In layman’s terms, the term ‘collaborative ethnography’ is used to describe the study of a culture where collaboration is emphasised and obvious. It encourages feedback and commentary from the consultants and related parties of the culture.
In the process of interviewing my father about his experiences and memories of his first television in childhood, I had to delve into his memories and explore what he had to say. The conversation and research fed off of both of us, and both of us assisted in the writing and interpretation of the conversation. The thing with this sort of approach is that result can vary drastically; for example, some people may not remember a thing, some may remember only their favourite television programs, and some may only remember large events being aired on TV. This is common with small sample sizes, and especially when it comes to people’s personal experiences, as opinions, cultural impacts and many other factors can cause different results and it’s hard to develop solid insights in the culture.
That’s not to say that the research itself isn’t important. It most definitely is! It provides you with specific and in-depth information that is far more valuable that quantitative statistics. An ethnography, by definition, is the process of immersing yourself in the research of a culture of people. And what’s better than joining the group of people you are trying to research? It allows you personal, first-hand insight into the experience, which is a privilege that cannot be measured.
josiehowl 