Researching parliaments: ethnography Emma Crewe, June 2015

What is ethnography? Methodological and theoretical approach to studying social worlds as well as the written product, usually a book, that contains findings Town, competitive, ambitious, average age 50, 504 men and 145 women, very complex mix of roles

Methods – how did I study them? Observation Chamber & Select Committees APPGs & other meetings Media (press, radio, TV, web, twitter) Seven constituencies: surgeries & meetings Interaction Formal interviews with: 121 peers, 44 MPs, 24 former MPs (18 of these were peers) and 100 staff, civil servants, or journalists Informal conversations/gossip Participation in policy forums Advising Commons’ officials on research Submitted evidence to committees Case Studies House of Lords Bill 1999 Children’s and Families Bill 2014 Selection of an candidate Eastleigh by-election Lit review, analysis & outputs Review of biographies & literature Report for parliament Journal articles Two books (two long, one short) Radio programmes and talks

What is distinctive about ethnography? Theory and methods are entangled: different methods for different research questions Reflexivity is essential for rigour: how is the researcher influencing the research? Attention to patterns: what are the similarities, differences, changes, gaps, and contradictions

Theory and method entangled: Why are MPs more rebellious?

The Daily Mail’s Downing St catwalk Reflexivity – why can’t I ignore feminism? The Daily Mail’s Downing St catwalk

Patterns – what is below law-making? Clause 11 Welfare of the child: parental involvement (1) Section 1 of the Children Act 1989 (welfare of the child) is amended as follows: (2) After subsection (2) insert - "(2A) A court, in the circumstances mentioned in subsection (4)(a) or (7), is as respects each parent within subsection (6)(a) to presume, unless the contrary is shown, that involvement of that parent in the life of the child concerned will further the child's welfare." (2B) In subsection (2A) “involvement” means involvement of some kind, either direct or indirect, but not any particular division of a child’s time.” (3) After subsection (5) insert: "(6) In subsection (2A) "parent" means parent of the child concerned; and, for the purposes of that subsection, a parent of the child concerned - (a) is within this paragraph if that parent can be involved in the child's life in a way that does not put the child at risk of suffering harm; and (b) is to be treated as being within paragraph (a) unless there is some evidence before the court in the particular proceedings to suggest that involvement of that parent in the child's life would put the child at risk of suffering harm whatever the form of the involvement. The circumstances referred to are that the court is considering whether to make an order under section 4(1)(c) or (2A) or 4ZA(1)(c) or (5) (parental responsibility of parent other than mother)."

5 tips for doing a good ethnography Work out how to establish trust as quickly as possible Continually notice & challenge your own assumptions Hone your skill as asking questions, listening & watching Take account of multiple views and how Parliament is changing Test out your interpretations on as many as possible