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'The Disease will Come!' Contingency, Irony, and Challenging Closures in Ethnographic Writing
[journal article]
Abstract Drawing on a brief ethnographic encounter in north-western Laos, this paper argues that fleeting encounters in the field can bring unforeseen topics and phenomena to the fieldworker's attention - in this case rumours circulating about an antidote to the impending coronavirus disease. The paper explo... view more
Drawing on a brief ethnographic encounter in north-western Laos, this paper argues that fleeting encounters in the field can bring unforeseen topics and phenomena to the fieldworker's attention - in this case rumours circulating about an antidote to the impending coronavirus disease. The paper explores the resonances of this rumour with experiences from previous fieldwork and discusses a variety of local reactions, including mockery and self-deprecating gestures. Reflecting on narrative choices in ethnographic writing, the paper argues that the inclusion of contingent encounters in ethnographic writing, how they unfolded in the field and were grounded in sociality, can allow the illumination of how ethnographic knowledge is produced. Finally, this contribution argues that sensitivity to contingency and irony allows for ethnographic writing that challenges epistemic closure.... view less
Keywords
irony; ethnography; writing; contingency; Laos; narrative; field research
Classification
Ethnology, Cultural Anthropology, Ethnosociology
Free Keywords
Khmu; ethnographic writing
Document language
English
Publication Year
2021
Page/Pages
p. 125-140
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