Ethnography as Methods of Anthropology

Introduction

Anthropology has been understood as an ‘eclectic discipline with regards of methods’ according to Bernard and Gravlee's statement (2004, p. 8). The increasing reach that anthropology has on human sciences, after anthropologists decided to develop an exponentially growing range of social research methods and procedures, is due to anthropology's capability of adapting to almost any context and situation. This adaptability has allowed this science to explain the origins of several human manifestations and collective thoughts such as religion, politics, economy, and it even delves into the most biological aspect of science by explaining the steps of evolution.

Ethnography as a Method of Anthropology

One of the vastest concepts that anthropology develops is culture in all its complexity. In fact, anthropology has adapted and dived into the studies of different cultures to the extent that it also developed an approach known as “cultural anthropology.” This approach studies, through a holistic focus, the human being in which “the everything” (all elements implied into the full context of the phenomenon) provides an explanation of the behavior of all the elements that come together to form the intricate fabric that culture itself is.

Although anthropology might not be considered a “rocket science” like math or physics, it uses several methods for measuring and collecting data that allow an approximation of the phenomenon being studied. Ethnography is one of these methods on which anthropology relies to study societies and civilizations. This is how researchers learn the way of living of a concrete society or social group by using tools such as participant observation or interviews to document and file all data.

Ethnography approaches the phenomenon or the study objective with the aim of interpreting and comprehending a reality that interacts with a wider context. Its purpose is more focused on obtaining knowledge and theoretical approaches rather than solving practical issues. All information obtained is taken into consideration; to understand how the subjects act, talk, and think, it is important to consider verbal and non-verbal information. This also leads to the comprehension of their understanding of the world and the events, the “happening” (technically, it is the performance that researchers aim to understand). An ethnographic study gathers only the global or collective vision of the social context being studied.

Defining Culture

Once we know how anthropology approaches culture(s) and human manifestations and we know (at least) one of its methods, we might approximate a definition for culture. However, defining culture isn’t an easy matter since many authors and researchers have taken specific theoretical positions based on their studies, research, and experiences (which might also be attached to personal biases). Nevertheless, there are many convergent factors among all these concepts and definitions proposed by these authors.

One of the first to set a definition of culture was Tylor (1871). His definition sets the bases for what we know as “folklore” (the knowledge of the folk), which includes all manifestations that result from the cultural movement such as belief systems, religions, artistic expressions, morals, laws, social orders, and other habits and capabilities acquired by humans as part of their society.

Franz Boas (1938) and Malinowski (1941) proposed very similar aspects in the conception of culture by explaining culture as a social manifestation that starts as an individual idea or philosophy that later resonates with others to become a movement with codes previously agreed upon and accepted by all peers to coexist and maintain practices that keep this movement or human manifestation alive. They also mention the capability that culture(s) have to shape-shift, modify, and adapt in order to survive, referring to Tylor’s prior theory which happens to surpass and not conflict with the evolution theory.

Conclusion

We might understand culture, as aforementioned, as a human manifestation that involves several philosophies and activities. Since it also evolves and adapts, should we consider or comprehend culture as a “being” itself? Since it, somehow, needs to be fed and maintained to stay alive; otherwise, it would stagnate, mummify, and consequently disappear. This perspective opens up new avenues for the exploration of culture, not just as a static entity but as a dynamic force that shapes and is shaped by human interaction.

References

• Bernard, H. R., & Gravlee, C. C. (2004). Handbook of Methods in Cultural Anthropology. Rowman Altamira.
• Boas, F. (1938). The Mind of Primitive Man. Macmillan.
• Malinowski, B. (1941). A Scientific Theory of Culture and Other Essays. University of North Carolina Press.
• Tylor, E. B. (1871). Primitive Culture: Researches Into the Development of Mythology, Philosophy, Religion, Language, Art, and Custom. John Murray.