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Using Using Ethnographic Ethnographic

Methodology in Methodology in Theological Theological Research Research

Joshva RajaJoshva RajaQueens 2015Queens 2015

Moatsu FestivalMoatsu Festival One of my PhD students in India wanted to do a research One of my PhD students in India wanted to do a research

on the dance festival in Nagaland among Ao Tribes. This on the dance festival in Nagaland among Ao Tribes. This harvest festival happens once a year, but similar dances harvest festival happens once a year, but similar dances are performed for other festivals too. Many of the Ao are performed for other festivals too. Many of the Ao tribal community members are Christians but go to tribal community members are Christians but go to different churches on Sundays. Particularly Baptists and different churches on Sundays. Particularly Baptists and Catholics can communicate via loud speakers on Sundays Catholics can communicate via loud speakers on Sundays at times speaking against other churches and asking at times speaking against other churches and asking their members not to relate and communicate with other their members not to relate and communicate with other denominations at all. While this dance brings people denominations at all. While this dance brings people together and expect them to share their stories of being together and expect them to share their stories of being united as community. So he argues that the future of united as community. So he argues that the future of ecumenism is possible more via cultural than ecclesial ecumenism is possible more via cultural than ecclesial means. means.

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Ethnography defined…Ethnography defined… ""When used as a method, ethnography When used as a method, ethnography

typically refers to fieldwork (alternatively, typically refers to fieldwork (alternatively, participant-observation) conducted by a participant-observation) conducted by a single investigator who 'lives with and single investigator who 'lives with and lives like' those who are studied, usually lives like' those who are studied, usually for a year or more." --John Van Maanen, for a year or more." --John Van Maanen, 1996. 1996.

"Ethnography literally means 'a portrait of "Ethnography literally means 'a portrait of a people.' An ethnography is a written a people.' An ethnography is a written description of a particular culture - the description of a particular culture - the customs, beliefs, and behavior - based on customs, beliefs, and behavior - based on information collected through fieldwork." information collected through fieldwork." --Marvin Harris and Orna Johnson, 2000. --Marvin Harris and Orna Johnson, 2000.

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Participating and Participating and Observing as an outsider Observing as an outsider

as wellas well

The The researcher/ethnographerresearcher/ethnographer

Participated in the dance (as insider) Participated in the dance (as insider) Observed events and take notes (recorded Observed events and take notes (recorded

audio-visual, smell, feeling, artefacts used, audio-visual, smell, feeling, artefacts used, movements, seen, taste, heard, other movements, seen, taste, heard, other aspects)aspects)

Interviewed other participants for oral textsInterviewed other participants for oral texts Returned to verify, frequency, similaritiesReturned to verify, frequency, similarities Asked people to Interpret and identify Asked people to Interpret and identify

themesthemes

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An iceberg as an analogy of An iceberg as an analogy of cultureculture

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From Gary Weaver in From Gary Weaver in Culture, Communication and Conflict: Readings in Intercultural RelationsCulture, Communication and Conflict: Readings in Intercultural Relations

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To discover and describe To discover and describe from behaviour the accepted from behaviour the accepted

common sense of a common sense of a communitycommunity

Differences to Differences to observeSome drink and observeSome drink and

Some Don’t Some Don’t

Some cross boundaries?Some cross boundaries?

Observing with

many senses

Using technologyUsing stories and historical resources to read

To speak

To see

To hearTo taste

To smell

To touch

To feel and to think

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Moving from logic to Moving from logic to MethodMethod

Participant ObservationParticipant Observation Five ‘W’s (waters) and One ‘H’ (Heaven)Five ‘W’s (waters) and One ‘H’ (Heaven) Research IssueResearch Issue UniverseUniverse SamplesSamples Data collectionData collection InterpretationInterpretation

Method is inductive and qualitative and Method is inductive and qualitative and people based people based

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Using Ethnography as a Using Ethnography as a Theological methodologyTheological methodology

