Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Ethnographic method is related to the strategies adopted ________.
A. To explore the lived experience of the group.
B. To establish relations with people to be studied.
C. To study the socio-demographic process that shape an educated person.
D. To comprehend the ‘other’ vis-a-vis researcher’s own self.
E. To be sensitive to the socio-cultural context.

Correct option is D

Ethnography is a qualitative research method used in anthropology and social sciences to study people and cultures through immersion, observation, and interaction. It emphasizes understanding the perspectives, behaviors, and social structures of a community.

Correct Answer: (4) B, D, and E Only

B - To establish relations with people to be studied
Ethnography involves long-term engagement with a community, requiring the researcher to build trust and relationships with participants.

D - To comprehend the ‘other’ vis-a-vis researcher’s own self
Ethnographers recognize their own biases and how their presence influences the study.
Reflexivity is a key concept in ethnographic research.

E - To be sensitive to the socio-cultural context
Ethnographers immerse themselves in local customs, traditions, and social norms to provide an authentic representation.

Information Booster:

3. Autoethnography:
a. In this form, the researcher studies their own experiences within a specific cultural or social context.
b. It blends autobiography with ethnographic analysis, making it highly subjective.

2. Emic Approach (Insider’s Perspective)
a. The emic approach focuses on understanding culture from the perspective of the members within that culture.
b. Researchers immerse themselves in the cultural setting and adopt the viewpoints, language, and beliefs of the people they study.
c. This method aims to capture the subjective meanings, values, and norms that are significant to the cultural group.

3. Etic Approach (Outsider’s Perspective)
a. The etic approach analyzes cultural phenomena from the perspective of an external observer, often using a standardized framework for comparison.
b. Researchers apply objective, scientific, and cross-cultural analyses, which may involve categorizing behaviors according to universal theories.
c. The goal is to identify general patterns and universal principles across cultures rather than focusing on subjective meanings.