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'On a Hot Day in the Field . . . ': The Art of Writing Ethnographic Vignettes
[journal article]
Abstract
Long-term and in-depth ethnographic fieldwork is at the very heart of almost every anthropological study. Whilst in the field, the researcher engages deeply over a long period of time with informants and their lifeworlds. These intense encounters form the basis for the analytical results of the stud... view more
Long-term and in-depth ethnographic fieldwork is at the very heart of almost every anthropological study. Whilst in the field, the researcher engages deeply over a long period of time with informants and their lifeworlds. These intense encounters form the basis for the analytical results of the study and as such must be processed and made accessible for the prospective reader. Many ethnographers do so by using ethnographic vignettes. Vignettes are narrative descriptions of particular scenes, placed within the main text. The name might suggest that they are mere adornments, but they should rather be understood as tools by which to grasp analytical conclusions. Through them, the reader shares the experiences of the researcher and can even indirectly witness important moments of insight. But how does one write a good vignette? What should it entail? This paper addresses these questions by reviewing the literature on vignettes and drawing on the author’s own experiences.... view less
Keywords
social situation; ethnography; field research
Classification
Ethnology, Cultural Anthropology, Ethnosociology
Free Keywords
Vignettes; ethnographic writing; fieldnotes; narrative scenes
Document language
English
Publication Year
2021
Page/Pages
p. 116-124
Journal
EthnoScripts: Zeitschrift für aktuelle ethnologische Studien, 23 (2021) 1
Issue topic
How to write? Experiences, challenges and possibilities of ethnographic writing
ISSN
2199-7942
Status
Published Version; peer reviewed