About Ethnographic Observation

Ethnography is the study of modern culture.

Ethnography is the study of living cultures, and ethnographic observation is concerned with the methods of ethnography. Ethnographers use the method of participant observation to study a given society. They both observe and participate in the culture of their research.

Anthropology

Ethnography is a sub-discipline of cultural anthropology. Those engaged in ethnographic research are called ethnographers. While anthropology is the study of human cultures both past and present, ethnography is the study of contemporary cultures.

Emic Approach

The emic approach is understanding the perspective of an "insider." Not only do ethnographers train themselves in the emic approach, but it is becoming more common for members of a given culture to become their own ethnographers.

Etic Approach

The etic approach is the study of a culture by an unbiased "outsider." Modern anthropology questions whether anyone can be a completely unbiased observer.

Ethnographic Analogy

Ethnographic analogy is the study of past cultures through analogy with contemporary cultures. It is one of the key principles in the interpretation of the archaeological record.

Ethnographers Today

Traditionally, ethnographic research centered around non-Western and non-industrial cultures. In a modern, globally-connected world, concepts of "non-Western" and "non-industrial" are changing. Ethnographers today are also much more politically active within the cultures they study.

References

• American Ethnography Quasimonthly
• Palomar Community College

Resources

• American Ethnological Society
• Cultural Anthropology