Ethnography

Ethnography it’s a study method used by anthropologists to describe the customs and traditions of a group, which operates in a particular sociocultural environment, is established as a relevant method of study in anthropology with authors such as Malinowski and his emphasis on participant observation, as with Radcliffe-Brown and Evans-Pritchard. And it’s a subject that interests me because I consider it one of the most useful methods for the study of different social groups or communities.

Besides it’s important because it allows us to observe the reality of the study group from their own perspective and worldview, achieving a better understanding of their identity, which is very useful to interpret and analyze the processes that occur in that group.

The application of this method depends on the focus and purposes that they want to give  it, but generally an approach is made to the study group, it’s seen and interact to varying degrees depending on the ethnographer, collecting information in the field notebook for later review and analysis, but you can also record or photograph to complement.

Moreover this method of research isn’t just for exotic or unusual study groups, it can also be used for contemporary social groups or communities within urban spaces such as social camps, malls or fairs to meet the different interactions within the group understood as part of a culture and possessing its own identity. To finish it should be mentioned that although this method of study is initiated and known in anthropology, also used in other disciplines such as sociology or psychology, also many times to make a complete ethnography requires an interdisciplinary work.