Ethnography: Principles in Practice

Now in its third edition, this leading introduction to ethnography has been thoroughly updated and substantially rewritten. It offers a systematic introduction to ethnographic principles and practice. New material covers the use of visual and virtual research methods, hypermedia software and the issue of ethical regulation. There is also a new prologue and epilogue.

The authors argue that ethnography is best understood as a reflexive process. What this means is that we must recognize that social research is part of the world that it studies. From an outline of the principle of reflexivity the authors go on to discuss and exemplify main features of ethnographic work, including:

• the selection and sampling of cases
• the problems of access
• observation and interviewing
• recording and filing data
• the process of data analysis and writing research reports.

Throughout, the discussion draws on a wide range of illustrative material from classic and more recent studies within a global context. The new edition of this popular textbook will be an indispensable resource for students and researchers utilizing social research methods in the social sciences and cultural studies.