““Theology is a formal reflection, description Theology is a formal reflection, description and account of religious experience, while and account of religious experience, while anthropology presents theoretical anthropology presents theoretical interpretations of the life experience of interpretations of the life experience of particular societies in general. As ‘life-studies’ particular societies in general. As ‘life-studies’ experience lies at the heart of each; but their experience lies at the heart of each; but their fundamental distinction concerns the existence fundamental distinction concerns the existence of God. ….Christian theology could not function of God. ….Christian theology could not function without belief in God while anthropology without belief in God while anthropology operates perfectly naturally without it” operates perfectly naturally without it”

by Douglas Davis, Anthropology and Theology, by Douglas Davis, Anthropology and Theology, Oxford: Berg, 2002, p.1Oxford: Berg, 2002, p.1

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But…But… Many Cultural anthropologists take God Many Cultural anthropologists take God

experience as experienced and interpreted experience as experienced and interpreted by people seriously and study them through by people seriously and study them through their participant observation method…their participant observation method…

Their common experience and behaviour Their common experience and behaviour are organised around the symbolic are organised around the symbolic meanings and expectations that are meanings and expectations that are attached to objects that are socially valued attached to objects that are socially valued (Symbolic interaction theory). Bruce Malina (Symbolic interaction theory). Bruce Malina NT world Insights from Cultural NT world Insights from Cultural Anthropology p.22.Anthropology p.22.

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Symbolic NarrativesSymbolic Narratives Our task in theology is to examine how the Our task in theology is to examine how the

faith community can construct identity faith community can construct identity through the use of a central metaphor or through the use of a central metaphor or symbolic practices such as prayer or by symbolic practices such as prayer or by creating a symbolic narrative that tells the creating a symbolic narrative that tells the story of its ongoing life… story of its ongoing life…

Such practices or stories provide symbolic Such practices or stories provide symbolic power to enable a faith community to power to enable a faith community to develop an idea of itself that sustains it develop an idea of itself that sustains it through time and enables it to engage with through time and enables it to engage with and express its distinctions from its culture.. and express its distinctions from its culture.. From Elaine Graham et al Theological From Elaine Graham et al Theological Reflection Methods 109.Reflection Methods 109.

Examples firstExamples first Theology of an individual versus Theology of an individual versus

theology of people – faith as theology of people – faith as expressed by activists involved in expressed by activists involved in liberation of Dalits (Diversity and liberation of Dalits (Diversity and Hegemony)Hegemony)

Interaction between ministers and Interaction between ministers and youth after the worship service youth after the worship service (observation and interaction) (observation and interaction)

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What is the logic behind What is the logic behind this method?this method?

Ethnographic method is part of Cultural Ethnographic method is part of Cultural Anthropological studies. A key concept in Anthropological studies. A key concept in Cultural AnthropologyCultural Anthropology is is CultureCulture. Every . Every organization (i.e. society) has a distinctive organization (i.e. society) has a distinctive "Culture"; each has an unique cognitive "Culture"; each has an unique cognitive structure (e.g. thoughts, world view – purposes structure (e.g. thoughts, world view – purposes -functions), rules of moral conduct (e.g. norms, -functions), rules of moral conduct (e.g. norms, ethos) and patterns of social interactions (e.g. ethos) and patterns of social interactions (e.g. social structure, family). social structure, family).

An anthropologist researches global cultures An anthropologist researches global cultures by fieldwork which is accomplished by by fieldwork which is accomplished by immersion into a society's socio-cultural immersion into a society's socio-cultural environment. It is a study by "doing" environment. It is a study by "doing" (participating) and "analyzing" (observation).(participating) and "analyzing" (observation).

Methodological Methodological principlesprinciples

Natural. This is the view that the aim of social Natural. This is the view that the aim of social research is to capture the character of naturally research is to capture the character of naturally occurring human behavior, and that this can only occurring human behavior, and that this can only be achieved by first-hand contact with it, not by be achieved by first-hand contact with it, not by inferences from what people do in artificial inferences from what people do in artificial settings like experiments or from what they say in settings like experiments or from what they say in interviews about what they do elsewhere. interviews about what they do elsewhere.

