Blog 3: Into the Depths with Ethnography

Ethnography is an interesting form of research, with the usage of raw data findings. You could say it is like the systematic study of people and cultures. Back in the day, people doubted results from ethnography due to the bias perspective of the researcher.

According to Lassiter (2005); While collaboration is central to the practice of ethnography, realizing a more deliberate and explicit collaborative ethnography implies resituating collaborative practice at every stage of the ethnographic process, from fieldwork to writing and back again.

What Lassiter is referring to is a different form of ethnography, collaborative ethnography. Collaborative ethnography provides higher quality data due to the use of Face to Face communication with the ethnographer. This can essentially be more useful compared to ordinary ethnography research, going in depth with the ethnographer’s memories and experiences, leading to a myriad of new information that was never heard of before. 

“Doing a more deliberate and explicit collaborative ethnography revolves first and foremost around an ethical and moral responsibility to consultants.” Lassiter (2005) 

There are few benefits to collaborative ethnography compared to ordinary ethnography. It broadens research, interpretation and writing process. But it does not only focuses on that, as collaborative ethnography focuses on ethnical research practices, more valid findings and more in-depth analysis. Thus, collaborative ethnography is more useful and beneficial to the researcher and interested parties. 

 

A good question to ask yourself is whether or not you are suited for using collaborative ethnography. Professor Angie Hart has list of answers you can ask yourself to see if you are suited it or not:

• Who are you?
  • Old fashioned career academic
    Deeply driven by social justice concerns
    Likes to be in charge
    Thinks community organisers and ‘participants’ often know better than academics

Saying yes or no to some of these answers would help you understand whether you are suited for using collaborative ethnography or not. Overall, collaborative ethnography can be an useful method to conduct an in-depth analysis of the chosen research.

References

• Lassiter. L.E. (2005). Defining a Collaborative Ethnography. The Chicago Guide to Collaborative Ethnography. Retrieved from: http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/468909.html