[Air-L] virtual ethnography

[Heidelberg, Chris]

Pearse:

I found that my training as a media researcher, a journalist and a film
producer/director was actually great training to do my ethnographic
studies. I was able to utilize everything from iPods to video cameras to
still cameras to email to blogs to post data. I was able to get releases
that combined with the IRB to protect the informants really personal
data but to tell a story. Most filmmakers are taught documentaries early
on because it is a long and exhaustive story that goes on and on without
editing. In research, my job is easier because I don't have to edit at
all. All I need to do is to create highlights for findings. With
filmmaking, I can get direct quotes,and I get pre-interviews through
email, text messaging or a wiki. These questions are essentially the
same questions that I will ask in the live interview, but it gives me a
chance to get immediate feedback with thought because it is in writing
or through webcams. Further, the live recorded interviews move smoother
because the participant develops rapport when one pursues more developed
follow-up questions based on earlier answers. I would have loved to have
had Flip HD cameras when I was collecting data back in 07.

Chris A. Heidelberg, Ph.D.
Loyola College of Maryland
Faculty 

-----Original Message-----
From: air-l-bounces at listserv.aoir.org
[mailto:air-l-bounces at listserv.aoir.org] On Behalf Of Pearse Stokes
Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2009 6:33 AM
To: air-l at listserv.aoir.org
Subject: Re: [Air-L] virtual ethnography

This debate is really getting going now!

As far as virtual ethnography is concerned (and I think even our
discussion here falls into some of these traps) there are some problems
with it as it is generally performed.

This first is just as Rhiannon illustrated "there is a tendency for
internet researchers to play fast and loose with the term "ethnography."

Interviewing on-line participants or "observing" on-line interaction is
often just plain old qualitative research (which is perfectly
legitimate) and the latter on its own might be discourse analysis. Part
of what makes work ethnographic is the presentation of the data. I
expect "thick descriptions" and substantial verbatim comments covering a
range of participant experience, not a few illustrative snippets." 
Perhaps this stems from people conducting ethnography without 'proper
training' or a wider cultural shift towards shorter, more journalistic
articles (I'm certainly guilty of this) and reports for business
consumption (also guilty).

Furthermore within this discussion we talk about the 'virtual field'. My
understanding of good ethnography is that is should be reflexive and
holistic. Meaning we should perform a method (of research, of
participation, of 'writing the culture') that is best suited to the
particular field site. The 'virtual' is not a field site any more than
'the real' is. And so virtual ethnographers often fall into that same
dichotomous relationship anthropologists of old did (and anthropologists
since have worked so hard to shift) ... that is the 'anthropological
gaze' upon the 'other'.

Each research project should be approached with an awareness that the
'site' does not necessarily conform to our expectations in terms of
where it begins and ends. In my recent research I have been writing
about the 'Pro-Anorexia' phenomena. This started with some 'virtual
ethnography' but I knew it would be more like cyber-anthropology once I
started to really get down to it. A great deal of the report is
identifying 'where' 'Pro-Ana' is, because just like all 'virtual' 
phenomena it transcends the 'virtual'. I'm sure everyone who is involved
in this discussion will agree - as they are sitting in the REAL world,
thinking and physically typing. So to research the 'virtual' is to
assume a shape of your field site. It would be like Malinowski going to
one Island in the Trobriands and deciding that was his only site or
research - he would miss out on the whole Kula Ring!!

As Laetitia said " we coul interpret this as a bit elitist." and
Laetitia is right, but isn't this the place for such elitist discussion?
;)

If you would like to read my report its here: 
cyberanthropology.wordpress.com

Thanks for this great debate!!

Pearse

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