Long-term ethnography aims to study cultures over extended periods of time through repeated fieldwork. This allows researchers to document changes within cultures and understand how circumstances influence cultural evolution. Prior ethnographic studies have typically only provided a single perspective; long-term ethnography allows obtaining secondary opinions to address biases, anomalies, or neglected areas from the first study. The objectives of long-term ethnography are to analyze cultural changes over time, study the impacts of internal and external influences, and provide alternative viewpoints through diverse research teams or methodologies.
Ethnography is a qualitative research method that seeks to understBetseyCalderon89
Ethnography is a qualitative research method that seeks to understand cultural phenomena that reflect the knowledge and meanings that guide the life of cultural groups within their own environment. While the origins of ethnography lie in the socio-cultural anthropology of the nineteenth century, it is now widely used in sociology, communications studies, educational and medical research, and history – subjects where the intention is to study people, ethnic groups and cultures. However, ethnography remains a contested and, in the view of Jordan and Yeomans (1995), an often loosely used term. Hammersley and Atkinson (2007: 1) see ethnography as
… a particular method or sets of methods. In its most characteristic form it involves the ethnographer participating, overtly or covertly, in people’s lives for an extended period of time, watching what happens, listening to what is said, asking questions.
For Willis and Trondman (2000: 5) it is
... a family of methods involving sustained social contact with agents, and richly writing up the encounter, respecting, recording, representing at least partly in its own terms, the irreducibility of human experience.
Ethnographers, then, as participant observers, look at and record people’s way of life and take an emic (folk or inside) and etic (analytic or outside) approach to describing communities and cultures. The research is carried out in natural settings and is sympathetic to those settings. Traditionally those involved in ethnographic research spend long periods of time in the place of study, and are able to produce thick written cultural descriptions that communicate the information found in the field, or, in the words of Fetterman (2010: 1), ‘a credible, rigorous and authentic story’. While in the past, ethnographers may have travelled to distant places to study ‘exotic’ tribes or groups, contemporary ethnography can concern itself with more mundane locations such as shopping malls, libraries, parks, workplaces, households, communities, cities and even information systems and cyberspace.
Ethnographic accounts seek to be both descriptive and interpretive. Description is important because a high level of detail is essential. Interpretation is equally important because the ethnographer must determine the significance of what s/he observes. Ethnographic research typically employs three kinds of data collection methods, namely observation, interviews and documents, often employing all three methods in a single study. These in turn produce three kinds of data: quotations, descriptions and excerpts of documents. The aim of ethnographic research is to produce narrative descriptions that help to tell ‘the story’ (Hammersley, 1990). Ethnographic methods can help in the development of constructs, themes or variables, but ethnography is also used to test theory. Indeed no study, ethnographic or otherwise, can be conducted without recourse to theory whether scholarly or personal (Fetterman, 2010).
Image 17.1 The o ...
Ethnography is a qualitative research method that seeks to understBetseyCalderon89
Ethnography is a qualitative research method that seeks to understand cultural phenomena that reflect the knowledge and meanings that guide the life of cultural groups within their own environment. While the origins of ethnography lie in the socio-cultural anthropology of the nineteenth century, it is now widely used in sociology, communications studies, educational and medical research, and history – subjects where the intention is to study people, ethnic groups and cultures. However, ethnography remains a contested and, in the view of Jordan and Yeomans (1995), an often loosely used term. Hammersley and Atkinson (2007: 1) see ethnography as
… a particular method or sets of methods. In its most characteristic form it involves the ethnographer participating, overtly or covertly, in people’s lives for an extended period of time, watching what happens, listening to what is said, asking questions.
For Willis and Trondman (2000: 5) it is
... a family of methods involving sustained social contact with agents, and richly writing up the encounter, respecting, recording, representing at least partly in its own terms, the irreducibility of human experience.
Ethnographers, then, as participant observers, look at and record people’s way of life and take an emic (folk or inside) and etic (analytic or outside) approach to describing communities and cultures. The research is carried out in natural settings and is sympathetic to those settings. Traditionally those involved in ethnographic research spend long periods of time in the place of study, and are able to produce thick written cultural descriptions that communicate the information found in the field, or, in the words of Fetterman (2010: 1), ‘a credible, rigorous and authentic story’. While in the past, ethnographers may have travelled to distant places to study ‘exotic’ tribes or groups, contemporary ethnography can concern itself with more mundane locations such as shopping malls, libraries, parks, workplaces, households, communities, cities and even information systems and cyberspace.
