Ethnography

Ethnography is a branch of anthropology that involves the systematic study of people and cultures. It is designed to explore cultural phenomena where the researcher observes society from the point of view of the subject of the study.

Definition

Ethnography, as defined by the American Anthropological Association, is the study of people in their own environment through the use of methods such as participant observation and face-to-face interviewing.

History

The concept of ethnography has its roots in the works of Bronislaw Malinowski, Franz Boas, and their students in the early 20th century, who used the method to study societies in various parts of the world.

Methodology

Ethnographic studies focus on large cultural groups of people who interact over time. Ethnography is a set of qualitative methods that are used in social sciences that focus on the observation of social practices and interactions.

Applications

Ethnography has been widely applied in various disciplines such as sociology, public health, education, design and marketing research.

Criticisms

Despite its widespread use, ethnography has been criticized for its subjectivity and lack of generalizability. Critics argue that the findings of an ethnographic study cannot be applied to other cultural contexts due to the unique nature of each culture.

See Also

• Cultural Anthropology
• Sociology
• Public Health
• Education
• Marketing Research

References

Ethnography Resources
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