Summary by Nicole Howell
CCR 691
Executive summary: In the introduction to Ethnography Unbound Brown and Dobrin outline how ethnography has evolved away from traditional practice to critical practice. The authors clearly contend that all aspects of ethnography have changed since postmodern critique including, the concept of a field site, of the ethnographic Self, the relationship between ethnographer and participant, and desired outcomes of the inquiry (2). Additionally critical ethnography is defined as research that aims to account for the literate practices of others (4). Important ethical considerations have also been significantly informed by feminist methods in which ethnographers are asking questions such as "who does this study benefit?" Ethnographers have been charged with no longer looking at the communities being studied as objects and instead take on a peer-like partnership with the participants.
In the second half of the introduction Brown and Dobrin illustrate how the book takes up these changes in ethnography and briefly summarize the work included by each contributor.
Questions/challenges:
I feel as though I know and/or understand very little about ethnography. I believe it to be research that is localized and specific to small groups. Generally, I also understand ethnographies to consist of personal interviews or observations by a researcher that is close to the participants. I believe this introduction to be useful in two primary ways. First, it describes critical ethnography, definitions are always helpful. Second, it strongly emphasizes ethical practices and recognition of the relationship between ethnographer and participant...I like that. I think the purpose of such research is to inform social change this is what I look forward to learning more about. Anybody out there able to confirm or inform my understanding?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I think you're on the right track and your understanding of ethnography isn't askew with the versions we are reading.
ReplyDeleteI don't have the book on hand right now, but I know it helps to think of Ishwari's work when I think of critical/ethical ethnography in that he is asks not only "who does this work benefit" but also "how do my participants view my benefit to their own projects or needs" (this is coming from an article we read in 601, which I'll try to find but TJ might know the name of off hand). In other words, how do we orient ourselves toward the participants without taking on dangerous tropes, such as the "missionary" there to convert or "savior" there to rescue from plight. I know these are spiritually loaded terms and I mean no offense to those folks, but instead use them to call attention to a position of hierarchy, authority or assumed gain. In other words, I understand critical and ethical ethnography to be troubling the gains and stakes at play in collaborative interactions.
You're definitely on the right track. This edited introduction really starts in "medias res." We're not treated to a lengthy introduction of ethnography. They plunge right into explaining critical ethnography and its effects. With the "postmodern assault" on "traditional ethnography," they ask a slew of questions on p. 2. From there, they boldly bring into being the idea that the "ethnographic Self [note capital letter] is beginning to sign itself into existence, to convert its pseudohierarchical absence into a dialectical presence" (3). This book, then, shows how the "shock" and "blow" deal by postmodernism has birthed new practices and ways of engaging ethnography for "transformative social action" (3). I'm not entirely persuaded. For instance, how does Schroeder's ethnography of his linguistics class demonstrate those ends that Brown and Dobrin discuss?
ReplyDeleteIn other words, I'm not sure what Brown and Dobrin argue about critical ethnography is necessarily consistent across the volume (not surprising in an edited volume). I'm not sure they give us as much to grab on to as we might like.