The term “ethnography” comes from the Greek words “ethnos” (which means “people” or “nation) and “grapho” (which means “I write”). A very common example of ethnographic research is an ethnographer Ethnography is the systematic study of people and cultures. It is designed to explore cultural phenomena where the researcher observes society from the point of view of the subject of the study. An ethnography is a means to represent graphically and in writing the culture of a group.Ethnography
How do I write an ethnography?
Useful Tips for Writing an Ethnography Case Study or Research Paper
- Develop an accurate series of questions for obtaining information from the community people. ...
- Before interacting with the local people, seek guidance from an authorized member of the society. ...
- Avoid manipulating the results of the actual research with your biased opinions.
- The methodology of your ethnography must address How, When, Where and Who.
What are ethnographic examples?
Examples Of Ethnographic Research Ethnographic research can be used to study issues big and small, cultural or business-related. Here are a few examples of its uses: The principal subject of ethnography or ethnological research is to study culture, society, ethnic groups and human behavior.
What is ethnography and how does it work?
What is Ethnography and how does it work? Ethnographic research is a qualitative method where researchers observe and/or interact with a study’s participants in their real-life environment. Ethnography was popularised by anthropology, but is used across a wide range of social sciences. [1]
What are two examples of ethnographic research?
When conducting an ethnographic study, here are some ethnographic research examples to consider:
- Develop a research plan that includes fieldwork, interviews and observation of the population. Collect data on the behavior, beliefs and attitudes of people in a community.
- Create an ethnographic research design. ...
- Conduct an ethnographic study about a community in your area. ...
What is an ethnography example?
A classic example of ethnographic research would be an anthropologist traveling to an island, living within the society on said island for years, and researching its people and culture through a process of sustained observation and participation.
What are some examples of data in an ethnography?
Ethnographic data can be quantitative or qualitative in nature, and can include the following: Interviews conducted with a population of nurses in Finland. Audio recordings of folk songs from a local Appalachian community.
What is the meaning of the ethnography?
ethnography, descriptive study of a particular human society or the process of making such a study. 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.
How do you write an ethnographic example?
To write a basic ethnography you need these five essential parts:A thesis. The thesis establishes the central theme and message of your research study. ... Literature Review. A literature review is an analysis of previous research now on your research topic. ... Data Collection. ... Data Analysis. ... Reflexivity.
What are the 3 examples of data?
The main examples of data are weights, prices, costs, numbers of items sold, employee names, product names, addresses, tax codes, registration marks etc. Images, sounds, multimedia and animated data as shown.
What are the types of ethnography?
Ethnographic methods are qualitative, inductive, exploratory and longitudinal. They achieve a thick, rich description over a relatively small area.
What is ethnography in a sentence?
Ethnography sentence example. The ethnography of ancient Italy is a very complicated and difficult subject, and notwithstanding the researches of modern scholars is still involved in some obscurity. As to the ethnography of the race little is known that is certain.
Why is it called ethnography?
Ethnography (from Greek ἔθνος ethnos "folk, people, nation" and γράφω grapho "I write") is a branch of anthropology and the systematic study of individual cultures. Ethnography explores cultural phenomena from the point of view of the subject of the study.
What is the main objective of ethnography?
The primary purpose of ethnography is to gain a holistic understanding of a social or cultural group.
What are the two types of ethnography?
Types of Ethnography There are two main types of ethnographic research, depending on how it is conducted: relational and digital. These types of ethnography enable researchers to learn about the language, culture, social relationships, food availability, and habits of people that may not have been studied before.
What are the five basic ethnographic techniques?
Ethnography methods include direct observation, diary studies, video recordings, photography and artefact analysis such as devices that a person uses throughout the day. Observations can be made anywhere from the user's workplace, their home or while they are out with family and friends.
Which among the research title is an example of ethnography research?
Ethnography and ethnology are the two main field or research titles used for ethnographic research.
What are the data in ethnographic research?
Ethnography is a qualitative method for collecting data often used in the social and behavioral sciences. Data are collected through observations and interviews, which are then used to draw conclusions about how societies and individuals function.
What are some examples of data?
Data can come in the form of text, observations, figures, images, numbers, graphs, or symbols. For example, data might include individual prices, weights, addresses, ages, names, temperatures, dates, or distances.
What kind of data does an ethnographer generate?
Abstract. Ethnography is a type of qualitative research that gathers observations, interviews and documentary data to produce detailed and comprehensive accounts of different social phenomena.
What are the main data source in ethnographic research?
Almost all studies relied on observation and interviews as the main data sources. It was not always specified whether researchers took a participant or non-participant approach to observation. There were some examples of other data sources e.g. video data, surveys, documents, field notes, diaries, and artefacts.
