Against the backdrop of Hymes' ethnography of communication, the authors of this textbook develop an updated step-by-step guide for carrying out an ethnographic research project. Chapter 1 provides an introduction to the concepts of cultures, schemata and communities. Special attention is drawn to the competent use of language to construct oneself as a member of a specific community of practice. Chapter 2 documents how researchers position themselves on an ever-changing continuum between insider and outsider status. The authors advocate that researchers attempt to understand emic (insider) views of the research population while simultaneously embedding these views into wider (etic) social theories. In chapter 3, the nature of social theory is discussed. The chapter concludes with a selected annotated list of influential social theorists.
Chapter 4 sets the starting point for the remainder of the book by introducing the authors' CULTURES framework within which the ethnography of communication can be analysed. In contrast to Hymes' rather briefly outlined SPEAKING framework, the CULTURES model provides a more thorough methodological discussion and an updated theoretical approach, with special attention to reflexivity on the researcher's positionality. The eight interacting and cyclical steps included in the framework are briefly presented and then elaborated one at a time in chapters 5 to 12.
In chapter 5, attention is drawn to the tacit and explicit ways in which culture is understood and expressed. Observation of patterns and practices, with special attention to recurring ‘rich points’, the authors argue, may be the key to understanding deeply-rooted ideologies. Chapter 6 familiarizes the reader with undertaking observation, interviewing and artefact collection. Advice for handling field notes is followed by a discussion about designing non-leading interview questions. Chapter 7 deals with locating patterns in the data. After commenting on transcription procedures, the authors present three levels of analysis. These range from micro-level analysis (such as examining participants' grammar and intonation) via mid-level analysis (analysing the content of what is said and done) to macro-level analysis (connecting data to larger social processes). Useful examples are provided for each type of analysis.
Chapters 8 and 9 provide data from a study on language policy in Paraguay to offer hands-on experience in documenting practices, tracing norms and understanding ideologies. The authors emphasise that it is vital to investigate the practices of people both at the centre and the periphery of a community of practice. Reviewing data and analyses with participants is discussed in chapter 10. Different types of member checks are presented, complexities discussed and the authors strongly recommend that researchers offer to share results with the communities that participated in the research. Chapter 11 discusses evaluating and interpreting the data and draws attention to the write-up process. Chapter 12 looks at different venues for presenting one's data.
In sum, this book offers insights that greatly deepen our understanding of ethnographic fieldwork and the complexities involved in handling data and working with a research population. It offers a structured framework with valuable suggestions for both novices and experienced researchers for effectively collecting, handling and presenting their data.
