What Is Ethnography Used For?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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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.

What is the main purpose of an ethnographic observation?

Ethnography is a study through direct observation of users in their natural environment rather than in a lab. The objective of this type of research is

to gain insights into how users interact with things in their natural environment

.

What is the purpose of ethnography?

The primary purpose of ethnography is

to gain a holistic understanding of a social or cultural group

.

What is ethnography and why is it important?

Why are ethnographies important? Ethnographies as

texts offer excellent insight into how social anthropologists undertake their fieldwork

, what it is like to experience daily life in an environment that may be initially unfamiliar, and the political, economic and social dynamics involved in collecting ‘data’.

What are ethnographic examples?

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 is ethnography in simple terms?

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.

Who uses ethnography?


Anthropologists, ethnographers, and other social scientists

may engage in something called ethnography. Ethnography, simply stated, is the study of people in their own environment through the use of methods such as participant observation and face-to-face interviewing.

What are the types of ethnography?

There are several types of ethnographic research, namely;

business, educational and medical ethnographic research

. All based on different fields of human endeavor and each type is defined by specific characteristics.

How do you do an ethnography?

  1. Identify Research Question. Determine what problem you are seeking to better understand. …
  2. Determine Location(s) for Research. …
  3. Formulate Presentation Method. …
  4. Acquire Permissions and Access. …
  5. Observe and Participate. …
  6. Interview. …
  7. Collect Archival Data. …
  8. Code and Analyze Data.

What is ethnography method?

Ethnographic methods are

a research approach where you look at people in their cultural setting

, with the goal of producing a narrative account of that particular culture, against a theoretical backdrop. … How they interact with one another, and with their social and cultural environment.

What are the three meanings of 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.

What is the moral of ethnography?

The basic ethical principles to be maintained include

doing good, not doing harm and protecting the autonomy

, wellbeing, safety and dignity of all research participants. Researchers should be as objective as possible and avoid ethnocentricity. Any deception of participants should be fully justified.

What are examples of ethnographic studies?

  • Open vs. …
  • Overt vs. …
  • Active vs. …
  • Observing a group of children playing.
  • Observing employees in a corporate office.
  • Observing medical personnel in a high-volume hospital.
  • Observing an indigenous village.
  • Observing a high school classroom.

What is ethnography and its characteristics?

Ethnography can be briefly defined as

the systematic study of people and cultures

. … It is a means to represent graphically and in writing the culture of a group. Ethnography is a qualitative research method where researchers observe and/or interact with a study’s participants in their real-life environment.

Who is the father of ethnography?


Bronisław Malinowski
Nationality Polish Citizenship Austro-Hungarian, Polish, British Alma mater Jagiellonian University (PhD, 1908) London School of Economics (D.Sc., 1916) Known for Father of social anthropology, popularizing fieldwork, participatory observation, ethnography and psychological functionalism

What is a good definition of ethnography?

:

the study and systematic recording of human cultures

also : a descriptive work produced from such research. Other Words from ethnography Example Sentences Learn More About ethnography.

Amira Khan
Author
Amira Khan
Amira Khan is a philosopher and scholar of religion with a Ph.D. in philosophy and theology. Amira's expertise includes the history of philosophy and religion, ethics, and the philosophy of science. She is passionate about helping readers navigate complex philosophical and religious concepts in a clear and accessible way.