Critical Ethnography Research Articles

Mechanisms of Identity Construction among Members of Pyramid Schemes in Iran: A Critical Ethnography

Whereas the emergence of pyramid schemes exerted considerable impacts on people’s lives, up to now, far too little attention has been paid to the experiences of members from the sociological perspective, particularly in non-Western contexts. Therefore, this study illuminates social processes underlying participation in such schemes in a less studied social setting, Iran. This article also critically traces the social and psychological consequences of membership in pyramid schemes. We adapted a critical ethnographic approach, including participant observation of local branch offices, followed by 16 in-depth interviews with the former members of schemes. Our findings suggest that the practices deployed by the schemes lead to the building of social identity, namely, “superhuman,” mainly based on the misinterpretation of the real world. Finding the reality surrounded deliberately contrasted with the firms’ promises, the constructed identity fails, and members lose their social capital.

Affective text trajectories: Toward a linguistic anthropology of critique

In their studies of culture and society, many if not most scholars from the social sciences and humanities aspire to a critical approach. Recently, this practice of academic critique has become an object of study in its own right. Contributing to this “critique of critique,” I propose ideas for a linguistic anthropology of critique. I suggest mobilizing the concept of text trajectory from the toolbox of critical ethnographies of language and deploying it to investigate the trajectories of those critical texts that social and cultural sciences produce. It then becomes clear that critique is not merely a certain genre of text, but is, rather, a specific manner in which texts become embedded in affective dynamics in trajectories of recontextualizations-in-performance. To capture this complex process, I introduce the concept of affective text trajectory. Based on ethnographic fieldwork on the role of language and affect at International Criminal Court proceedings in northern Uganda, this article describes the affective text trajectory of one of the author's blog posts. The author suggests that in order to assess the critical potential of a text, one should investigate how it becomes embedded in affective dynamics throughout its trajectory.

TRADITIONAL TITLES AND POLITICAL COMMUNICATION IN GORONTALO

Each region has its own peculiarities that refers to the culture of its people. In this diverse culture, there are customs that are maintained as continuous, preserved and practiced in social life. The aims of the research are: (a) to reveal the meaning of adat title in local political communication, (b) to know the meaning of political communication capital in local government in Gorontalo, and (c) to get the pattern of political communication capital in local government in Gorontalo. The research doing by the critical ethnography, which is focus on the discovery, interpretation, and application of local knowledge to practice, rather than on testing hypotheses or outcomes. As a customary area, Gorontalo has a tradition of giving traditional titles (Pulanga)to the local son who is considered to have a great contribution to the region. The awarding of traditional titles/returns as a form of homage to new officials to distinguish them from others in society. The preservation of the traditions of the awarding ceremony is a sign that custom exists in Gorontalo society. So far, the awards have not clashed with democracy, although in certain aspects such as the recognition of women's leadership, not yet fully compatible with democracy. This paper examines how customary / traditional titles can be used as political capital in a contestation in Gorontalo for political office positions.Key words: gelaradat, modal politik, Gorontalo.

TRADITIONAL TITLES AND POLITICAL COMMUNICATION IN GORONTALO

Each region has its own peculiarities that refers to the culture of its people. In this diverse culture, there are customs that are maintained as continuous, preserved and practiced in social life. The aims of the research are: (a) to reveal the meaning of adat title in local political communication, (b) to know the meaning of political communication capital in local government in Gorontalo, and (c) to get the pattern of political communication capital in local government in Gorontalo. The research doing by the critical ethnography, which is focus on the discovery, interpretation, and application of local knowledge to practice, rather than on testing hypotheses or outcomes. As a customary area, Gorontalo has a tradition of giving traditional titles (Pulanga)to the local son who is considered to have a great contribution to the region. The awarding of traditional titles/returns as a form of homage to new officials to distinguish them from others in society. The preservation of the traditions of the awarding ceremony is a sign that custom exists in Gorontalo society. So far, the awards have not clashed with democracy, although in certain aspects such as the recognition of women's leadership, not yet fully compatible with democracy. This paper examines how customary / traditional titles can be used as political capital in a contestation in Gorontalo for political office positions.Key words: gelaradat, modal politik, Gorontalo.

