Definition taken from the glossary of terms written by simon coleman and bob simpson traditionally, ethnographies have focused in depth on a bounded and definable. Pdf on mar 9, 2012, loshini naidoo and others published ethnography. Ethnographic research definition pdf free download as pdf file. The previous articles there were 2 before this 1 in this series discussed several methodological approaches commonly used by qualitative researchers in the health professions. Ethnography definition of ethnography ethnography is a method of research in which the researcher gathers data within a natural setting that involves a dynamic network of interrelated variables. The word ethnography comes from greek words ethnos meaning people and graphein meaning writing. Ethno refers to a human culture, while graphy signifies a written text. It is a combination of two words ethnos and grapho meaning people and to write respectively. Ethnography sprang from social anthropology and first focused on small communities that shared culturally specific beliefs and practices. How to conduct ethnographic research abstract the purpose of this paper is to describe the process of conducting ethnographic research. As well as presupposing certain methods of data collection, ethnography is.
Ethnographic research definition pdf ethnography qualitative. Information and translations of ethnography in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. Collectively qualitative research is a group of methodologies, with each approach offering a different lens though which to explore, understand, interpret or explain phenomena in real word contexts and settings. Ethnography definition of ethnography by medical dictionary. Ethnography definition is the study and systematic recording of human cultures. Ethnography routinely builds in triangulation of method because it involves the use of multiple methods of data collection.
This research method was developed during the enlightenment in protest to positivism or the view that the world including human society can be described in terms of generalizable laws boellstorff et al. For example, ethnography can examine how health care is influenced by the culture of the patient and how ethnocentric beliefs on the part of health professionals may. Ethnography southern illinois university edwardsville. The word ethnography comes from these two greek words. Ethnography can be briefly defined as the systematic study of people and cultures. The stages of the research process are described including preparation, data gathering and recording, and analysis. One further complication is that there is an interpolation of method and methodology in ethnography.
Ethnography is often referred to as culture writing, and it refers to a type of documentation often employed by anthropologists in their field work. Ethnography is the recording and analysis of a culture or society, usually based on participantobservation and resulting in a written account of a people, place or institution. We will examine and critically assess both wacquants critique of the disjunction of ethnography from theory and the authors respective. Methodology definition and key characteristics are given.
Introduction ethnography, emerging from anthropology, and adopted by sociologists, is a qualitative methodology that lends itself to the study of. This article focuses on another important qualitative methodology. A student of ethnography might live in moscow to gather information about russian marriage practices. This article will provide an overview of one of the many qualitative approaches, ethnography, and its relevance to healthcare. It most cases, it just isnt possible to spend months or even weeks in the field gathering data, and a similar. Research that uses ethnographic methods has long been used in anthropology by scientists that want to understand. An introduction to definition and method loshini naidoo university of western sydney, sydney, nsw australia 1. Ethnography, emerging from anthropology, and adopted by sociologists, is a qualitative methodology that lends itself to the study of the beliefs, social interactions, and behaviours of small. Anthropology, i maintain, is a generous, openended, comparative, and yet critical inquiry into the conditions and possibilities of hu. Ethnography is a research method central to knowing the world from the standpoint of its social relations. Ethnography definition and meaning collins english.
Ethnography is a qualitative research method where researchers. Ethnography is often referred to as culture writing, and it refers to a type of documentation. The term, ethnography represents a dual meaning in anthropology a process fieldwork or participant observation and as a product ethnographic writings. Ethnography is defined as both a social science research method and its final written product. The ethnography of communication ec is an approach to language and social interaction.
Jim thomas, doing critical ethnography1993 we should not choose between critical theory and ethnography. Before we jump on to learning how to write an ethnography, it would be wise to get an understanding of the concept of ethnography. Ethnographic research includes studies of patterns of behavior, known as culture traits, and the relationships. Critical ethnography theory and method critical ethnography is conventional ethnography with a political purpose. Ethnography, a primary method used in the discipline of anthropology, is a systematic approach to understanding the beliefs, rituals, patterns, and institutions that define a culture. An introduction to definition and method find, read and cite all the research you. Different versions of ethnographic research ethnography exists in many forms and ethnographers continuously debate about what counts as ethnography, and how to represent the.
Thus, ethnography may be defined as both a qualitative research process or method one conducts an ethnography and product the outcome of this process is an ethnography whose aim is cultural interpretation. Ethnography definition of ethnography by the free dictionary. We will use an exemplar based on a study that used. No attempt is made to control variables within the setting for this could alter or. Ethnography definition in the cambridge english dictionary. A comprehensive study of a culture, an ethnography informs its reader through narrative immersion, often using sensory detail and storytelling techniques alongside objective description and traditional interview style. Ethnography definition of genre ethnography is a genre of writing common in the social sciences, especially anthropology. It is a qualitative research method predicated on the diversity of culture at home wherever that may be and abroad.
Ethnography is the study of social interaction and culture groups, whether these groups are defined. Ethnography is a qualitative research method which involves a detailed study of a particular cultural group. Ethnography definition of ethnography by merriamwebster. Ideally, you will choose a group that is new to you so you can approach. Ethnography, descriptive study of a particular human society or the process of making such a study. Instead, we see that researchers are cutting new paths to. Research in health care takes place in a variety of areas and has many potential benefits. From academia to intervention the researchers own role and that views humans as part objectpart subject. Triangulation in ethnography sage research methods. It is a means to represent graphically and in writing the culture of a group. Contemporary ethnography is based almost entirely on fieldwork and requires the complete immersion of the anthropologist in the culture and everyday life of the people who are the subject of his study. Instead, we see that researchers are cutting new paths to reinscribing critique in ethnography.
The branch of anthropology that deals with the description of specific human cultures, using methods such as close observation and interviews. Ec seeks to discover the cultural particularities and general principles of communication. This, of course, means being clear about the definition and purpose of the discipline of anthropology. That is why ethnography is also known as culture writing. Doing sensory ethnography 1 situating sensory ethnography.
It is designed to explore cultural phenomena where the researcher observes society from the point of view of the subject of the study. Ethnography, emerging from anthropology, and adopted by sociologists. Ethnography is the study of human behavior in its most natural and typical context. An introduction to definition and method 5 context auto ethnography was used to challenge hegemonic discourses and therefore, validates. Contemporary ethnography is based almost entirely on fieldwork and requires the complete immersion of the anthropologist in the culture and everyday life of the people who are the subject of the study. For this project, select a group or culture that you would like to learn about and write about. Performance ethnography describes a set of interrelated and still emerging qualitative approaches that bring together ethnographic methods and theoretical concepts from performance studies. Ethnography is the branch of anthropology in which different cultures are studied and. Wolcott 1999 defines ethnography is a description of the customary social behaviors of an identifiable group of people. As a method, ethnographic observation involves embedding oneself deeply and over the longterm in a field site of study in order to systemically document the everyday lives, behaviors, and interactions of a community of people. Classic ethnography was conducted by etic researchers in previously unexplored remote geographies of the globe with the aim of using knowledge of isolated. Ethnography definition, a branch of anthropology dealing with the scientific description of individual cultures.
Ethnography, emerging from anthropology, and adopted by sociologists, is a qualitative methodology that lends itself to the study of the beliefs, social interactions, and behaviours of small societies, involving participation and observation over a period of time, and the. It provides background for those who will encounter this methodology in their reading rather than instructions for carrying out. Ethnography is defined as both a social scienceresearch method and its final written product. An introduction to definition and method intechopen.