User:AvitalB/thesis/research/autoethnography

Autoethnography: An Overview / Carolyn Ellis, Tony E. Adams and Arthur P. Bochner

In the 80's scholars began challenging scientific research. The understanding of a connection between author, audience and texts and therefore a complexity of stories as a meaningful phenomena that introduced moral and ethics. These helped people make sense of themselves and others. Researchers understood that subjectivity is almost impossible and that we should embrace the researcher influence on the research rather hiding it. A researcher can be influenced by an institute, personal circumstances, location, resources etc. Most conventional research methods are advocating a white, masculine, upper-middle class, christian perspective.

Autoethnography combines autobiography and ethnography.

In autobiography the author retroactively and selectively writes about past experiences. Usually there are "epiphanies", significant moments that are meaningful to write about. This feeling of significance is subjective but these experiences allows reflection on the affects of those events.

In ethnography, the researcher study cultural relational practices, common values and beliefs and shared experiences for the purpose of helping insiders and outsiders better understand the culture. By being a participant observer we take part in the cultural happening and can engage with them while drawing conclusions. Interviewing other members, observing and investigating spaces and observing artefacts like texts, movies and music are tools of research.