What is ethnography used for?
Ethnographic research originated in the field of anthropology, and it often involved an anthropologist living with an isolated tribal community for an extended period of time in order to understand their culture.
What are the key distinctions in ethnography?
There are a few key distinctions in ethnography which help to inform the researcher’s approach: open vs. closed settings, overt vs. covert ethnography, and active vs. passive observation. Each approach has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Why is overt ethnography preferred?
Overt ethnography is typically preferred for ethical reasons, as participants can provide informed consent…
How long does ethnography take?
In order to embed yourself in the setting and gather enough observations to build up a representative picture, you can expect to spend at least a few weeks, but more likely several months . This long-term immersion can be challenging, and requires careful planning.
Why is it important to become immersed in a social environment?
By becoming immersed in a social environment, you may have access to more authentic information and spontaneously observe dynamics that you could not have found out about simply by asking.
What is an active role?
An active role involves trying to fully integrate, carrying out tasks and participating in activities like any other member of the community.
Why is it important to have a variety of contacts within a group?
In addition, an informant may not provide the kind of spontaneous information which is most useful to ethnographers, instead trying to show what they believe you want to see. For this reason, it’s good to have a variety of contacts within the group.
What is the definition of ethnography?
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. ... Ethnography, descriptive study of a particular human society or the process of making such a study.
What is ethnography in history?
See Article History. Ethnography, descriptive study of a particular human society or the process of making such a study. 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. Margaret Mead.
How long do ethnographers stay in the field?
Many ethnographers reside in the field for a year or more, learning the local language or dialect and, to the greatest extent possible, participating in everyday life while at the same time maintaining an observer’s objective detachment.
What is the academic field of ethnography?
The latter, a term more widely used in Europe, encompasses the analytical and comparative study of cultures in general, which in American usage is the academic field known as cultural anthropology (in British usage, social anthropology).
What is the term for a person who can provide information on rituals, kinship, or other significant aspects?
In addition to the technique of participant-observation, the contemporary ethnographer usually selects and cultivates close relationships with individuals, known as informants, who can provide specific information on ritual, kinship, or other significant aspects of cultural life.
What is participant observation?
This method, called participant-observation, while necessary and useful for gaining a thorough understanding of a foreign culture , is in practice quite difficult. Just as the anthropologist brings to the situation certain inherent, if unconscious, cultural biases, so also is he influenced by the subject of his study.
Who is the first anthropologist to study ethnography?
1915) and the American anthropologist Margaret Mead, whose first fieldwork was in Samoa (1925). Ethnographic fieldwork has since become a sort of rite of passage into the profession of cultural anthropology. Many ethnographers reside in the field for a year or more, learning the local language or dialect and, to the greatest extent possible, participating in everyday life while at the same time maintaining an observer’s objective detachment. This method, called participant-observation, while necessary and useful for gaining a thorough understanding of a foreign culture, is in practice quite difficult. Just as the anthropologist brings to the situation certain inherent, if unconscious, cultural biases, so also is he influenced by the subject of his study. While there are cases of ethnographers who felt alienated or even repelled by the culture they entered, many—perhaps most—have come to identify closely with “their people,” a factor that affects their objectivity. In addition to the technique of participant-observation, the contemporary ethnographer usually selects and cultivates close relationships with individuals, known as informants, who can provide specific information on ritual, kinship, or other significant aspects of cultural life. In this process also the anthropologist risks the danger of biased viewpoints, as those who most willingly act as informants frequently are individuals who are marginal to the group and who, for ulterior motives ( e.g., alienation from the group or a desire to be singled out as special by the foreigner), may provide other than objective explanations of cultural and social phenomena. A final hazard inherent in ethnographic fieldwork is the ever-present possibility of cultural change produced by or resulting from the ethnographer’s presence in the group.
What is the difference between ethnography and ethnography?
Difference between Ethnography and Ethnology is that while ethnography is focused on one single culture or an aspect of a culture, Ethnology concerns itself with the comparative study of various ethnographies. Many journals publish ethnographic research works on a variety of topics.
What are the journals that publish ethnographic research?
Many journals publish ethnographic research works on a variety of topics. The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute is one of the oldest and is publishing anthropological works since more than 150 years. American Anthropologist is a journal of American Anthropological Association (AAA) and it includes ethnographies from all the four divisions of the discipline. American Ethnologist (published by AAA and organized by American Ethnological Association), Anthropological Quarterly (published by Institute for Ethnographic research of George Washington University) and Cultural Anthropology (by Society for Cultural Anthropology) include mostly cultural anthropology articles. A relatively new journal is Transforming Anthropology by AAA and organized by Association of Black Anthropologists. It focuses on inequality and racism and includes ethnographies from all the four subfields. The Journal of Anthropological Survey of India includes papers from Socio-cultural Anthropology, sociology, linguistics and human ecology.
