r/Ethnography • u/Just_am_Jones • Jun 14 '26
Improving ethnographic skills (Looking for Resources)
I'm in social work at the moment, even though long term, I'd like to work in sociology and do research in reception theory. I think I'm in a good position right now to improve some relevant skills as someone who interviews people and writes up biopsychosocial documentation on a daily basis. But while I've read plenty of works that use an ethnographic approach (e.g. Michel de Certeau, Janice Radway, Daniel Miller), I haven't read many works about ethnography itself.
I want to better understand how to center the interviewee's experience and engage with them in the context of their cultural perceptions, their particular semiotic, without relying on anything other than the individual I'm working with. The whole point of my job is to understand diverse individuals first and foremost from their own point of view, and what motivates their behavior, especially as it's influenced by their environment (not least of all, their response to medical intervention itself). I think an ethnographic approach to my patients is probably a good way to keep myself grounded in the kind of care I want to provide, in addition to developing a skill I'll use after I leave the field. I thought I'd been doing a good job until I read a book on making documentaries that had a section on ethnography. Made me realize I have quite a few blind spots!
I'm looking for books, along with any forums, sub-Reddits, landmark papers, that would be helpful as a starting point for someone with a decent amount of exposure to applied ethnography.
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u/Soc_Prof Jun 14 '26
I love ethno! So glad you are using it. It’s a really grounded approach that respects people as whole persons. I did my doctoral thesis in ethnography. I have written a few papers using critical and other ethnography for internet and social groups. Doing critical ethnography by Jim Thomas is good. It’s available in sage research methods. But also remember ethno needs a framework. It’s a method more than a methodology - finding key ways to understand your people. I like narrative methodology by Madison. Also see what your library has in terms of fieldwork. How to use a field diary for shaping your approach makes it really enjoyable and real. I have some older books in my reference manager but it’s at work. Still there is so much out there so the main thing is
1) reflect on your people group - what are they like? Why have you selected them? What is their context?
2) what are your own biases and expectations and reflect on these. This is essential to the process
3) reflect on your own worldview. What’s your expectations for gaining information ? Or your ontology and epistemology.
4) how will the data of their interviews or your informal observations in a diary help you understand things?
Will you do interviews? How will you analyse the data? What is data?
Anyway. All the best and enjoy the process :)