Ethnographic Interview
DeAnnA M. Doyle
GLST 290
Liberty University
Doyle 2
1. Anthropological Perspective:
a. Our text defines the anthropological perspective: “as the attempt by the
anthropologist to explain a cultural context from the inside, understanding the
motives, actions, and beliefs of others in their own terms (Howell and Paris,
2019.”) What this means is that anthropologists take the time to learn and
understand another’s culture to better understand and explain it by living amongst
the people and seeing the culture firsthand. By understanding how others live, we
can utterly understand our own cultures and how they differ from others. This
concept is significant to the ethnographic interview process as it allows a more in-
depth understanding of a culture that one may not have been able to fully even if
they had fully studied it.
2. Participant Observation
a. During participation observation, the researcher can move from very simple
observing to full on participating. For example, Janell from our text described her
experience as: “…participant observation meant living, worshiping, socializing,
and even holding my wedding in a low-income African American neighborhood
of Washington, DC. At times I stood back and observed—for instance, at a heated
meeting of community activists when I did not yet understand the issues at hand.
At other times I fully participated—having my say at community meetings,
hosting community gatherings at my home, and joining a local church (Howell
and Paris, 2019.”) Janell participated in her research when she fully understood
the culture of the people around her. When she did not understand, she stood back
and observed to learn more about the causes and actions of the people she was
Doyle 3
researching. As researchers are open about their research goals and studies, they
can develop relationships with the people they are observing and will end up
getting a better understanding through those individuals.
3. Ethnographic Interviews
a. The different types of Ethnographic interviews are “focus groups (a discussion
amongst a group of individual to discuss a set topic), mapping (diagramming
geographical space or human interpretation and use of space), recording a life
history (an interview or series of interviews that document the trajectory of a
single life), and conducting a survey (a standardized set of questions applied to
numerous individuals or places) (Howell and Paris, 2019.”)
4. Rapid Ethnographic Assessment Procedures (REAP)
a. REAP is “the time-compressed use of focus groups, ethnographic interviews,
mapping, and other methods within a framework of participant observation
(Howell and Paris, 2019.”) REAP typically occurs over a brief period such as a
few weeks, days, or even hours. One benefit of REAP is that it occurs rapidly
which makes it quicker for researchers to conclude findings. However,
researchers must spend their time accounting for each finding and make sure there
was no way it could have been altered or effected.
5. Worldview
a. Dr. Harper describes Worldview as the lens in which we view the world around
us. Worldview takes different beliefs about what can be known and how we know
it. Depending on your worldview, you could have a much different conclusion on
an event that another researcher might. For example, one might be Christian but
Doyle 4
need to participate in another religion for their research process. To be able to
effectively participate and retrieve the date they need, this researcher must stay
impartial and follow through with the events they are participating in. If they are
not comfortable participating, they may decide to simply observe to not skew
their data but lose out on a unique perspective of their research.
Doyle 5
Bibliography
Brian M. Howell and Jenell Paris, Introducing Cultural Anthropology: A Christian Perspective,
Second Edition. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic: A Division of Baker Publishing
Group, 2019).
Harper, Melody. “Worldview” July 1, 2109.
https://canvas.liberty.edu/courses/531378/pages/watch-
worldview?module_item_id=55505223
