Ambiguities & epistemology (ways to know and produce knowledge): documentary as organized ethnographic texts SM6324 Dr. Linda C.H. LAI

From last week (3rd meeting)… *the epistemic…photography in ethnographic research is tied to questions of knowledge production… *”Objectivity” and “truths” could be misleading and take us away from the more important issues, especially the fact that the epistemic and the aesthetic work together hand in hand. *theorization of photography: should move beyond medium-oriented approach as well as the “photography-artist-subject” triangle to include usage and the users

Photos as field notes, as documents… …Photos as organized texts, as ethnographic texts…

What matters with the term “documentary”? – a “usage” approach Convention, narrativity Truth claims > method The term ‘documentary’ properly describes NOT ONLY a style or a method or a genre of filmmaking BUT an assumed MODE OF RESPONSE to film material: a mode of response founded upon the acknowledgment that every photograph is a portrait signed by its sitter. Anticipated documentary response (assumed usage): A documentary film is one which seeks, by whatever means, to elicit the idea that ‘the image is perceived as signifying what it appears to record.’ Viewers’ perception

Interdisciplinary approach to the Visual in Ethnography Anthropological and photographic theories of representation may be combined to produce a deeper understanding of the expressive possibilities of photography for anthropological representation. Ethnography is only one aspect of a research project. Different disciplinary uses of it are likely to situate ethnography differently.

Epistemology: different positions Realist / Representationalist view Certain degree of certainty of knowledge produced about a real world is possible with awareness of the methodology itself (reflexivity). Post-structuralist/Postmodern view “Sentences are the only things that can be true or false.” (Chris Barker interpreting Nietzsche) Knowledge is a matter of the construction of interpretations about the world. *When we say something is true, we mean certain construction is taken to be true. *An idea of truth is also taken so within a historical context, and as the consequence of certain power function and power structure.

Post-structuralist/Postmodern view Production of knowledge occurs within the language-games of such activities.

Post-structuralist/Postmodern view Reflexivity is a key feature…

Ethnography: what kind of knowledge production? Between… numbers   meanings Counting   interpreting Lived experience ↓ Intensive field work Thick descriptions (detailed holistic description)

Ethnography: what kind of knowledge production? Thick description (Clifford Geertz) Details……………..…………….social processes (multiplicity of complex conceptual structures) (whole way of life) (life-worlds and identities)

A mixed range of qualitative methods… Ethno-methodologies A mixed range of qualitative methods… Interviews, participant observation, focus groups, textual analysis…