Ethnographic accounts seek to be both descriptive and interpretive. Description is important because a high level of detail is essential. Interpretation is equally important because the ethnographer must determine the significance of what s/he observes. Ethnographic research typically employs three kinds of data collection methods, namely observation, interviews and documents, often employing all three methods in a single study. These in turn produce three kinds of data: quotations, descriptions and excerpts of documents. The aim of ethnographic research is to produce narrative descriptions that help to tell ‘the story’ (Hammersley, 1990). Ethnographic methods can help in the development of constructs, themes or variables, but ethnography is also used to test theory. Indeed no study, ethnographic or otherwise, can be conducted without recourse to theory whether scholarly or personal (Fetterman, 2010).
Image 17.1 The o ...
Sujay theories of cultural change final final final final finalSujay Rao Mandavilli
This paper articulates new perspectives and integrates existing frameworks on cultural change from the point of view of Twenty-first century anthropology. This paper also identifies the key drivers of cultural change across epochs and investigates the mechanics of cultural change, and our proposed approaches towards cultural change (characterized by Activism which we believe is an adjunct for the globalisation of the field) are intertwined with our core philosophy of Neo-centrism which is intended to be used in a wide variety of domains. The approaches that we adumbrate, bear some resemblance to ‘The Theory of Linguistic Osmosis’ as propounded in an earlier paper, may be referred to as ‘Cultural Osmosis’, and as such are opposed to more simplistic theories of Cultural Change. We refer to this approach as the “Proactive-interactive-symbiotic approach to long-term cultural change”. This eventually leads to what cultural anthropologists refer to Cultural integration in some form with different cultures retaining their own characteristics. The ethics and the pros and cons of activism are also explored, along with their role in ensuring the long-term survivability of civilization, their ability to foster cultural symbiosis, and extirpate other outmoded approaches. This paper also introduces concepts such as Manumittology and Manumittonomics as a part of the Neo-centrist framework, and the ‘Theory of Mindspace’ as well. These approaches are expected to integrate with Applied Anthropology and Developmental Anthropology take them to greater heights.
I have compiled these notes from different resources. I am hopeful that these notes will help students who are willing to grab information on this subject for civil services exams or university exams. Good Luck
Sujay theories of cultural change final final final final finalSujay Rao Mandavilli
This paper articulates new perspectives and integrates existing frameworks on cultural change from the point of view of Twenty-first century anthropology. This paper also identifies the key drivers of cultural change across epochs and investigates the mechanics of cultural change, and our proposed approaches towards cultural change (characterized by Activism which we believe is an adjunct for the globalisation of the field) are intertwined with our core philosophy of Neo-centrism which is intended to be used in a wide variety of domains. The approaches that we adumbrate, bear some resemblance to ‘The Theory of Linguistic Osmosis’ as propounded in an earlier paper, may be referred to as ‘Cultural Osmosis’, and as such are opposed to more simplistic theories of Cultural Change. We refer to this approach as the “Proactive-interactive-symbiotic approach to long-term cultural change”. This eventually leads to what cultural anthropologists refer to Cultural integration in some form with different cultures retaining their own characteristics. The ethics and the pros and cons of activism are also explored, along with their role in ensuring the long-term survivability of civilization, their ability to foster cultural symbiosis, and extirpate other outmoded approaches. This paper also introduces concepts such as Manumittology and Manumittonomics as a part of the Neo-centrist framework, and the ‘Theory of Mindspace’ as well. These approaches are expected to integrate with Applied Anthropology and Developmental Anthropology take them to greater heights.
I have compiled these notes from different resources. I am hopeful that these notes will help students who are willing to grab information on this subject for civil services exams or university exams. Good Luck
Making India a scientific and intellectual powerhouse FINAL FINAL FINAL.pdfSujay Rao Mandavilli
Humans have let their creative juices flow since early times; the invention of fire, proto-writing, pottery,
arts and crafts, agriculture and metal-making would bear ample testimony to this. Among early
contributions to science and technology, the contributions made by early Mesopotamians are highly
impressive. They made stellar contributions to metal-working, glass and lamp making, architecture, the
production of textiles and weaving, flood control, water storage and irrigation. They also invented the
earliest form of true writing, namely Cuneiform in the middle of the fourth millennium before Christ.
