Ethnographic Research: become an insider, think as an outsider.

Since this is my first entry on a blog ever, I've chosen to discuss one of the topics of the course: Etnographic Research ( as indicated by the title), previous to the formal entries of the topics that this blog is going to be all about.

The objective of this entry, besides its obvious academic interest, is to start getting familiar with design and editing tools.

Ethnography is a method borrowed from anthropology, this method is all about close interaction with the group that is being studied. For this purpose ethnographic research has a wide set of tools at its disposition: videos, photos, tape recording, surveys, interviews, etc. in order to be able to gain a complete understanding of what is being investigated.

The main part of this research is, of course, conducted by a researcher, who is in contact with the targeted communities and, very often, lives for a long period of time with them, learning their methods, ideas, behaviors.

So the question rising is how does a researcher cope its own judgments, preconceived ideas, stereotypes and the influence received through the interaction of the group that is being studied with the objectivity required by an academic paper?

In order to answer this question I will use the text written by Michel Genzuk, PH.D.: A synthesis of ethnographic research.

As stated in the paper quoted before "many ethnographers do not believe that understanding requires that they become full members of the group(s) being studied. Indeed, many believe that this must not occur if a valid and useful account is to be produced." Therefore the deep involvement of the researcher in the group may be counterproductive for the research itself, meaning it may be important for the ethnographer to keep its background and influences.

So, at what point involvement is too much? these, as stated by Mr. Genzuk, may vary, the important thing is to be an "insider-outsider".

This means that the researcher has to be an insider, the opposite to a spy, in order for the group being studied accept him and truly share its beliefs, behaviors, etc. But this does not necessarily means that he/she is going to forget abut its purpose and change its culture and perceptions for the ones of those who are being studied.

This is the Outsider part that every ethnographer has to keep, be at the margin not completely involve. This will allow the researcher to be able to set an accurate description of what is being studied.

As a conclusion one might say that the ethnographic researcher, in order to conduct a proper investigation with useful results, he/she has to face a challenge: become a part of the group being studied wile preserving its own background an focus, meaning to be an insider but to think and experience as an outsider.

For further research in the topic the recommended reading is: Genzuk, M. (N.d.). A synthesis of ethnographic research. University of Southern California, Center for Multilingual, Multicultural Research