ETHNOGRAPHIC APPROACHES

TO SOCIAL MEDIA

Class 13
Positionality reflexivity (What do I know?)
Membership insider/outsider
Accounting for bias/providing an accurate picture
(thick description)
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TRIANGULATION
Double-checking, supporting findings
Also: to introduce complexity,
inconsistencies
Reducing complexity vs. describing &
understanding complexity
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Data triangulation
At different points in time; in different
spaces; from different informants
Investigator triangulation
More than one observer or participant
Collaborative ethnography
Methodological triangulation
Using the same method on different
occasions or different methods on the same
object

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Combined levels of triangulation
More than one level of observation and
analysis (individual, group, societal)
Theory triangulation
Applying more than one theoretical frame
in the interpretation
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Margaret Mead: what people say, what
people do, and what they say they do are
entirely different things
Any form of triangulation at any point of study
Ethnographers reflexivity
What does my research tell me so far? Am I
using the right method? Are there other sites
that could give me more information?
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PARTICIPANT
OBSERVATION
Behaviours in their natural contexts
Types of data outsiders may simply not (be
allowed to) see/know
Questions not answerable with other types of
data
Learning relevance what to ask and how to ask it;
what types of data to collect later
More in-depth understanding of data; also to
address self-report bias
Problem of reactivity fitting in

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SUMMARY
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Fieldwork
Participant observation
Ethical questions
Field notes
The field?
Translocal networks
Culture
Methodological nationalism (e.g. Wimmer, Andreas &
Nina Glick Schiller 2002. Methodological nationalism and beyond:
Nation-state building, migration and the social sciences. Global
Networks 2 (4), 301-334.)
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RESEARCH PROCESS
Learning process
Empirical evidence
Cf. hypothesis-driven models
Methodological adaptivity and flexibility
Reflexivity
Your own position, knowledge, assumptions
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COURSE CONTENT IN BRIEF
What is social media?
Definition, characteristics
What is online ethnography?
What kinds of questions are specific to studying online
environments?
Learning how to ask how to formulate ethnographic
research questions
Addressing important broader questions
What is scientific? What does it mean to be scientific when
studying human culture? What is e.g. objectivity?
Big data discussions a hot topic at the moment
Ethical questions what are the challenges faced by those
researching digital culture?
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WHAT TO RETAIN FROM
THIS COURSE
Ethnography as an approach
Specificities of online environments, ethical
issues
The ability to think ethnographically
How you approach your object of study
How you formulate your research questions
Your own position

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BENEFITS, APPLICATIONS
Another approach in your tool kit for
understanding present-day phenomena
Questioning how we produce knowledge
Your (future) professional life in e.g. social media
marketing, communication design etc.
How do you get to understand who your
audience is?
Questioning broad categories such as
women or men, Dutch people
Understanding the importance of context
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COURSE PAPER
A research proposal on a topic of your own
choice
In the paper, you explain what your topic is,
and how you would study it ethnographically
You dont need to worry about presenting
a broad literature review; I am not
interested in seeing how well-read you are
on the topic rather how well you
understand ethnography as an approach
Max. length 4000 words
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EVALUATION CRITERIA
You show an understanding of ethnographic research
You show awareness of possible ethical questions
related to your proposal
Clarity: the paper is clearly written, easy to follow and
proceeds logically
Making use of class discussions
Extra points for originality

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Deadline: June 23, 2014
Please submit a hard copy!
Office D220/pigeonhole, 2
nd
floor in Dante
By snail mail:
Department of Culture Studies
Tilburg University
PO Box 90153
5000 LE TIlburg

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COURSE PAPER: POSSIBLE
STRUCTURE
Introduction: explaining your topic (what and
why)
Research question (e.g. How do young people
use social media for political participation?; What
kind of norms regulate teenagers choice of profile
picture on Facebook?; What determines
language choice for Facebook updates?.etc.
Your approach (ethnography) and the method(s)
you use to answer your research question (how)
Ethical questions (if relevant)
Bibliography
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THANK YOU!
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