Writing was usually mastered by scribes who were small in number in relation to the total population,
and was composed on clay tablets. The Epic of Gilgamesh is among the world’s earliest literature, and is
attributed to ancient Mesopotamia. Libraries are also believed to have existed in Ancient Mesopotamia.
Mesopotamians made stellar contributions to mathematics, map making, medicine and astronomy too,
though true intellectualism in the modern sense of the term probably did not exist then....
Sujay Religion in the twenty-first century and beyond FINAL FINAL FINAL.pdfSujay Rao Mandavilli
The term "Religion" refers to a wide range of social-cultural systems, which include beliefs, morals,
ethics, religious practices, thought worlds, worldviews, holy texts and scriptures, sanctified holy
places, and institutions that typically relate to the general belief in a God or a supernatural entity.
Religion has been known in a wide variety of geographical contexts and situations, and attested since
very early times; as a matter of fact, even before the dawn of human civilization. As a matter of fact,
there have been very few known human societies without some form of an organized or an informal
religion. In the past few centuries, technology has progressed at a rapid pace, and at a rate that
would have been unimaginable just two centuries ago. Many pundits predicted that the role played
by religion in society would invariably and inevitably diminish; alas, such prophecies have not come
to pass. Religion, and the role played by it in society, remains as deeply entrenched as ever before. As
a matter of fact, globalization has unleashed a clash of civilizations, and has brought different and
widely differing ideologies into direct contact with each other, often unleashing waves of terror. In
the wide array and assortment of papers that we have been publishing over the years, we have
introduced many different concepts that we believe can greatly help in understanding the role
religion plays in relation to society. Readers can easily reference these papers. In this paper, we
attempt to take our endeavours to a much higher level, to analyse how the beneficial aspects of
religion can be magnified and amplified, and the negative implications of religion curtailed. We also
lay out the contours of social science research that can effectively tackle the menace of religious
fanaticism and hatred, and draw out a road map and a course of action other researchers and
scholars can easily relate to.
Rebooting Pedagogy and Education systems for the Twenty-first Century: Why ...Sujay Rao Mandavilli
Education is the fundamental pillar upon which any human civilization rests. As a matter of fact, no civilization in any meaningful form or degree has been possible in human history that has not been built on the bulwark and edifice of education. While literacy may have been limited to the privileged few in early ancient civilizations, it was these privileged few who controlled the masses and set the tempo for meaningful progress in such civilizations; educational systems have proven to be the
bedrock and foundational pillar upon which much of human accomplishment and achievement have rested, too. In spite of the naysayers, the cynics and the pessimists, education has expanded greatly in the twentieth century; while the worlds’ earliest civilizations were not western in the canonical sense of the term, there is no denying that western civilizations have pulled away strongly since then. Riding on the shoulders on ancient Greece, western intellectualism has been the bulwark upon which the superstructure of modern civilization has been built. Even as recently as the middle of the twentieth
century, the rest of the world (as opposed to the west) had a lot of catching up to do.
Thankfully and mercifully, a lot has changed since then. India in the 1950’s and 1960’s emphasized higher education but neglected universal primary education as evidenced by low primary school enrollments, and a high rate of dropouts. Since then, programs and schemes such as the Sarva Siksha
Abhiyan or education for all programs have increased primary school enrollment considerably; India now comfortably stands on the threshold of universal adult literacy. While the quantity of education has been augmented, quality has often failed to keep pace. The tenets and the essential doctrines forming a part and parcel of the foundational pillars of pedagogy and education are antiquated and are still steeped in the western experience. What is worse is that is very little awareness on the issue
of the need for change; this must be the foundation of all meaningful change, but alas, that foundation has yet to be built. In this book, we draw upon our long list of papers on the social science, particularly
anthropological pedagogy and the sociology of science, and propose the direction we believe
pedagogy must take in the twenty first century. This can be no one man army; we invite other scholars to contribute in eminent measure. We also believe that this i.e., a foundational assessment of the
concepts of pedagogy must become one of the more important and vital movements of the twenty-first century.
