Doing Critical Ethnography

by Jim Thomas

In this volume, Thomas unites two traditions in social science - critical theory and qualitative research - in an attempt to apply a critical worldview to the conventional logic of cultural inquiry. Rather than standing in opposition to traditional ethnography, it offers a style of considering the direct relationship between knowledge, society, and political action. Thomas addresses the question: If the duty of the researcher entails the righting of social wrongs as well as producing valid research results, how is it possible to juxtapose the two goals? He defines the rules and guidelines for a praxis-oriented ethnographic tradition, one both ideologically engaged and scientifically valid. In addition, he outlines the various types of critical ethnography, explaining the tenets of each and how research can be carried out under these frameworks.

96 pages, Paperback

First published November 19, 1992

About the author

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Reviews

[Kathrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Resistance entails wildness. An appeal to our wild side invokes a call to reject inhibitions imposed by assumed meanings and to cultivate in their place the fiercely passionate and undomesticated side of our scholarly nature that challenges preconceived ideas...If, as Karl Marx says, we constantly make up domineering false conceptions about ourselves, about what we are, and about what we ought to be and then bow down before our creations, we therefore live in a partially illusory world. 'Intellectual wilding' is resisting domestication by identifying these illusions and questioning their necessity" (p. 7).
This is the most liberated voice I've read in scholarship. What is the point of research if it doesn't lead us to freedom from existing forms of cultural domination?

[Elora Orazio · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Thomas outlines the qualitative approach of Critical Ethnography by using history, examples from his own research, and generalizations. This book has plenty of useful advice for those early in their experience of qualitative research. However, the message also gets muddled in unnecessarily complicated language, despite advice within the book to keep communication of findings simple and straightforward. Overall, this book is perfectly ok and will provide some helpful insights to approaching research if you dig deep enough to find them.

[Amy Isham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am reading this for work and it's the clearest and least esoteric qualitative methods book I have read. It's short, pithy and beautifully written. Critical ethnography arises out of critical theory and ethnography as a subset of anthropology. It's helpful for me as someone moving from a more positivist tradition into managing the subjectivity that is interview based research.

[Blaze-Pascal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a handy little book that I will use as I write my thesis. Some good tips and tricks and traps to avoid when doing research. Remember not to only speak to those who already know.