"I Have to Watch Them Closely": Native American Parenting Practice and Philosophies.

One of many ways that Native American (NA) families demonstrate resilience is by parenting children in some of the most adverse contexts in U.S. society. We use the framework of historical oppression, resilience, and transcendence (FHORT) in a critical ethnography to qualitatively explore the parenting philosophies and practices that NAs use to protect children from the risks of an oppressive context. Data were drawn from 436 members of two Southeastern NA tribes. A team-based critical ethnographic data analysis approach was used to analyze these findings, revealing the following themes: (a) "Your Kids Come First": Prioritizing Children's Needs; (b) "They Should Enjoy their Childhood": Sheltering Children from Family Stressors; (c) "I Have to Watch Them Closely": Closely Monitoring Children; and, (d) "There's No Drinking at My House": Preventing Children's Exposure to Substance Abuse. Results indicate that NA parents adopt child-centric mindsets and use a number of positive practices to protect their children from the potentially harmful environments created through historical oppression.

'Marriage is Going to Fix It': Indigenous Women's Experiences with Early Childbearing, Early Marriage and Intimate Partner Violence.

Intimate partner violence (IPV), early childbearing (ECB) and early marriage (EM) are interconnected to the historical oppression of patriarchal colonialism imposed upon Indigenous peoples throughout the world by colonising nations, such as the UK. The artefacts of colonial oppression persist in both colonising nations and those that have been colonised through social norms of patriarchal oppression perpetuated upon women with far-reaching consequences. Indigenous women of the US experience higher rates of IPV, ECB and EM than any other ethnic group-which pose risks to women's physical, psychological, socioeconomic and educational status. The purpose of this study is to explore Indigenous women's experiences with ECB and EM through a critical ethnography with two US tribes. Through reconstructive analysis the following themes emerged: (i) ECB as a Precursor to Marriage; (ii) Unequal and Overburdened Marriages; (iii) ECB, EM and IPV; and (iv) Continued Harmful Effects of Multiple Abusive Relationships. Indigenous women's experiences of ECB and EM are connected to patriarchal historical oppression that systematically dehumanises and oppresses Indigenous women, who were once treated with respect and esteem. Decolonisation and re-visualisation to promote the status of women and girls are needed to offset women's constrained wellness, socio-political status and safety.

“They Were Teaching Me!”: Reimagining Collaborative Inquiry with Elementary Students in Science Teacher Education

ABSTRACT This study explored how preservice teachers engaged in collaborative inquiry with elementary students to facilitate social justice and equity in science education. By inviting elementary students as key stakeholders into collaborative inquiry, we examined how preservice teachers uncovered critical problems of science education in underserved communities and how they (re)imagined science learning environments. We also investigated how collaborative inquiry with students shaped the preservice teachers’ identities as science educators. Guided by the critical ethnography and data analysis spiral, we analyzed qualitative data related to 34 preservice teachers from a US teacher preparation program embedded in clinical residencies on elementary school sites. Our findings showed that preservice teachers (1) leveraged collaborative inquiry to illuminate barriers and affordances to science learning, (2) became co-agents of change alongside elementary students, and (3) positioned themselves as science educators. We discussed the role of collaborative inquiry as a transformational pedagogical tool in teacher preparation programs.

‘I’ll always have black hair’ – challenging raciolinguistic ideologies in Finnish schools

ABSTRACT This article discusses raciolinguistic ideologies in the Finnish educational context. Ethnographic interviews and observational data gathered during 2015–2020 from two young males who came to Finland from the Middle-East in autumn 2015 as unaccompanied minors were analysed applying the small stories approach. The research questions were: 1) What kinds of racializing discourses are circulated, negotiated, and resisted in the participants’ self- and other positionings? 2) How is valuation of their language and literacy skills and participation in education reflected in these positionings? Critical linguistic ethnography was used to identify the racializing discourses. The results indicate that structural raciolinguistic ideologies repeatedly impacted the participants’ educational paths: notwithstanding their good command of Finnish they may have been judged as deficient language users, weakening their chances of equal participation in classroom interaction and access to further studies or practical training. However, outside the educational context, they may successfully deploy their multilingual repertoires for networking and entrepreneurship. While intersecting factors such as race, gender, or religion influence participation, they are treated as language issues in a politically correct but vague way. This calls for a critical discussion of how students’ struggles with participation should be situated within broader structural biases.