This work is also at the heart of our globalization of science movement as many, if not most concepts in various fields of the social science are based on old and archaic western-centric paradigms. There is
also an unnatural gap between various fields of social sciences and the non-social sciences too, just as careerism is rampant across disciplines and what we called ....
Sujay Rethinking Journal classification FINAL FINAL FINAL.pdfSujay Rao Mandavilli
In this paper, we challenge Jeffrey Beall’s still dominant in the psyche approach to journal classification
and some other ill-conceived approaches to journal classification, and attempt to show why such
reductionist views are harmful to the healthy growth of science. While scientific fraud in any form must
be horsewhipped and must not be exonerated or absolved at any cost and under any circumstances,
journal classification and all other attendant issues and factors impacting and affecting science and
healthy scientific progress must be taken in all the seriousness they deserve and merit, and must be
assessed holistically and comprehensively. The scholars’ and the researchers’ point of view must also be
taken into account and consideration at all times, and they must be asked to provide a reasonable and an
elaborate justification and validation for all their actions including justifications for their publications in
less prominent or less prestigious journals. We also propose an alternative approach to journal
classification and ranking, but as no one researcher may be able to think through all the factors impacting
and affecting the issue comprehensively enough, we invite other interested and concerned scholars,
authors, scientists, researchers and educators to contribute more meaningfully to the benefit of the entire
process.
Hadj Ounis's most notable work is his sculpture titled "Metamorphosis." This piece showcases Ounis's mastery of form and texture, as he seamlessly combines metal and wood to create a dynamic and visually striking composition. The juxtaposition of the two materials creates a sense of tension and harmony, inviting viewers to contemplate the relationship between nature and industry.
Fashionista Chic Couture Maze & Coloring Adventures is a coloring and activity book filled with many maze games and coloring activities designed to delight and engage young fashion enthusiasts. Each page offers a unique blend of fashion-themed mazes and stylish illustrations to color, inspiring creativity and problem-solving skills in children.
Boudoir photography, a genre that captures intimate and sensual images of individuals, has experienced significant transformation over the years, particularly in New York City (NYC). Known for its diversity and vibrant arts scene, NYC has been a hub for the evolution of various art forms, including boudoir photography. This article delves into the historical background, cultural significance, technological advancements, and the contemporary landscape of boudoir photography in NYC.
This document announces the winners of the 2024 Youth Poster Contest organized by MATFORCE. It lists the grand prize and age category winners for grades K-6, 7-12, and individual age groups from 5 years old to 18 years old.
This tutorial offers a step-by-step guide on how to effectively use Pinterest. It covers the basics such as account creation and navigation, as well as advanced techniques including creating eye-catching pins and optimizing your profile. The tutorial also explores collaboration and networking on the platform. With visual illustrations and clear instructions, this tutorial will equip you with the skills to navigate Pinterest confidently and achieve your goals.
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Sujay Long-term Ethnography FINAL FINAL FINAL.pdf
1. Introducing Long-term Ethnography: Positioning
Long-term Ethnography as a valuable tool for long-
term Ethnographic research
Published in IJISRT Volume 7 Issue 7 July 2022
Sujay Rao Mandavilli
Abstract
Trends in Ethnography have changed over the years, and just as in the initial years, fieldwork and the
Participant Observation method replaced armchair ethnography, shorter-duration in locales close to the
Ethnographer’s residence have come into vogue. Ethnographic studies have traditionally been long,
stretching for durations of twenty-four months or more, and in exotic faraway locations driven by a
desire to study exotic cultures. Bronislaw Malinowski’s study of Trobriand Islands spanned several years
and the ethnographer stayed with his subject for extended durations. Radcliffe Brown likewise spent a
considerable amount of time in the Andaman Islands studying his subjects in great detail, just like
Margaret Mead did in Samoa, studying adolescence and puberty. Of late, shorter ethnographic studies
have become commonplace and in urban settings closer to the Ethnographer’s residence. In some cases,
the same subject has been studied more than once by different Ethnographers. Of late, the research
dimension of ethnography is being emphasized along with its use in problem solving. In a previous paper
we recommended that ethnography be used in Economics and economic theory formulation,
complementing its use in Developmental studies. However, long-term ethnography which is a planned
long-term study using the same or different teams (often combined with Critical ethnography and other
techniques) can up the ante a little more, and take it towards the fulfilment of its objectives.
