Qualitative Data Analysis: An introduction

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Qualitative Data Analysis An introduction

• Carol Grbich
• Chapter 4 Critical Ethnography

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Critical Ethnography

• A critical ethnography should meet the following
  criteria
• Power and oppression must be key issues
• Emancipation and social transformation of
  inequality and oppression suffered by
  participants needs liberating action
• Identification of the author/researcher and how
  are they are influencing the data collection,
  design, analysis and interpretation must be
  addressed.
• an abstract level of understanding of the
  political, economic and social aspects of the
  culture must be gained through critical theory
  interpretation

3
Thematic analysis

• Purpose data reduction to identify major and
  minor themes
• Process options
• Block and file approach (intact data)
• Conceptual mapping (broad overview)
• Segmentation / fragmentation (line by line)

4
5 stages of a critical ethnography (Carspeckan,
1996)

• Monological data
• Build a critically reflective primary record of
  thick description -to unobtrusively collect
  observational data through note taking, audio and
  videotaping of events, behaviours and rituals.
• Undertake preliminary reconstructive analysis) to
  identify power location, role relations, meanings
  and cultural values as well as validity

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5 stages of a critical ethnography (Carspeckan,
1996) cont.

• Dialogical data
• 3. Use interviews and focus groups to collect
  data in collaboration with participants
• 4. Examine data or system relations and these
  findings are link to wider social, political and
  economic contexts.
• Interpret findings in relation to general
  theories of society, to explain findings in
  stages 1-4 and to challenge theories
• (adapted from Carspecken, 1996172)

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Criticisms of Carspeckans approach

• The Birmingham approach, with its emphasis on
  political and social activism, has become
  depoliticised in transfer to the American
  context
• Carspeckans theoretical underpinnings are
  selective and eclectic resulting in a grab bag
  of philosophically derived terminology,
• The critical nature of interpretation (stages 4
  and 5) appears to have minimal links with
  interpretive explanations from actual critical
  theorists
• Researcher neutrality of stage 1, involving
  reflection of personal values and biases, does
  not appear to inform the research in any critical
  way
• The lack of overt links to the ethnographic
  tradition makes the term critical ethnography
  misleading.

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Guidelines for a critical ethnography

• Construct your question around the issue of power
  how it is manifest, what structures influence
  situations and how are unequal situations
  maintained by both structures and participants?.
• Note your power relations with participants
• Practice reflexivity of your own frames and
  interpretation
• Be transparent regarding how these are impacting
  on data collection and interpretation.
• Collect multiple data sources from both the etic
  (outsider) and emic (insider) positions.
• Seek diversity and counter stories to illuminate
  the holistic view

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General guidelines for a critical ethnography
(cont)

• Data analysis - preliminary data and thematic
  analysis.
• Explore interpretive explanations through links
  between local culture and the political, social,
  economic and global institutions  
• Use narratives, dramatic dialogues, multiple
  voices, layered mixed data and participant
  generated visual and oral/aural data
• Critically assess the diversities and
  complexities of the locations and workings of
  power relations in your chosen settings
• Outcomes recommended strategies or
  personal/participant action for empowerment and
  social justice