Ethnography

ETHNOGRAPHY
This week’s reading looked into ethnography.

As a whole, the notion of ethnography is foreign to me. I find it interesting that there is so little preparation involved, that the ethnographer is supposed to simply find a story or a angle as they go, rather than plan out what the focus should be beforehand. The education system in the UK has been reinforcing for generations that preparation is key to success, yet ethnography stands as an intellectual exception.

When one thinks about studying a people, one jumps to find a narrative. What is so unique about ethnography is that it doesn’t strive to find ways to connect and find similarities with people, it studies people in a scientific way. When reading about ethnography one automatically assumes the mindset of an ethnographer, however this week’s reading also made me question what it would be like to be the subject of an ethnographer’s study. How long would it take before their presence was no longer a distraction and could be easily ignored?

I would be interested to learn more about specific ethnographers and the work they have done in their fields. Having been born and raised in London, the idea of living in a different culture for any extended amount of time is quietly daunting. With the study abroad options available to me at Coventry I think it is something I would like to try myself.

This week’s reading made me think of a lecture from last term where we looked at 'othering'. I think it would be quite difficult as an ethnographer to feel impartial when in a completely different setting, one would feel like an outcast. I suppose that is what makes ethnography effective, the ability to spot differences from what is the norm to you and explore in further depth.