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Chapter Three – Research methods and their use - Page 93
Stewart analyses the apparent inattention to method in ethnography, arguing that despite
a series of waves of ethnographic theory, there is really only one watershed of method,
the rise of ethnography based on participant observation. He bravely seeks to address
the gap in texts on method in ethnography, and arguably succeeds well, as follows.
Stewart emphasises participant observation, holism, context sensitivity, socio-cultural
description and (possibly) theoretical connections as the five characteristics that lead to
a determination that a study is ethnographic, but also notes the complexity of this
situation. These elements are tabulated below in Table 3.1.
Participant Observation
Holism
Context sensitivity
Socio-cultural description
(and possibly) Theoretical connections
Table 3.1 - Stewart’s (1998)
Characteristics of an Ethnographic Study