Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
privacy), honesty, trust (both implicit and explicit), reciprocity, and rigorous
work. More sophisticated ethical dilemmas in ethnographic research include
guilty knowledge and dirty hands.
Each chapter builds on the one before—as each step on a path follows the
step before. The discussion about the selection of a problem and the role of
theory in this chapter is followed by a detailed discussion of guiding concepts
in Chapter 2. The ethnographer's next logical step is to become acquainted
with the tools of the trade—the methods and techniques required to conduct
ethnographic research and the equipment used to chisel out this scientific art
form.A discussion of analysis in ethnographic research becomes more mean-
ingful at this state, once the preceding chapters have laid the foundation for
thisdiscussion.Similarly,theroleofwritingisdiscussedinChapter6because
writing is one of the final stages in the process and because the meaning of
writing in ethnography is amplified and made more illuminating by a series of
discussionsaboutwhat“doingethnography”entails.Finally,ethicsisdiscussed
last because the complete ethnographic context is necessary to a meaningful
discussion of this topic. Step by step, the chapters provide a path through the
complex terrain of ethnographic work. Newcomers will be able to proceed
chapter by chapter toward an overall understanding of ethnography.
Experienced ethnographers will find that the chapters offer self-contained ref-
erence points for refreshment and enjoyment.
NOTES
1. Arguably, Radcliffe-Brown's (1952) functionalism is static andVogt's (1960) and
Geertz's (1957) is dynamic, but both forms are static in comparison to most conven-
tional dynamic theories.
2. A researcher may select quotations that reflect political ideology or altruistic
intentions.This course, however, is an overzealous commitment to a cause and not sci-
ence.The line between good conscientious research and political advocacy is thin, but
when the researcher crosses it, the quality and integrity of the research are compro-
mised.Agoodresearcherisnotafraidtoenterthepoliticalarena—aftercompletingthe
research.
3. An ethnography is primarily descriptive in nature. An ethnology compares and
contrasts cultures and cultural elements. Ethnology relies on ethnographies as the
primary data. An ethnography and an ethnology are both used to complete a compre-
hensiveanthropologicalstudy,requiringtheconventionalliteraturereview,presentation
of data collection techniques, description, interpretation, and discussion of implica-
tions.An ethnography is the descriptive tool in anthropology that can stand alone or be
the foundation for larger efforts.
