. Ethnography is sometimes also referred to as fieldwork, because it involves spending time in the field, observing and interacting with people in their natural environment.
Ethnography is a valuable research method because it allows researchers to gain an in-depth understanding of a culture, group, or society. Ethnography can be used to study a wide range of topics, including social interaction, language, religion, education, health, work, and family.
Quantitative or Qualitative?
Mainly is used in qualitative research but as it is an observational type of study it can combine both qualitative and quantitative data. Qualitative data is data that is collected through observation and interaction, and it can be used to study things like people’s attitudes, beliefs, and behaviours. Quantitative data is data that is collected through surveys and other research methods, and it can be used to study things like demographics, economic trends, and social change.
When to Use Ethnography?
The ethnographic research method originated in the field of anthropology as we mentioned above and it often involves anthropologists living in an isolated community for an extended period to understand their culture.
Today, however, the research method is used in various social science fields, not just in anthropology. It is now also used to study specific communities within the researcher’s own society.
Pros and Cons of Ethnographic Research
- One of the key benefits of ethnography is that it provides researchers with a rich and detailed picture of the people they are studying. It can help identify and analyse unexpected issues.
- Another benefit of ethnography is that it is a flexible research method that can be adapted to different research goals. For example, ethnography can be used to study a group of people over time, or it can be used to study a single event or issue.
- Ethnography is a powerful research method, but it is also important to remember that it has its limitations. Ethnography is best used to study small groups or cultures, rather than large ones. In addition, ethnography can be time-consuming and expensive, and it can be difficult to find people who are willing to participate in research.
- Ethnographic research can run the risk of observer bias. As writing ethnographic research requires subjective interpretation, it can prove to be difficult to maintain distance when analysing a group that you are embedded in.
Different Approaches to Ethnographic Research
There are some key differences in ethnography that can inform the researcher’s approach.
- Open vs. Closed Setting
- Overt vs. Covert Ethnography
- Active vs. Passive Observation
Let’s discuss each in a little detail.
Open vs. Closed Settings
The environment where you will conduct your ethnography can be either open or closed. An open or public setting is one with no formal barriers to entry (for example, a community of people living in a certain neighbourhood. While a closed or private setting is harder to access (for example, a business, school or a cult)
Overt vs. Covert Ethnography
Most ethnography is overt. In an overt approach, the researcher openly states what their intentions are and acknowledges their role as a researcher to the group member they are studying. In some cases, ethnography can be covert, this means that the researcher keeps his research a secret from the participants and comes up with some other pretence for being there.
Active vs. Passive Observation
Different contexts require different levels of immersion. The researcher can be an active or passive participant but it depends on the research and the nature of the setting.
Being an active participant means the researcher will fully integrate, and carry out the task and activities like any other member of the community. A passive role is one in which the research takes the backseat and acts as more of a distant observer.
Writing an Ethnography
Before writing an ethnography one needs to gather information by gaining access to the community they are investigating, working with informants and observing the group and taking field notes to record these observations while immersed in the setting.
And when observations are concluded, the task of writing an ethnography begins. This includes going through the field notes and formulating a convincing account of the behaviours and dynamics observed.
The Structure of an Ethnography
An ethnography can be written as an article, a thesis or an entire book. Ethnographies don’t often have a standard structure of a scientific paper, though, like most academic texts, they should have an introduction and conclusion. For example, in this paper, the researcher begins by describing the historical background of the research, then focuses on several themes before concluding.
This doesn’t mean that ethnographies don’t follow the traditional structure, they do especially when used in combination with other research methods. For example, in this paper, the researcher used the standard structure of empirical research: introduction, methods, results, discussion and conclusion.
The Content of an Ethnography
An ethnography aims to provide a rich, authoritative account of the social setting in which the researcher was embedded in order to convince the reader that your observation represents reality.
