What’s Ethnography?

You are ready to start exploring bringing in a third-party researcher to help solve a little hiccup, and you may have found yourself asking, what is ethnography, and why is it coming up in your search results? You are not alone! Ethnography is a word social researchers use to describe their fieldwork. It mixes talking to people, observations, and surveys to gain a better understanding of the individuals being studied. It involves the researcher immersing themselves in a particular social group or community to observe and participate in their daily activities, interactions, and practices. Ethnographic research aims to provide an in-depth and holistic understanding of the group being studied by focusing on their beliefs, values, customs, social structures, and ways of life.

From an anthropological lens, ethnographic research is guided by the principles of having the culture of the subject stay central to any judgment regarding their standards and norms. This is a practice that follows one of the tenants of anthropology called cultural relativism. This type of research will often also use participant observation. Participant observation is when a researcher will not just watch but get involved with the acts of daily living of those they are working with to experience their culture firsthand. This immersive approach allows researchers to gain insights into the meanings and perspectives of the community members and helps to uncover the underlying social, cultural, and symbolic systems that shape their lives.

In addition to talking with people in the form of interviews, ethnographic research typically involves a combination of methods such as surveys, direct observations, document analysis, and the collection of artifacts or other forms of material culture. Researchers often spend time in the field, building relationships with community members, learning their language, and gaining trust. This period of engagement allows anthropologists to gather rich and nuanced data that can provide a comprehensive understanding of the social and cultural dynamics of the group under study.

The ultimate goal of ethnographic research is to produce descriptions of social and cultural phenomena. These descriptions capture the complexity and subtleties of human behavior, beliefs, and practices, and they are often presented in the form of a detailed report for our clients. Ethnographic research contributes to the broader field of anthropology by shedding light on the diversity of human experiences and challenging ethnocentric assumptions. It is also used in applied settings, such as in the development of culturally sensitive policies, interventions, and programs.