Membership Roles in Field Research [Paperback]

There are a range of possible roles that can be played by ethnographers in field research, from the detached observer to the the fully-fledged participant. The choice of role will affect the type of information available to the researcher and the kind of ethnography written. The authors discuss the problems and advantages at each level of involvement and give examples of modern ethnographic studies.There are a range of possible roles that can be played by ethnographers in field research, from the detached observer to the the fully-fledged participant. The choice of role will affect the type of information available to the researcher and the kind of ethnography written. The authors discuss the problems and advantages at each level of involvement and give examples of modern ethnographic studies.PART ONE: THE HISTORY AND EPISTEMOLOGY OF FIELDWORK ROLES
The Chicago School
More Radical Views on Membership
The California Sociologies of Everyday Life
Existential Sociology
The Investigative Paradigm
Ethnomethodology
Becoming the Phenomenon
Synthesis
The Critique of Traditional Field Research
Membership Roles in Field Research
PART TWO: PERIPHERAL MEMBERSHIP
The Process of Membership
Becoming a Peripheral-Member-Researcher
The Membership Experience
Disengagement
Reflections
PART THREE: ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP
The Process of Membership
Becoming an Active-Member-Researcher
The Membership Experience
Disengagement
Reflections
PART FOUR: COMPLETE MEMBERSHIP
The Process of Membership
Becoming a Complete-Member-Researcher
The Membership Experience
Disengagement
Reflections