Ethnographic Research Essay - 1404 Words

Ethnographic research is the scientific description of specific human cultures, foreign to the ethnographer. Each ethnographer has his or her own way of conducting research and all of these different ideas can be transmitted and understood in a number of different ways. Because there is no one set idea of how an ethnographer should go about his or her research, conflicts arise. In Reflections on Fieldwork in Morocco, Paul Rabinow uses a story like process to discuss his experiences during his research in Morocco. This makes it easier for the reader to understand his ideas then just having a technical book about the many different aspects of Moroccan life that he may have discovered. In Writing Culture: the Poetics and Politics of†¦show more content†¦Once I had become comfortable with myself and the language I would pick a part of the society that I would like to focus on. Similar to what Paul Williss study, which Marcus described in his paper, of a group of twelve boys i n a working class school, I would first go straight to the primary source. In Rabinows book he takes the opposite approach and goes from place to place not focusing on one certain aspect of culture but a broad range of different ideas of society. I think that this approach may be more difficult because there os so much more that has to be looked at and understood. For instance, Rabinow must learn two different languages, French and Arabic just to understand the people around him. Then travel all around Morocco and obtain information on a numerous amount of different cultures. Though this practice of fieldwork has its benefits, describing one aspect of a society goes more in depth. Focusing on one aspect of a culture, I would want to obtain an exact understanding of what these people were doing and how they felt they fit into society. After obtaining as much information as I could from my informants, I would go back to my notes and try to make some sense of them without trying to distort their views of themselves in any way. I would then go to another source of information, in Williss example this would be the teachers. By getting more then one perspective of a certainShow MoreRelatedEthnographic Research Design1154 Words   |  5 PagesSometimes the research question of inquirers require benefits more from a qualitative data collection approach than a quantitative approach as they explore groups of people, in such cases ethnographic designs are best suited for their needs. Ethnographic research is designed for the collection of qualitative data because it goal is to write about groups of people in a cultural context such as â€Å"language, rituals, economic and political structures, life stages, interactions and communication styles†Read MoreEthnographic Research On Human Behavior1461 Words   |  6 Pagesethnography as a â€Å"qualitative design in which the researcher describes and interprets the shared and learned patterns of values† (p. 68). Ethnographic research provides a study on individuals in their own environment. Throughout the research, researchers attempt to answer questions in regards to human behavior. According to Schwartzman (1993), â€Å"Ethnography is used for research involving cultural sharing, and is linked to the use of anthropology as a way to view modern organization† (p. 3). The researchersRead MoreContribution Of An Ethnographic Research On Friendship1100 Words   |  5 PagesThroughout this essay I will be evaluating the contribution of an ethnographic approach to research on friendship. I will be looking at, and including evidence to support both sides of the argument as to whether or not this research method is in fact useful when it comes to gaining knowledge about friendship. As well as evaluating this method, I will compare it against others to reflect on the strengths, weaknesses and the typical data collected. I will look at some of the questions about friendshipRead MoreEthnographic Study: Field Research in a Workpla ce Setting1030 Words   |  5 PagesAn ethnography, also referred to as field research, is a qualitative research method in which the researcher can directly observe what goes on at the research site as well as participate, including asking questions. It is a useful method for studying small groups, such as work groups, in their natural setting. Ethnography is the term used by cultural anthropologists for conducting field research. Sociologists tend to use the term field research or participant observation. Ethno means people andRead MoreEthnographic Research4252 Words   |  18 Pagesprinciples. I shall also look at the key research concepts of reliability and validity as they relate to ethnography, and will discuss the importance of context to ethnographic inquiry. 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Varying results of separate studies mayRead MoreEthnographic Research Paper for Intercultural Communication1513 Words   |  7 PagesDance Studio, in Kowloon Bay. It has been, without a second thought, chosen for my ethnographic research because I have been an active participant over there recurrently for five years on a regular basis. I have been going to the dance classes and joining regular parties with other participants, including dance tutors and students of different ages and backgrounds from time to time. In this regard, my ethnographic data may sound and accurate with my understanding about the community. I acquire theRead MoreEthnographic Writing and Relationships with Research Subjects1385 Words   |  6 PagesAnthropologists conduct research in order to answer specific questions about a particular group of people and their culture. Most anthropologists use fieldwork to collect their data, which is then interpreted within their ethnographic writing. When collecting their data, anthropologists use many different approaches such as developing relationships with their informants, but do not illustrate these relationships in their actual writing. Anthropologists Claire E. Sterk and Philippe Bourgois are twoRead MoreEthnographic Research Paper: French Culture2190 Words   |  9 PagesEthnographic Research Paper: French Culture A common saying goes like this, You cannot judge a book by its cover. This saying may have many meanings, but to a social and cultural anthropologist, it signifies that no-one should pre-judge others on their values, beliefs and interests just by their appearance. In order to understand and be familiar with a culture, one has to perform a series of ethnographic research from fieldwork, participant observation, ethnology to something as accessible asRead MoreEthnographic Research On Sugar Daddy / Baby Dynamics1047 Words   |  5 PagesEthnographic Research on Sugar Daddy/Baby Dynamics In this modern technological era, almost everything in our lives is specified and available at our fingertips. This can be done on our computers, on our smartphones, and even our cars now. Technological advances allow us to navigate the world, use new devices, and even widen our dating pool by meeting new people in easier ways, such as online. This interesting twist on online dating has peaked my interest on how it works and why. However, with all