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Library | Item Barcode | Call Number | Material Type | Item Category 1 | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Searching... | 30000010289519 | GN346 B56 2010 | Open Access Book | Book | Searching... |
Searching... | 30000010280908 | GN346 B56 2010 | Open Access Book | Book | Searching... |
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Summary
Summary
Ethnographic fieldwork is something which is often presented as mysterious and inexplicable. How do we know certain things after having done fieldwork? Are we sure we know? And what exactly do we know? This book describes ethnographic fieldwork as the gradual accumulation of knowledge about something you don't know much about. We start from ignorance and gradually move towards knowledge, on the basis of practices for which we have theoretical and methodological motivations. Jan Blommaert and Dong Jie draw on their own experiences as fieldworkers in explaining the complexities of ethnographic fieldwork as a knowledge trajectory. They do so in an easily accessible way that makes these complexities easier to understand and to handle before, during and after fieldwork.
Author Notes
Jan Blommaert is Professor of Language, Culture and Globalization at Tilburg University, where he is also the director of the Babylon Center. His publications include Language Ideological Debates (1999), Discourse: A Critical Introduction (2005), Grassroots Literacy (2008) and The Sociolinguistics of Globalization (2010).
Dong Jie completed her PhD at Tilburg University in 2009, her dissertation was about the practices of identity construction of Chinese internal migrants in Beijing. She is a postdoctoral fellow at the Babylon Center and the Department of Languages and Cultures, Tilburg University.
Reviews 1
Choice Review
A useful addition to the literature on the methodology of ethnographic fieldwork, this slim, somewhat pricy volume covers the nuts and bolts of fieldwork--from how to conduct interviews to what types of data to collect (everything, especially in the beginning)--while rooting best practices in the theoretical foundation of ethnography as analytical science. Preceded by a brief introduction and discussion of theory, criticism, and the complexities of ethnography, the bulk of the volume is divided into the three sequences of the fieldwork process: "Prior to Fieldwork," "In the Field," and "After Fieldwork." The authors (both, Tilburg Univ.) describe the development of a research plan and provide pragmatic suggestions (e.g., have a backup recording device; keep up with transcribing interviews and organizing field notes). Both are sociolinguists and anthropological linguists, which may account for a significant limitation of this book. Most anecdotes and examples come from that perspective. The book would be even more useful if examples from sociocultural fieldwork experiences and data analysis other than the linguistic were provided. Chapters conclude with detailed notes, providing valuable information and suggestions for further reading. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-level undergraduates and above. M. Cedar Face Southern Oregon University
