David Efendi Jurusan Ilmu Pemerintahan UMY Sept, 2014

Ethnography: literally means “writing culture” Ethnographic research Seeks an in-depth understanding of how people make sense of lived reality in their social worlds Involves observation or participant-observation, “hanging out” with people in their natural, everyday settings Uses fieldnotes to render “thick descriptions” of social interaction and lived experience through researcher immersion in events and activities of the social setting

Ethnography is useful for studying the links between social contexts, cultural meanings, and practices Practices are people’s everyday “doings” (activities, interactions) Ethnographic focus on behavioral and interactive dimensions of social life lends richness and depth Ethnography requires great deal of time, energy, resources Ethnography is most often rooted in the interpretive or critical traditions, not a positivist framework Feminist ethnography often seeks to “give voice” to women’s concerns; combines interpretive and critical perspectives

Ethnography provides a window into the social worlds people inhabit Ethnography focuses on people’s “doings” (practices, interactions) in their natural setting Participant-observation is the most common ethnographic approach Recording and analyzing fieldnotes are the core research activities of ethnography Ethnographic fieldnotes can be paired with other data collection methods (e.g., interviews) Ethnography is an interpretive activity Ethnography is representation of lived experience, not “reality ”

Field research Participant observation Case studies Focus groups

 “Participant observation combines participation in the lives of the people under study with the maintenance of a professional distance that allows adequate observation and recording of data (Fetterman 45).”

 In-depth analysis of an individual or a group of people with shared characteristics.  Often includes personal accounts directly from the participants.  Draws conclusions only about that participant or group and only in that specific context.  Research emphasis is placed on exploration and description.

 Concentrated group exploration and discussions.  What can be gained from the focus group method?  Method is qualitative but the information gathered can be quantitative.

Questions?