Abstract
Whereas the teaching of qualitative research has long been sacrificed for instruction on quantitative approaches, alternative fieldwork orientations are rarely professed. Edge ethnography represents a strain of qualitative inquiry employing atypical qualitative fieldwork strategies characterized by: (1) the conduct of research within the context of the immediacy of social action, (2) atypical researcher involvement in research settings and activities intentionally maximizing the value of deep involvement, and (3) potential risk to researchers and subjects, as well as related ethical issues raised by close association with active criminals and knowledge of ongoing criminal activity. Despite the strategic value of unconventional qualitative strategies based in full immersion into fieldwork environments, such as entrée to closed and esoteric study settings and contact with otherwise inaccessible subjects, they are seldom employed. Ostensibly, limited application is a function of a lack of coverage in graduate‐level research methods courses—a neglect fostered by multiple issues, including ethical objections. After briefly reviewing the two major forms of alternative qualitative fieldwork, the principal advantages and ethical justification for engaging edge ethnography are presented.
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