"Ethnography is a branch of anthropology and the systematic study of individual cultures. Ethnography explores cultural phenomena from the point of view of the subject of the study."
The method of studying and experiencing a particular culture, typically involving long-term fieldwork and immersion.
Anthropology: A broad discipline that studies human societies, culture, and behavior.
Ethnography: The study of human societies and cultures through the observation and analysis of social practices and behaviors.
Participant observation: A research method used in ethnography that involves the researcher participating in and observing the day-to-day activities and interactions of a community.
Cultural relativism: A perspective that emphasizes the need to understand cultures within their own context and avoid making value judgments based on one's own cultural norms.
Fieldwork: The process of collecting data and conducting research on a particular community or culture.
Data collection methods: S - Tools and techniques used to collect data in ethnographic research, including interviews, surveys, focus groups, and observation.
Key informant: An individual who is a member of the community being studied and can provide valuable insight and information to the researcher.
Ethnocentrism: The tendency to view one's own culture as superior to others, which can hinder the ability to conduct unbiased research in ethnography.
Cultural anthropology: A subfield of anthropology that focuses on the study of living cultures and societies.
Archaeology: The study of past human societies and cultures through the analysis of material culture and artifacts.
Linguistic anthropology: A subfield of anthropology that studies how language shapes human cultures and behavior.
Evolutionary anthropology: The study of the evolution of human societies and cultures.
Structuralism: A theoretical approach to understanding human societies and cultures that emphasizes the role of deep structures in shaping social behavior.
Symbolic anthropology: A theoretical approach that focuses on the role of symbols in shaping human societies and cultures.
Postmodernism: A theoretical perspective that critiques ideas of universal truth and objective reality in ethnographic research.
Reflexivity: The process of examining one's own biases and assumptions in ethnographic research.
Cultural ecology: The study of the relationship between human societies and their environment.
Medical anthropology: A subfield of anthropology that studies the intersection of health, illness, and culture.
Applied anthropology: The application of anthropological principles and methods to real-world problems and issues.
Colonialism: The practice of one country or culture dominating and exploiting another country or culture, which has influenced the history and practice of ethnography.
Historical ethnography: This type of ethnography focuses on studying people and cultures from a historical perspective, usually by examining documents, archives, and historical records. Historical ethnographers often trace the evolution of cultures and societies over time.
Visual ethnography: This type of ethnography uses various visual media such as photographs, films, and videos to document and understand cultures and societies. Visual ethnographers often use their photographs or films to depict different aspects of a culture, such as customs, traditions, and daily life.
Cognitive ethnography: This type of ethnography focuses on understanding the mental processes and perceptions of a culture, such as their beliefs, thoughts, and values. Cognitive ethnographers often use psychological and cognitive science theories to analyze the cultural practices and beliefs.
Performance ethnography: This type of ethnography focuses on studying the art, music, dance, and other forms of cultural performances in a society. Performance ethnographers often try to understand the meaning and significance of these performances and how they relate to the culture as a whole.
Applied ethnography: This type of ethnography aims to apply anthropological theories and insights to solve real-life problems. Applied ethnographers often work with organizations or communities to understand their needs and challenges, and then develop interventions or policies to address them.
Virtual ethnography: This type of ethnography focuses on studying online communities and cultures. Virtual ethnographers often use digital tools and technologies to analyze the interactions and practices of online communities.
Feminist ethnography: This type of ethnography seeks to address gender inequalities and power dynamics in society. Feminist ethnographers often focus on women's experiences and perspectives, as well as the ways in which gender shapes cultural practices and beliefs.
Participatory ethnography: This type of ethnography involves the active participation of the community or informants in the ethnographic research process. Participatory ethnographers often work with local communities to co-create knowledge and insights, and empower them to express their own perspectives and experiences.
"Ethnography is [...] a type of social research that involves examining the behavior of the participants in a given social situation and understanding the group members' own interpretation of such behavior."
"Ethnography relies heavily on participant observation—on the researcher participating in the setting or with the people being studied, at least in some marginal role, and seeking to document, in detail, patterns of social interaction and the perspectives of participants."
"It had its origin in social and cultural anthropology in the early twentieth century, but spread to other social science disciplines, notably sociology, during the course of that century."
"Ethnographers mainly use qualitative methods, though they may also employ quantitative data."
"The typical ethnography is a holistic study and so includes a brief history, and an analysis of the terrain, the climate, and the habitat."
"A wide range of groups and organizations have been studied by this method, including traditional communities, youth gangs, religious cults, and organizations of various kinds."
"While, traditionally, ethnography has relied on the physical presence of the researcher in a setting, there is research using the label that has relied on interviews or documents, sometimes to investigate events in the past such as the NASA Challenger disaster."
"There is also a considerable amount of 'virtual' or online ethnography, sometimes labeled netnography or cyber-ethnography."
"Ethnography explores cultural phenomena from the point of view of the subject of the study."
"Ethnography relies heavily on participant observation—on the researcher participating in the setting or with the people being studied."
"Ethnography seeks to document, in detail, patterns of social interaction and the perspectives of participants, and to understand these in their local contexts."
"Ethnography had its origin in social and cultural anthropology but spread to other social science disciplines, notably sociology."
"A wide range of groups and organizations have been studied by this method, including traditional communities, youth gangs, religious cults, and organizations of various kinds."
"There is research using the label that has relied on interviews or documents, sometimes to investigate events in the past such as the NASA Challenger disaster."
"The typical ethnography is a holistic study and so includes a brief history, and an analysis of the terrain, the climate, and the habitat."
"There is also a considerable amount of 'virtual' or online ethnography, sometimes labeled netnography or cyber-ethnography."
"Ethnography explores cultural phenomena from the point of view of the subject of the study."
"Ethnography is a branch of anthropology and the systematic study of individual cultures. Ethnography explores cultural phenomena from the point of view of the subject of the study."
"Ethnographers mainly use qualitative methods, though they may also employ quantitative data."