A Critical Ethnography of Myanmar Migrants’ Grassroots Multilingualism at a Chinese Massage Parlour

While China is broadening its gateway into South Asia and Southeast Asia, millions of foreign migrant workers cross the border and seek their transnational fortune in China’s border provinces. However, within the existing literature in migrant workers in China, language is rarely a research target in itself. As one of the important social actors language plays a key role shaping migrant workers’ life trajectories. Adopting Spolsky’s language policy theory and following the critical ethnography with migrant workers (Han, 2013; Mathews, 2011), this study explores the interplay of national polices of massage parlour management at a macro level, employers’ stipulations of managing Myanmar migrants at a meso level and Myanmar migrants’ language practices at micro level. Grounded upon critical sociolinguistic ethnography, data is collected from a China’s massage parlour at border town through the participant observation in and out of massage parlour, field notes, semi-structured interviews and documents. The study probes into how Chinese geopolitics of the wider process of regional development facilitates or constrains Myanmar migrants, how they mobilize social resources to expand their multilingual repertoires and how Chinese employer manages Myanmar migrants in language and life aspects. Findings reveal that there is no specific language policy at the recruitment stage. However, when Myanmar migrant workers start to work, language emerges as implicit but powerful medium streaming the likelihood of upward mobility. Other social factors, such as gender, nationality, religion and class also influence their mobility and integration into China’s local society. The study expands the understanding of language management and grassroots multilingualism in the context of globalization from below. Also the study provides implications on language policy making, migrants integration and education for migrants of multilingual backgrounds.

Community treatment orders and care planning: How is engagement and decision‐making enacted?

BackgroundIn many jurisdictions worldwide, individuals with a mental illness may be forced to receive care and treatment in the community. In Australia, legislation states that such care should be driven by a care plan that is recovery‐focussed. Key components in the care planning process include engagement and decision‐making about a person's support needs and care options, with trust being an essential component of care planning relationships.ObjectiveThis study examines how these components were enacted during service care contacts for individuals on community treatment orders.MethodsThe study was located at two community mental health teams in South Australia. Ethnographic observations of care planning discussions between consumers, their carers and clinicians, and interviews with individuals from these groups, were conducted over 18 months. Carspecken's critical ethnography provided a rigorous means for examining the data to identify underlying cultural themes that were informing day‐to‐day care interactions.ResultsCare planning was not occurring as it was intended, with service culture and structures impeding the development of trusting relationships. Clinicians striving to work collaboratively with consumers had to navigate a service bias and culture that emphasized a hierarchy of ‘knowing’, with consumers assumed to have less knowledge than clinicians.ConclusionsServices and clinicians can challenge prejudicial ethical injustice and counter this through testimonial justice and implementation of tools and approaches that support genuine shared decision‐making.Patient or Public ContributionThis study included individuals with lived experience of mental illness, their carers and clinicians as participants and researchers.

Reproductive Health for Conflict-Affected Displaced Women in Nigeria: An Intersectionality-Based Critical Ethnography Study

Abstract Nigeria is a significant contributor to the global forcibly displaced population. The majority of this displacement is related to Boko Haram and herdsmen attacks in Northern Nigeria. A growing body of research has started to investigate issues surrounding protection concerns for the internally displaced who have been uprooted by these uprisings and attacks. Importantly, research is also starting to engage with issues of sexual violence and unwanted pregnancies associated with the conflict and displacement. This article aims to develop this work further by examining intersecting factors shaping the reproductive health experiences of women internally displaced by the Boko Haram and Herdsmen crisis in Northern Nigeria. To this end, a critical ethnography study involving in-depth interviews with 29 internally displaced women and five service providers in Northern Nigeria was completed between May 2019 to September 2019. Three major intersected subjects pertaining to women’s reproductive health access were observed. These were: (1) normative perceptions and the prevalence of urogenital infections; (2) decisions made on birthplaces and number of births; (3) income and accessibility to care. The findings illustrate the interrelated economic and sociocultural factors that constrain access to reproductive health for internally displaced women.

