What Is an Ethnographer?
Ethnographers are anthropologists who write about their research. Their writing covers the way a culture develops over time and the effect culture has on the behavior of the people within it.
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Time With Subjects
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According to Penn Arts and Sciences, most ethnographers live with their subjects for an extended period of time in order to observe them in their natural habitat. Ethnographers participate in the daily rituals of their community.
World View
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Ethnographers try to gain an emic world view, meaning that they see the world from the perspective of the natives. An outsider's point of view is called an etic perspective.
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Qualitative Research
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Ethnographers attempt to find why a society progress in the way it does, rather than simply stating how the society progresses. This is called qualitative research.
Risks
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While many anthropological studies have a set timetable of research, ethnographic studies are often ongoing projects. By putting himself in an unknown culture, the ethnographer risks harming the society and also civil or criminal prosecution. This is why it is important for the ethnographer to inform participants of how the information will be used.
Benefits
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Ethnographic research, according to the American Anthropological Association (AAA), can help raise awareness about the challenges a culture faces and can help find solutions. It also helps a society record its heritage that might otherwise be lost.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Grafixar, morgueFile
