Critical ethnography: opportunities for social work research

Abstract

Social work research is conducted using various approaches and methods. This article aims to characterize critical ethnography and its opportunities for critical social work aimed at overcoming structural inequalities. Within the framework of the study, an analysis of 28 English-language full-text publications was carried out according to the following criteria: (1) the general purpose of critical ethnography as a research methodology in social work and its philosophy; (2) stages and procedures for using critical ethnography, the roles of researchers and other research participants; (3) cases of the use of critical ethnography in social work; (4) the advantages and limitations of critical ethnography. Critical ethnography, like traditional ethnography, involves long-term observations of certain practices in the "field conditions." Observations can be supplemented by other methods that make it possible to assess the life experience of research participants from the perspective of the participants themselves. Critical ethnography makes it possible to identify and describe structural inequality in society and to challenge existing practices, in particular, practices of providing social services. The main focus of research is the identification of hidden values and the use of power relations that reinforce the inequality of certain social groups and social injustice. Researchers are expected to have their own position and provide adequate theoretical justification for their actions, deep immersion in the context and social situation. The use of critical ethnography involves a number of successive stages: the preparatory stage; the organizational and methodological stage; the field stage; the stage of research findings analysis; the presentation and dissemination of the results in order to promote social change.