Public Health and Critical Ethnographies

This article analyzes characteristic elements of public health as a disciplinary field in contrast to critical ethnography. We carry out an exploratory, integrative review between 2010 and 2020 in Spanish, English, and Portuguese. Health and social science databases were used, finding 620 relevant references, of which 64 were studied. The descriptors were ethnography, health, public health, social anthropology, and critical thinking. The articles were classified according to discipline and country of origin. Subsequently, we discuss the presence of ethnography in various public health works, the history of ethnographies, their diverse applications as methods, focus, social impact, and emancipation tools to demonstrate the existence of ethnographies. In conclusion, the main meeting points identified between public health and critical ethnographies were the visibility of researchers/professionals as subjects with whom research is conducted, the multidimensionality of the phenomena addressed, the recognition of issues that involve power tensions, the questioning of other knowledge, and the intention to carry out actions for communities to access health care.

Challenging the Myth of Color Blindness in Restorative Justice Programs

Using critical race theory and institutional ethnography as frameworks, this paper investigates the Extra-Judicial Sanctions (EJS) Program, as implemented in Calgary, Alberta, and its lack of ability to achieve transformative restorative justice in the cases of racialized immigrant youth. The failure to recognize the impact of race, ethnicity, and immigrant status in the Youth Criminal Justice Act is considered problematic as this paper challenges the notion of color blindness. It is suggested that a color-conscious approach be used in the EJS Program to incorporate inclusive institutional policies explicitly to foster a sense of belonging among racialized immigrant youth.

Critical Ethnography and Research Relationships: Some Ethical Dilemmas

SummaryEthnography can be a deeply challenging form of research in which the researcher has to navigate the boundaries of acceptable observation and avoid the pitfalls of intrusion. In the last twenty years, legalistic and contractual ethical codes have gained prominence and influence in social research. Despite the welcome focus on ethical issues, ethical codes rarely prompt the researcher to share the research outcomes with the research participants or prompt the researcher to actively consider using the research to shape and change policy frameworks to have positive impacts for those at the margins. Through a fictionalized account of the struggles of an ethnographic researcher, the article highlights such tensions by exploring their reflexive analysis of relationships with research participants located at the margins.

"When You Come Together and Do Everything, It'll be Better for Everybody": Exploring Gender Relations Among Two Southeastern Native American Tribes.

Prior to the imposition of patriarchal colonial norms, Native American (NA) gender relations were characterized as complementary and egalitarian; however, little research has explored gender relations within NA communities today. This study used a community-based critical ethnography to explore contemporary NA gender relations with a purposive sample of 208 individuals from the "Coastal Tribe" and 228 participants from the "Inland Tribe." After participant observation, interviews, and focus groups were conducted, a collaborative approach to reconstructive analysis was used to identify themes in the data. Within these communities, gender relations tended to reflect egalitarian and cooperative but gendered norms, and participants provided examples of how tribal members are transcending patriarchal colonialism. Through the lens of the Framework of Historical Oppression, Resilience, and Transcendence, we theorize how these gender norms may protect families from risks associated with historical oppression and promote family resilience with implications for research, practice, and policy.

Career Advancement: The Experiences of Minority Nurses in Accessing Leadership Positions in a Tertiary Care Setting

Minority nurses are underrepresented in leadership roles in the Canadian healthcare system. The purpose of this study was to explore MNs’ perceptions and experiences with regards to career development and MNs in leadership positions. Twelve nurses, four Caucasian and eight from the Caribbean and Africa in a tertiary care setting were recruited through purposive sampling. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted, transcribed, coded, and analyzed using critical ethnography. Findings revealed lack of social support, of equal opportunities, of recognition and of trust. Despite negative experiences, minority nurses recognized the value of their work experience at the hospital where they were employed. Committing to a diverse workforce in leadership roles can ultimately have an effect on patient care. Minority nurses’ leadership is needed to provide role models and to ensure the delivery of competent care to diverse populations.

Creating inclusive Performing Arts practices for development of youth with disabilities: A critical ethnographic study.