2. Introduction
To put it in simple terms, ethnography a branch of Anthropology, is the systematic description of a
culture through the medium of intensive and extensive fieldwork. In a loose and in a broad sense, the
goal of ethnography is to provide a detailed, in-depth account of the day-to-day living, habits and
customs of a group of people in a natural setting. It is a chiefly qualitative study, (only sometimes using
quantitative techniques) combining both descriptive and analytical methods. Sometimes, interviews,
questionnaires and visual recording may be incorporated as a part of the study, along with the use of
multiple methods in an approach known as ’Data triangulation’. (Powdermaker (1961), (Lewis (1961) It is
one of the most important branches of social research. It typically examines the behaviour of the
participants in a given social situation and understands the group members' own interpretation of such
behaviour. The term ‘Ethnography’ is a combination of two Greek words, namely ‘ethnos’ which means
‘folk’ or ‘peoples’ and ‘grapho’ which means ‘to write’. However, the Greek term ‘ethnographia’ was
first introduced by Johann Friedrich Schopperlin and the German variant was introduced by A F Thilo the
year 1767. August Ludwig von Schlozer then introduced this term into academia, albeit in a historical
context. Thus, Ethnography is a detailed narrative of communities and their way of life in order to
generate useful knowledge, and may also be described as a ‘portrait of a people’. Ethnography also
involves an interaction with the communities being researched, and is carried out in a wholly natural
and not in an experimental or an artificial context or setting. 1 2
Ethnography as a distinct discipline is traceable to the Ethnologist Gerhard Friedrich Muller during the
Second Kamchatka expedition that took place between the years 1733 and 1743. However, the next
century and a half would see expeditions being made to different parts of the world, a trend riding
piggy-back on colonialism. A common definition of the term Ethnography is “The term Ethnography
commonly refers to a systematic study of different peoples and cultures. It may be defined as the study
of people in naturally occurring settings or ‘fields’ using methods which capture their social meanings
and ordinary activities, involving the researcher participating directly in the setting, if not also the
activities, with a view to collecting data in a systematic manner but without being imposed on them
externally.” According to another definition given by researchers Hammersley and Atkinson in 2007,
“Ethnography usually involves the Ethnographer participating covertly or overtly in people’s daily lives
for an extended period of time, watching what happens, listening to what is being said, and asking
questions by means of formal and informal interviews, collecting documents and artefacts, and
whatever other data is available, to throw light on the issues that are the emerging focus of enquiry.” 3
1
Presenting the ‘Structured and Annotated Participantdriven Appraisal’ technique in Ethnography: Towards the
universal realization of Multivocality in Ethnographic studies Sujay Rao Mandavilli ELK's International Journal of
Social Science Vol 4, Number 4, 2018
2
Ethnography John D. Brewer, Oxford University Press, 2000
3
What is Ethnography? Methodological, Ontological, and Epistemological Attributes, Tony L. Whitehead,
Department of Anthropology University of Maryland
3. Among the most distinguished ethnographers was Malinowski. His methodologies set the tone for a
century to come. He is widely credited with having developed the ’Participant observation technique’.
