Walking in Rhythm - Ethnography - page 26

useful in underscoring another, dominant pattern—the exception that proves
the rule. In most cases, however, such differences are instructive about a level
or dimension of the community that had not received sufficient consideration.
Housing in the inner city provides an example of intracultural diversity.
Most of the houses in the inner-city neighborhood we were studying were in
disrepair, many were marked by graffiti by local gangs, and entire blocks were
in rubble (see Figure 2.2). This was the “norm” concerning the quality of hous-
ing in the neighborhood. However, there were families that were attempting to
improve the quality of the neighborhood, and they “put their money where
their mouth was” by painting and repairing their homes (see Figure 2.4). They
were, albeit determined, in the minority. However, they represented a special
group with a symbolic message of hope in the community. This is an example
of intracultural diversity. (For additional illustrations of intracultural diversity
in qualitative research, see Marcus, 1998, p. 65.)

STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION

Structure and function are traditional concepts that guide research in social
organization. Structure here refers to the social structure or configuration of

Figure 2.4 Example of intracultural diversity in terms of housing in the

neighborhood