Researching Contemporary Cosmologies - Ethnography

Ethnography Week 6, Researching Contemporary Cosmologies MA Tuesday 8th March 2016 Dr Fiona Bowie, Sophia Centre

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What is Ethnography?

Greek: ethos + graphein Describing and understanding another way of life from the na8ve point of view. (Neuman, 2007)

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Ethnography versus Ethnology Ethnology is the systemaOc collecOon, comparison, and contrast of ethnographies. So ethnography is specific, ethnology is generic. Another way to look at is that wriOng or collecOng ethnographies is something anyone can do, but ethnology is a specific academic discipline, another name for cultural anthropology. (hTps://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-ethnology-and-ethnography)

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Key features of ethnography • 

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Concerned with the collecOon and analysis of empirical data drawn from ‘real world’ contexts rather than being produced under experimental condiOons created by the researcher. The research involves sustained involvement with a parOcular site. The researcher aTempts to make sense of events from the perspecOve of parOcipants. Data is gathered from a range of sources, but observaOon, parOcipaOon and relaOvely informal conversaOons are key tools. The focus is generally a single se]ng or group of relaOvely small scale, or a small number of such se]ngs. In life history research the focus may be on a single individual. The analysis of the data involves interpretaOon of the meanings and funcOons of human acOons and mainly takes the form of verbal descripOons and explanaOons, with quanOficaOon and staOsOcal analysis playing a subordinate role at most. Ethnographic data gathered in the field is usually contextualised with reference to historical sources, surveys and other secondary literature. 4

What do we call the people we study? NaOves: ‘natal’, ‘naOon’. Connotes the legiOmacy and authority of the culture studied. Came to be seen as pejoraOve. Informants: Emphasis on the knowledge sought by the ethnographer, who wants to be ‘informed’. But are members of a culture voiceless? Interlocutors: Suggests equality of conversaOon, and emphasises speech. Are ethnographers and those they study really equal in the research context? ParOcipants: Captures parOcipant’s dual role in their own culture and in the study. From: Boellstorff, Nardi, Pearce & Taylor (2012), pp.16-17.

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