The term was first coined in the year 1924 by E C Lindeman and was identified as a fieldwork technique
by Clyde Kluckhohn in 1940) which involved the Ethnographer spending lengthy periods of time with
subjects either in a central or a peripheral role, and maintaining fieldnotes. He rightly argued that the
various aspects in the life of people were all intertwined. Malinowski also stressed on fieldwork as the
primary way of data gathering in Anthropology, and effectively relegated EB Tylor’s Armchair
Anthropology to the background. According to Malinowski (1922:6), a cultural anthropologist “must
possess real scientific aims and know the values and criteria of modern ethnography … he must apply a
number of special methods of collecting, manipulating and fixing his evidence”. Malinowski established
participant observation as an important technique of fieldwork. Apart from Malinowski, we can also
mention A.R. Radcliffe–Brown who did exemplary fieldwork in the Andaman Islands in British India,
Father Joseph Lafitau who studied the Mohawks, and Edmund Leach who worked in Burma. The
Participant Observation method dominated Ethnography for three-quarters of a century, though
sometimes other methods such as fieldwork from a distance were less commonly used by
ethnographers such as Ruth Benedict. 4
Ethnography is a holistic study and may include in some cases, a history (There was a school of thought
led by Franz Boas which emphasized Historical Particularism), and an analysis of the habitat, the terrain,
and the climate of the subjects being studied. Different groups have been studied through ethnography,
including communities, gangs, cults, and organizations of various kinds, though ethnic groups have
traditionally been studied in most cases. Ethnography is an integral part of the social sciences, and the
field is to the social scientist what the laboratory is to the physicist, chemist or biologist. 5 6
Another key feature of Ethnography is that emphasizes not only on Participant Observation but also on
relationship building with subjects. (Gupta and Ferguson (1997)). According to Bernard and Spencer
(1996), the word Ethnography has two distinct meanings namely, Ethnography as product (Ethnographic
writings, which forms the end product) and Ethnography as process (Participant observation or
fieldwork which is the process towards the end). Thus, according to Agar (1980:2): ”Ethnography is an
ambiguous term, representing both a process and a product.” Thus, the product depends on the
process, though this can by no means be represented in a simple linear relationship. According to the
Macmillan’s dictionary of Anthropology (1986), “Ethnographic studies combine descriptive and
analytical elements but are centered on a specific culture or society and consider theoretical or
comparative generalization from the standpoint of the ethnographic example.” Thus, generation of the
final report and its use in knowledge building (and nomothetic rule building) has always formed an
4
What Makes School Ethnography ‘Ethnographic’? Frederick Erickson Michigan State University, Erickson,
Frederick (1984). Anthropology and Education Quarterly, Vol. 15, 51-66
5
Ethnography: A way of seeing, Harry F. Woclott, University of Oregon, Altmira Press 2008
6
Handbook of Ethnography Edited by Paul Atkinson, Amand Coffey, Sara Delamont, John Lofland and Lyn Lofland
2001, Sage Publications Limited
4. important part of Ethnography. Ethnography is moulded by Ethnographic theory, and can also be used
to create new ethnographic theory and frameworks.7891011
Ethnography can give a much-needed voice to suppressed people. Seeing issues from the participant’s
point of view is called an emic view, while seeing things from a researcher’s point of view is called an
etic perspective. The Doctrine of Positivism states that all information can be obtained from sensory
experience. Ethnography must be rigorous and systematic but the Ethnographer must avoid dogma.
Ethnography begins before the fieldwork commences as the ethnographer does a preliminary study, but
it continues after the fieldwork ends as the ethnographer analyses the data and writes the ethnography,
and sometimes theorizing about the people. Ethnography can either be holistic covering as many facets
of the culture as possible, or it can analyse only one aspect in detail. It is often multi-sited, covering
more than one site. Ethics are also a much-debated topic, and form an integral part of ethnography and
research considerations. Researchers are expected to be bias-free, keeping their ideologies aside, but
this may sometimes not happen.