Discovery. Another feature of ethnographic Discovery. Another feature of ethnographic thinking is a conception of the research process thinking is a conception of the research process as inductive or discovery-based; rather than as as inductive or discovery-based; rather than as being limited to the testing of explicit hypotheses. being limited to the testing of explicit hypotheses.

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fieldwork: fieldwork:

1. Be descriptive in taking field notes. 1. Be descriptive in taking field notes. 2. Gather a variety of information from different perspectives. 2. Gather a variety of information from different perspectives. 3. Cross-validate and triangulate by gathering different kinds 3. Cross-validate and triangulate by gathering different kinds

of data. Example: observations, interviews, program of data. Example: observations, interviews, program documentation, recordings, and photographs. documentation, recordings, and photographs.

4. Use quotations; represent program participants in their 4. Use quotations; represent program participants in their own terms. Capture participants' views of their own own terms. Capture participants' views of their own experiences in their own words. experiences in their own words.

5. Select key informants wisely and use them carefully. Draw 5. Select key informants wisely and use them carefully. Draw on the wisdom of their informed perspectives, but keep in on the wisdom of their informed perspectives, but keep in mind that their perspectives are limited. mind that their perspectives are limited.

6. Be aware of and sensitive to the different stages of 6. Be aware of and sensitive to the different stages of fieldwork. fieldwork.

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ETHICS IN ETHICS IN ETHNOGRAPHIC ETHNOGRAPHIC

RESEARCH RESEARCH In a nutshell, researchers must make their In a nutshell, researchers must make their research goals clear to the members of the research goals clear to the members of the community where they undertake their research community where they undertake their research and gain the informed consent of their and gain the informed consent of their consultants to the research beforehand. It is also consultants to the research beforehand. It is also important to learn whether the group would important to learn whether the group would prefer to be named in the written report of the prefer to be named in the written report of the research or given a pseudonym and to offer the research or given a pseudonym and to offer the results of the research if informants would like to results of the research if informants would like to read it. Most of all, researchers must be sure that read it. Most of all, researchers must be sure that the research does not harm or exploit those the research does not harm or exploit those among whom the research is done. among whom the research is done.

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You never net a fish without You never net a fish without getting wet – we all start with getting wet – we all start with mistakes in observations or mistakes in observations or

chaoschaos

What do you do with What do you do with texts?texts?

ANALYZING, INTERPRETING AND ANALYZING, INTERPRETING AND REPORTING FINDINGS REPORTING FINDINGS

QUALITATIVE DESCRIPTION QUALITATIVE DESCRIPTION BALANCE BETWEEN DESCRIPTION BALANCE BETWEEN DESCRIPTION

AND ANALYSIS AND ANALYSIS VERIFYING, GROUPING, VERIFYING, GROUPING,

THEMATIZING, RELATING TO THEMATIZING, RELATING TO EXISTING THEORETICAL EXISTING THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS FRAMEWORKS

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QDA (Qualitative Data QDA (Qualitative Data Analysis)Analysis)

Content analysisContent analysis Thematic analysisThematic analysis Narrative analysisNarrative analysis Grounded theoryGrounded theory

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So what? So what? What did you discover?What did you discover? How did you prove?How did you prove? What is/are your contribution –What is/are your contribution –

something new to the ongoing something new to the ongoing discussions in the field that you had discussions in the field that you had done your research?done your research?

How did you go beyond the existing How did you go beyond the existing theoretical or theological concepts? theoretical or theological concepts? Relating to literature reviewsRelating to literature reviews

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Reflexive questions?Reflexive questions? Representation? Being a small groupRepresentation? Being a small group Reliable? UnrepeatableReliable? Unrepeatable Time consuming? Time consuming? Influence of presence? Of the researcherInfluence of presence? Of the researcher Risk of the researcher? In some context/sRisk of the researcher? In some context/sAdvantagesAdvantagesDeeper social interactionsDeeper social interactionsValid data of people rather than researcher’sValid data of people rather than researcher’sOpen to new insightsOpen to new insights

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