Digital Ethnography and Participatory Research

This is a blogpost written by the moderator of the guest lecture on Digital Ethnography and Participatory Research by Danielle Fuller and DeNel Rehberg Sedo.

Author: Dongyu Zhang

Digital Ethnography

Ethnography is a research method that involves the systematic study of people and cultures through direct observation and interaction. It originated in the field of anthropology but has since been adopted by various disciplines, including sociology, psychology, and communication studies. Ethnographers immerse themselves in the daily lives of the individuals or communities they study, aiming to understand their behaviors, beliefs, and social dynamics from an insider's perspective. An ethnographic study is often in general a qualitative study.

The methods of conducting ethnography typically include

1. Participant observation,

2. Interviews,

3. Naturalism,

4. Surveys, and

5. Research in archives.

In participant observation, the researcher actively engages in the community or group activities, gaining firsthand experience of their cultural practices. Interviews provide an opportunity to gather personal narratives and perspectives from individuals within the community, enriching the researcher's understanding. Additionally, ethnographers may collect artifacts, documents, or other materials that are relevant to the culture being studied.

In the digital age, ethnography has evolved to encompass the study of online communities and digital cultures. Digital ethnography involves applying traditional ethnographic methods to the virtual world. Researchers observe and participate in online spaces, such as forums, social media platforms, or virtual communities, to understand the cultural dynamics of these digital spaces. The methods employed in digital ethnography may include analyzing online conversations, studying user-generated content, and conducting virtual interviews. And it makes long-distance contacts possible, enormously expands the edge of researching.

The shift to the digital realm has brought both opportunities and challenges to ethnographic research. On the positive side, digital ethnography allows researchers to explore global and diverse communities without the constraints of geographical boundaries. It also enables the study of rapidly changing online cultures. However, challenges include issues of anonymity, ethical considerations related to online interactions, and the need to adapt traditional methods to the digital context.

In the digital age, more and more information and interactions are happening on the internet, on various of virtual spaces, which the ethnographers ought to be adept to navigate. As technology continues to shape the way people communicate and interact, ethnography remains a valuable tool for understanding the nuances of human behavior and culture, whether in face-to-face interactions or within the dynamic landscape of the digital world.

Participatory research

Unlike traditional research, where experts conduct studies “on” subjects, participatory research emphasizes working “with” participants as co-researchers. In this scenario, the researchers do not “expert” themselves in conducting activities. With this intention, the knowledge production is based on all the co-researchers instead of a certain type of people, in other words, it is a more decentralized method.

Most important is to know who to involve and how to define groups. When choosing the co-researchers, make sure the selection of participants reflects the diversity and richness of perspectives within the community. On the other hand, also taking into account the goals and objectives of the study to clearly define the boundaries of the research group.

Within the selected groups, to empower the co-researchers is the next step. Stuart and Maynard (2022, p74) define a "Power and Interest Matrix" to divide participants into four dimensions, namely, 'Powerful and interested', 'Powerful but not interested', 'No power but interested', as well as 'No power and no interest'. Power is effected by age, ethnicity, gender, and other factors. For example, if a researcher wants to conduct a student-led project, the participation of a professor might break this power dynamic. The second element is the interestedness. By selecting people with interest often brings a more efficient and positive way of during the process, for people who are interested in the topic are more likely to have some foundation of knowledge and eagerness.

Therefore, empower participants by involving them in decision-making processes related to the research design, methodology, and interpretation of findings. Foster a sense of ownership and agency among participants, allowing them to contribute actively to shaping the research agenda and outcomes. Meanwhile, pay attention to the factors that might damage the empowerment and control them.

Q&A Session

In the spirit of the topic of this lecture, here is a reflection of part of the Q&A session during the seminar that would be helpful for conducting qualitative research:

Q: Conducting qualitative research is really new to me, a simple question could be, where and how to start?

A: You do it ‘bird by bird!’ (Laughters) That’s a true story which happened to my friend who was writing a collection of different kinds of birds, and she was overwhelmed at the beginning. Instead of making a systematic and precise plan, she started to write about one bird, and in your case, one aspect of your research. Define your question, choose a method, and take it step by step. Each detail adds to the bigger picture. At the end of the day, your research will be fruitful.

Q: When we want to conduct research with the Story Circle method (participant observation + story telling + questionnaire), where is the line, between making precise research questions vs. not making presumptions and simply just go with the workflow?

A: Diving into the Story Circle method – you want some precise research questions to guide you, but don't lock yourself in the cocoon. Let the stories flow naturally. Think of it like having a roadmap– gives direction but leaves room for surprises! For instance, if you're delving into personal experiences with a technology, don't pigeonhole with, "Tell me your challenges using Instagram." Instead, open it up with, "Share your stories about using technology in your daily life."

Tips: And for the new qualitative researchers, we always suggest to start communication with emotional topics, because tapping into those emotions can open up a treasure trove of insights. It's not just a great opener; it's the key to unlocking genuine and rich conversations.

References

• Fuller, D., & Sedo, D. R. (2019). ‘Boring, frustrating, impossible’: Tracing the negative affects of reading from Interviews to Story Circles. 16(1).

• Hoey, B. A. (2014). A Simple Introduction to the Practice of Ethnography and Guide to Ethnographic Fieldnotes.

• Stuart, K., & Maynard, L. (2022). The Practitioner Guide to Participatory Research with Groups and Communities. Bristol University Press. doi:10.46692/9781447362296