For Ethnography
- Paul Atkinson - Cardiff University, UK
"This text is something of a masterclass in its own right. Few are as well placed to comment on the debates surrounding ethnography – debates which the author had been instrumental in shaping – and to offer a clear and authoritative call-to-arms to future, aspirant ethnographers. It is a passionate but realistic manifesto for those wishing to undertake the craft of ethnography and to do it well. All who read it will benefit."
- Sam Hillyard, Durham University
This major book from one of the world’s foremost authorities recaptures the classic inspirations of ethnographic fieldwork in sociology and anthropology, reflecting on decades of methodological development and empirical research. It is part manifesto, part guidance on the appropriate focus of the ethnographic gaze.
Throughout Atkinson insists that ethnographic research must be faithful to the intrinsic and complex organization of everyday life. An attempt to rescue ethnography from contemporary ‘qualitative’ research, the book is a corrective to the corrosive effects of postmodernism on the analysis of social organization and social action. Atkinson affirms the value of fieldwork, while incorporating contemporary perspectives on social analysis.
Paul Atkinson is Distinguished Research Professor of Sociology at Cardiff University, where he is also Associate Director of the ESRC Centre for Economic and Social Aspects of Genomics.
The book provides insights on ethnography as an approach and the actual field work as well as the writing. The book is written in a very accessible language and thus provides a good resource for researchers - from the novice, to the experienced ethnographers.
a very readable text from one of the key authors within the Ethnography field. I have used it within my own research and will recommend it for our masters students
The best book on ethnography for many years. It strips out the nonsense and offers a great overview.
Fantastic resource
This is a timely and convincing appeal addressed to ethnographers and scientists using qualitative methods generally. The author makes the case for a certain type of approach to ethnography as an abductive study not of individuals but of the social order. As such, it involves not only extended participant observation, but also a degree of reflection and theorisation on the underlying cultural values, knowledge, representations and beliefs which collectively shape social behaviour. Paul Atkinson refers to and introduces a range of influential thinkers, approaches and concepts from the field, which will help guide students and researchers in making sense of their own ethnographic studies. An important book which takes a step back from some current research trends, leading us to ask essential questions about how and why we conduct various forms of qualitative research.
Excellent book outlining the nature of ethnographic research. Highly recommended for anybody undertaking ethnographic studies/social sciences. A valuable text for both undergraduate/ postgraduate students and academics wishing to engage in and with ethnographic studies as the book engages the reader in thinking through the range of questions that are suitable for an ethnographic approach.
This is a wonderful text. It is both contemporary in terms of social analysis perspectives however there is a real emphasis on the importance of fieldwork. An excellent text
A wonderfully written, highly engaging work on ethnography. Atkinson does not present a "how to" book but engages the reader in thinking through the range of questions that are suitable for an ethnographic approach. As a legal anthropologist, I found this a very refreshing approach to writing about ethnography. He addresses the effects of the postmodern turn very well. A must for anybody undertaking ethnographic studies and highly recommend for other social scientists.
An important text that addresses several key issues in ethnography, especially the status of fieldwork.
For Ethnography is an important and timely exposition on ethnographic research. Atkinson brings his extensive experience in the theory and practice of ethnography to reiterate the basic tenets of the approach. The reader is reminded of the essential elements of ethnographic observation in the field, with Atkinson's rationale and examples clearly emphasizing the value in staying close to the original practice, which as he notes has, in recent times, all too often become diluted in favour of a generic qualitative data collection. His text inspires a new generation of researchers to explore and consider designing ethnographic that sets out to spend time in observation of the experience of people's everyday lives shared in context over time. This book is an excellent addition to other research methods texts for students and researchers wishing to use an ethnographic research design.