BackgroundYouth with disabilities are a marginalised group in society. This marginalisation traps them and prevents their full participation in social and economic development.ObjectiveThis study sought to understand how exposure to the Performing Arts facilitates the inclusion of youth with disabilities.MethodsThe study adopted a qualitative research approach, utilising critical ethnography. Primary data consisted of three focus group discussions with youth with disabilities, and an in-depth interview with a performer with disability. Thematic data analysis was conducted.ResultsFour themes emerged. Theme 1, Blown away, shares the experiences of youth who attended Artscape Theatre. Theme 2, I can do it, you can do it, describes their career aspirations. Theme 3, Embracing hope, identifies the social and life skills learned through visited Artscape. Theme 4, Long way to go, presents the factors that influence the participation of youth with disabilities in the Performing Arts. While their experiences are diverse, and their impairments are unique, contact with the Performing Arts supported social and economic inclusion, and triggered empowerment of youth with disabilities. Insufficient accessible and available transportation is the most notable barrier to accessing development opportunities.ConclusionExposure to the Performing Arts provides important skills development and social opportunities for disabled youth. It is up to the ‘keepers’ of the Performing Arts – those in administration and management – to realign the Performing Arts in a way that can best benefit everyone.

Critical Ethnography as an Archival Tool

Due to the limitations of existing archival theories and methodologies, there are few clear options that allow underrepresented and marginalized communities to represent themselves ethically, faithfully, and responsibly in their own voices in mainstream archival institutions. As a result, many of these communities lack knowledge and fundamental pedagogical resources about themselves and their history in Canada. Based on research from the author’s one-year master’s degree, this article uses a critical ethnographic framework and oral history interviews to understand the archival needs of a segment of the Afghan diaspora that has long been settled in Canada. The Afghan Canadian participants agreed that digital archives could provide a solution to the community’s dearth of knowledge and material about itself – its own histories and stories. The research demonstrates that a critical ethnographic framework can be applied as an instrument in the archives in order to understand the desires, identity-formation processes, and representations of a marginalized community to ensure faithful archival representation.

Educating and Empowering Teen Activists in Public Libraries: A Case Study of the Impact of Reading on Young Adult Social Justice Actions

This participatory case study, which consisted of a co-designed virtual program through the Camrose Public Library, investigates how teen readers engage with the social justice themes in YA fiction, how and if they find these themes useful for understanding and engaging in activism on their own, and the influence of public library programming on these actions. I approached my research from a teen-centred perspective, inviting the youth who participated to make adjustments to each stage of the process. My research design, data collection, and data analysis were informed by critical ethnography as theory and reader-response theory. This case study found that, on their own, neither social activism narratives nor library programs motivate teens to conduct social justice actions; instead, they contribute to a network of learning opportunities and information that leads to teens becoming motivated to make a difference in their communities. Thus, public libraries can provide teen programming that uses social activism narratives and collaborative discussions to teach teens more about social justice issues, show them how to get involved in social justice movements, and instill in them the confidence to do so.

Determining the Direction of the Pesantren (Empowering Leadership Practice at PM Gontor 6 Putera, Southeast Sulawesi)

This article aims to understand the practice of empowering leadership, which is more specific on the theme of determining the direction of pesantren. The aspects studied are: 1) creating a vision; 2) describes the big picture; and 3) establishing a strategy. The investigation was carried out in the form of critical ethnography, where data were obtained through a process of observation, interviews, and document review. Data analysis was carried out through the description, analysis, and interpretation stages. This study found that: Empowering Leadership in the context of determining the direction of the organization at PM Gontor 7 Putera is a process of determining the vision and mission, explaining the big picture, and setting strategy. The roles carried out include being a strategic architect who defines PM Gontor's vision and mission, through internal and external environmental analysis, guarding a shared vision, overseeing the process of achieving a common vision at the functional level, as a figure who transforms strategy, who carries out the strategic communication process and makes appropriate measures, aligning strategies, to implementation. This research suggests the importance of building empowering leadership, having a strong vision, understanding internal and external dynamics, all of which can be formulated in an organizational strategy.Keywords: Leadership, Empowerment, Vision, Strategy