July 31-August 1

Increasingly recognized for their explanatory power, ethnographic methods have emerged as an invaluable approach for understanding meanings, processes, relationships, and behaviors in a variety of applied contexts, such as healthcare, educational, and community settings. Ethnographic approaches draw upon methods and perspectives originally developed in the social sciences, and provide a lens for cultural sensitivity, attention to shared values, and an eye toward what sustains or destabilizes processes associated with cultural factors. Historically, these approaches have been time-intensive, often involving extensive time in “the field” that is rarely possible in the applied research context.

Centering an applied, pragmatic perspective, this course will provide participants with guidance on options and tools for 1) ethnographic study design, featuring targeted, focused, and rapid ethnography, 2) qualitative and integrated mixed methods data collection, and 3) strategies for analysis.

Participants will gain a valuable grounding in the epistemology and theory of ethnography as a foundation for integrating ethnographic approaches into their applied research.

Participants are encouraged to bring their applied ethnographic research ideas and plans for discussion, as time allows.