Even though many studies claim to be objective, they are seldom bias free, and formulating systemic
bias-free approaches may become one of the priorities of Twenty-first century Ethnography, as the
world becomes rapidly globalized, and there is less and less tolerance for Eurocentrism. Cultural
Relativism is the idea that a person’s beliefs and values should be understood in the context of that
person’s culture, and should not be clouded by a third party’s perceptions. Another emerging field is
Critical Ethnography which focuses on biases that can arise from Ethnography, and this field applies
reflexive inquiry and critical theory too. Critical Ethnography also provides a subversive worldview and
seeks to critique culture and cultural research. It seeks to expose hidden agendas and upturn deep-
rooted biases and long-held assumptions. Subaltern studies which evolved in various other contexts
such as historiography are used in Ethnography as well. This field of study interfaces subaltern studies
and post-colonial studies, including a post-colonial critique of Anthropology along with a study of
oppressive power structures. Examples of this have included feminist Ethnography. (Thomas 1993)
However, the Author’s perspective is that a strong Eurocentric bias remains well into the twenty-first
century. The focus must also change from intellectual curiosity of alien cultures to a genuine desire to
help cultures attain progress through self-effort and self-defined direction. This has only been partly
realized through the medium of Applied Anthropology and Developmental Anthropology, as
participation from developing countries is often lacking. Though Indian and other Ethnographers such as
Sarat Chandra Roy, G S Ghurye and M N Srinivas have often done brilliant research, it still largely
confirms to the Western mould, and global systems of domination. However, there are Ethnographies
highlighting cultural differences by highlighting interactions with people from varied cultures and these
have included Vincent Crapanzano’s, Tuhami: Portrait of Moroccan (published in 1980) and Marjorie
Shostak’s, Nisa: The Life and Words of a Kung Woman (published in 1981) Post-modernist thought which
7
Ethnography: Step by step Third Edition David M. Fettermann Sage Publications, 2010
8
Ethnographic Methods, Second Edition, Karl O’Reilly, Routledge, 2012
9
Ethnography: Principles in practice 3rd Edition, Paul Atkinson and Martyn Hammersley Routledge, 2007
10
9 Being Ethnographic: A guide to the theory and practice of Ethnography Raymond Madden Second Edition
11
10 Cultural Anthropology: Appreciating Cultural Diversity Fifteenth Edition Conrad Phillip Kottak McGraw Hill,
2013
5. evolved from the thoughts of Clifford Geertz and other thinkers from the 1960’s likewise argues that is
one truth, and that the perception of truth varies widely from observer to observer. Practicing
Anthropology and Action Anthropology have likewise aimed to make the lives of people better, but we
have only scratched the tip of the iceberg yet.
There is however no well spelt out guide for long-term ethnography; hence this work. Although some
commendable works have been done including Raymond Firth’s method of dual synchronic study to
document the changes that took place in Tikopia society over a period of twenty years, this kind of an
approach remains the exception rather than the rule. Some Ethnographers have tried to study a similar
topic across diverse societies. Margaret Mead a student of Franz Boas, studied adolescence and puberty
in her monograph Coming of Age in Samoa which was published in 1949. After studying Samoan society,
Mead studied the personality formation of the children of New Guinea particularly the Manus tribe,
which was published as-“Growing up in New Guinea” in 1930. The third important book of Mead is titled
“Sex and Temperament in Three Primitive Societies” published in 1935. In this study Mead deals with
the impact of culture on personality formation in three different cultures, i.e., Arapesh, Mundugumor
and Tschambuli, to study different cultural patterns. In some cases, a similar topic has been studied by
multiple Ethnographers across diverse societies. For example, the kinship among the Tallensi has been
studied by Meyer Fortes, and among the Americans by David Schneider. Often, studies on similar
subjects have been carried out by Ethnographers among related peoples. The extensive study carried
out among the Gonds by Fürer- Haimendorf, came on the heels of an earlier study by Grigson and
Verrier Elwin. Although Grigson’s and Elwin’s monographs dealt with the Gonds of Bastar, no accounts
existed on the Raj Gonds, and this led to Fürer-Haimendorf investigating them. In some cases, the same
subject has been studied more than once by different ethnographers. Bronislaw Malinowski, a British
Social Anthropologist, studied the Trobriand Islanders or Trobrianders of Papua New Guinea and his
results were published in the important path-breaking work “Argonauts of the Western Pacific: An
Account of Native Enterprise and Adventure in the Archipelagoes of Melanesian New Guinea”, and his
study was published in the year 1922. These islanders were studied again by Annette B. Weiner and the
results were published in 1988. Weiner’s work too followed the Participant Observation method but
focused on areas neglected by Malinowski and studied the topic more from a feminist perspective. 12
Objectives of long-term ethnography
The following are the objectives of long-term Ethnography.
1. To study changes over time: One of the core objectives of long-term Ethnography is to study and
document changes that have taken place in a culture or society over a period in time, and
quantify the impact these changes have on other aspects of study. This may also be combined
with econoethnography in Anthropological Economics, and can be a valuable tool in policy-
making. It can also be an aid in developmental ethnography.
