Fundamental Ethnographic Principles PART ONE

I’m working on a new book that embraces exciting, innovative and creative approaches to ethnography while remembering the fundamentals, and perhaps even daring to be a bit normative about what ethnography should get right (it is work in progress). Those fundamentals include the following:

(Note: you can read a bit about these key principles or fundamentals in my current book, Qualitative Research Methods for Everyone) https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/qualitative-research-methods-for-everyone

1. Being iterative-inductive: or building up your understandings as you go, oscillating between sense-making/theorising, and observing/listening.

Making it: Meanwhile, I’m working on an ethnography of crafting (with jewellery making as my focus). My working title is ‘Making it’. There are all sorts of aspects I am fascinated by here, such as how helpful people are with each other in online communities. I’m watching, taking part, reading, thinking, and developing some theoretical understandings as I go. I’m being inductive (bottom up, learning from my participants) and iterating that with being deductive (thinking about what’s coming out, testing out ideas through conversation and reading).

2. Participating and Observing: I think this is the sine quai non of ethnography isn’t it? But it also involves being clear why you are there, joining in, and how that is helpful or useful.

Making it: For this ethnography, I was first a jewellery trainee, I made one ring, did one craft fair, joined one online community, and snowballed from there. This has given me access to all sorts of people and settings and has raised all sorts of questions. But I also learn through doing, and trying to sell, and feeling elated when someone appreciates my work (and rejected when I do a market and sell nothing). This gives me a bond with other makers, but it also enables me to tune in to aspects of their lives that might be relevant for understanding their worlds.

3. Remembering the context: ethnographers don’t just participate and observe, they also look at the wider picture – the geographical, legal, normative, community, historical (or whatever) context. So, participating and observing are not enough on their own. We do historical research, read websites and rule books, interview experts, analyse pre-existing discourses.

Making it: For my crafting ethnography, the UK economic context is relevant (what opportunities are there for people to sell their craft?). It turns out I need to know a bit more about my participants’ class backgrounds and economic status (I may need to include a survey of sorts). I need to know about the structure of craft markets – who holds them, how much do they cost?

4. Sharing conversations: Ethnographers have conversations with people of diverse types in diverse settings, in small groups, one to one, casual and spontaneous, planned and semi-structured.

Making it: In my ethnography I have lots of opportunity to chat with people at craft fairs, and online, when people come to buy, and when I chat with other makers. Even when I am learning about tools and techniques. But I am going to want to include sitting down and having some in-depth, planned conversations with people and maybe some group chats. Maybe I can also introduce my research and ask some questions during a training session (when I am making things with others, and learning).

To Be Continued