What is ethnography in anthropology?
Ethnography is one of the most distinctive characteristics of Anthropology. Socio-cultural anthropologists who write ethnographies are termed as ethnographers. The methodology of Ethnography relies typically on participant observation and qualitative data collection.
What is ethnography in literature?
by priya parul. Ethnography is a qualitative research method which involves a detailed study of a particular cultural group. The word ethnography comes from Greek words Ethnos meaning people and Graphein meaning writing. That is why Ethnography is also known as “culture writing”.
What is the American ethnology journal?
American Ethnologist (published by AAA and organized by American Ethnological Association), Anthropological Quarterly (published by Institute for Ethnographic research of George Washington University) and Cultural Anthropology (by Society for Cultural Anthropology) include mostly cultural anthropology articles.
What is cultural relativism?
Cultural relativism was an approach developed by a famous anthropologist, Franz Boas culminating the idea that It means that an ethnographer should avoid a judgemental attitude towards the culture to be studied. Instead, they should be empathetic and understand the viewpoints of others.
Who is the most famous ethnographer?
One of the most famous ethnography is by Malinowski based on his six years’ fieldwork among the native people of Trobriand islands in Melanesia. His main works were “Argonauts of the Western Pacific” published in 1922. Other famous yet controversial research was by Margaret Mead among the Samoan children and titled “Coming of age in Samoa”.
What is Ethnographic Research?
Ethnographic research is a division of anthropology, which is the study of various aspects of humanity. Ethnographic research is performed to discover and record ethnographic data for communication in an ethnography.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Ethnographic Research
Ethnographic studies have many benefits, but there are also many negative aspects of it. The advantages of ethnographic research include:
Conducting an Ethnographic Study
While it may seem that ethnographic research can be performed by simply writing notes on a group of people which one is observing, an ethnographic study is much more involved. Ethnographers immerse themselves within the culture they study for as long a time as possible. This is done to form as complete an understanding of that culture as possible.
Ethnography Examples
There are many examples of ethnographic study, and those below explore how ethnographic research has evolved over time. In the beginning, ethnographers had to write to document their experiences while living in the culture they studied.
What Is Ethnography Used for?
- Ethnographic research originated in the field of anthropology, and it often involved an anthropologist living with an isolated tribal community for an extended period of time in order to understand their culture. This type of research could sometimes last for years. For example, Colin M. Turnbull lived with the Mbuti people for three years in order...
Different Approaches to Ethnographic Research
- There are a few key distinctions in ethnography which help to inform the researcher’s approach: open vs. closed settings, overt vs. covert ethnography, and active vs. passive observation. Each approach has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Gaining Access to A Community
- An important consideration for ethnographers is the question of access. The difficulty of gaining access to the setting of a particular ethnography varies greatly: 1. To gain access to the fans of a particular sports team, you might start by simply attending the team’s games and speaking with the fans. 2. To access the employees of a particular business, you might contact the manageme…
Working with Informants
- All ethnographies involve the use ofinformants. These are people involved in the group in question who function as the researcher’s primary points of contact, facilitating access and assisting their understanding of the group. This might be someone in a high position at an organization allowing you access to their employees, or a member of a community sponsoring your entry into that co…
Observing The Group and Taking Field Notes
- The core of ethnography is observation of the group from the inside. Field notesare taken to record these observations while immersed in the setting; they form the basis of the final written ethnography. They are usually written by hand, but other solutions such as voice recordings can be useful alternatives. Field notes record any and all important data: phenomena observed, conv…
Writing Up An Ethnography
- After observations are concluded, there’s still the task of writing them up into an ethnography. This entails going through the field notes and formulating a convincing account of the behaviors and dynamics observed.
What Is Ethnography?
- Ethnography involves observing the characteristics and behaviours of a specific demographic, community, group, or organization in real time. The term refers to both a method of research and the documentation or research report that an ethnographer prepares when an ethnographic observation is over. Ethnography is qualitative, meaning that it focuses on obtaining high-qualit…
Examples of Ethnography
- In addition to academic research, people often use examples of ethnography to conduct market research and find out which products people desire most. Many documentaries use ethnography as well. Ethnographers often work with anthropologists, statisticians, and other professionals to combine qualitative and quantitative data into the most accurate po...
Considerations For Ethnographic Studies
- An ethnographic study lets people explore the social dynamics and culture of a group. Researchers can gather detailed information about the sociology of a group and accurately present those experiences to others. When crafting an ethnographic study, researchers may choose between different types of settings, study methods, and involvement levels.