12
Introducing Anthropological Economics: The quest for an Anthropological basis for Economic theory, growth
models and policy development for wealth and human welfare maximization Sujay Rao Mandavilli ELK Asia Pacific
Journal of Social Sciences Volume 6, Issue 3 (April –June 2020)
6. 2. To study changes under different circumstances: If the changes that have taken place can be
attributed to an internal or external cause, these are identified and suitably highlighted. Thus, a
proper causal analysis is accomplished.
3. To obtain a second opinion: In some cases, the research group may wish to obtain a second
opinion on a particular facet of study. A second or a third study may be carried out only for this
reason.
4. To obtain a different cultural perspective: In some cases, the research group may wish to obtain
a different cultural perspective by engaging ethnographers of a different cultural orientation, so
as to set right anomalies in an earlier study, along with suspected cultural biases.
5. To obtain a second opinion in general: A second opinion may be sought for some reason in
general, to set right anomalies detected, or cover areas neglected in the previous study.
6. To change perspective from emic to etic or vice versa, in case one of the two approaches was
exclusively or predominantly adopted in the previous study.
7. To remediate earlier study by re-examining neglected areas: Neglected areas of study can be
studied in the new study to accomplish a holistic perspective.
8. To continue study with a different objective or from a different perspective: The study can be
continued with a different objective or from a different perspective.
9. To continue study which was aborted due to some reason: In this case, the study which was
aborted due to some reason such as time considerations, cost considerations, or other ground
realities can be continued.
10. If any cultural stereotypes were propagated in the earlier study (and variations not captured)
rendering it limited or flawed, they can be negated in the new study.
Weaknesses of current approaches
The following are the weaknesses of current approaches.
1. No long-term orientation in current ethnographic methods: Thus, there are no formal methods
or methodologies for long-term study in Ethnography, including multiple visits by the same or
different team, even though such studies may be warranted for different purposes.
2. No handholding methods or best practices: Similarly, there are no handholding methods or best
practices for a long-term even though these may need to be developed over a period in time by
ethnographers.
Additional notes
1. Handholding must be done and hand over notes prepared. A formal handholding mechanism
must be put in place wherever feasible, and hand over notes prepared to effect a smooth
transition.
2. Summary of changes since last study was done can be prepared: This can be prepared by the
new team prior to the commencement of fieldwork.
7. 3. Similar but different sites can be chosen based on an analysis of the cultural taxonomy: For this,
one or more elements of the cultural taxonomy can be considered, and the defined range of
values taken as the basis.
Possible weaknesses of long-term ethnography and possible approaches for remediation
1. There may be changes in culture over time from the time the previous study was concluded,
some of them major, a few others minor. Remediation: To record and capture changes and the
implication of those changes in a formal way. Affected area may be re-studied, if required.
2. No proper handholding. Remediation: to prepare handover notes and a summary of unresolved
issues. This must be formally communicated to the new term, if that team is known, or to
whomsoever it may concern
3. Differing perspectives of different teams Remediation: To list out possible biases and prejudices
in studies (and the root cause of such biases and prejudices) and ulterior motives of
ethnographers involved in such studies. For example, Colonial Anthropologists may have been
unknowingly swayed by the zeitgeist of the times, and modern Anthropologists may have blindly
followed suit.
4. Absence of a long-term commitment Solution: May be tied to an institution: For example,
colonial governments and Western universities along with government or private funded
administrative initiatives have played a major role in sponsoring ethnography, and
ethnographers in turn provided valuable information or data to these governments or
institutions, often for policy-making in colonial contexts. Northcote Thomas who worked in
Nigeria in 1908, was for example, a government-appointed Anthropologist, and in countries like
India native Anthropologists were often appointed. (Forster 1969)
5. Time consuming: Such studies may be time consuming in nature. In order to remediate this,
closures may be planned and initiated where the study doesn’t require to be continued, or is
deemed irrelevant.
Conclusion
Long-term Ethnography can be of great value in research in Developmental Anthropology,
Anthropological Economics and allied fields and can yield rich dividends in the formulation of its
objectives. For this, teething problem, if any, may need to be overcome, to make endeavours smooth
and hassle-free. We therefore, look forward to theoretical contributions from other researchers in this
vital field in the days and years to come.