M1 - Learner Manual

1.22. Ethnography

Ethnography is a qualitative research method in which a researcher—an ethnographer—studies a particular social/cultural group with the aim to better understand it. Ethnography is both a process (e.g., one does ethnography) and a product (e.g., one writes an ethnography). In doing ethnography, an ethnographer actively participates in the group in order to gain an insider’s perspective of the group and to have experiences similar to the group members. In writing ethnography, an ethnographer creates an account of the group based on this participation, interviews with group members, and an analysis of group documents and artifacts.

https://methods.sagepub.com/reference/the-sage-encyclopedia-of-communication-research-methods/i4910.xml

When research is undertaken about Indigenous people it may not allow engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and the control of the research may be outside the parameters of Indigenous people.   On the other hand, research in partnership with Indigenous people allows some negotiation, but control of the research – who runs it, where it is undertaken and who is involved – again is outside of Indigenous control.

Riley in 1921, suggests communities and researchers should work together. Also, research by Indigenous people allows for an empowered situation to occur, where Indigenous people control what research they want undertaken, who is involved in the research, where the research occurs and how the data gets analysed. When carrying out research it needs to be very clear how the research is undertaken to allow optimum empowerment of Indigenous communities, in order to resolve their own community directions and crises and provide self-determination for their communities.

https://open.sydneyuniversitypress.com.au/9781743327579.html

Ethnographic research originated in the field of anthropology, and it often involved an anthropologist living with an isolated tribal community for an extended period of time in order to understand their culture. This type of research could sometimes last for years. Today, ethnography is a common approach in various social science fields, not just anthropology. It is used not only to study distant or unfamiliar cultures, but also to study specific communities within the researcher’s own society. One example of contemporary ethnographic research, sometimes called participant observation, is its use to investigate subcultures within societies such as; gangs, football fans, call centre workers, and police officers.