Creative Ethnographies

A key attraction for ethnographic narratives are their ability to draw a reader into a rich, thick description of people, spaces, interactions and objects. Such descriptions bring mundane details to life, creating a vividly vicarious experience that develops multiple layers of meaning, enriching social research. However, many narratives rely largely on straightforward and descriptive text, coupled with realist-style photographs that appear to primarily serve an illustrative purpose. 

How do we expand on creative techniques that can push the boundaries of ethnographic narratives? In this one day workshop (run across two consecutive mornings), participants will consider how creative visual and written techniques like photography and poetry can be incorporated into and supplement traditional ethnographic observations. On the first morning, participants will be introduced to case studies of creative writing and/or photography, both from social research as well as practitioners. Participants will also use their own cameras / smartphones to creatively engage with quotidian environments. On the second morning, participants will have a chance to present/exhibit a short piece of work they have crafted themselves for formative feedback.

The course covers: 

• Creative approaches to supplementing and visualising ethnographic narratives 

• The affordances of technologies to “do” visual ethnography, including but not limited to smartphones, digital cameras and 360 cameras 

• Case studies of work done using creative techniques 

By the end of the course participants will:

• Understand the role and possibilities of creative writing and imagery in writing ethnographies
• Write, photograph and/or video short creative pieces as part of an ethnographic/autoethnographic study
• Appreciate the technological affordances in visual ethnography

Schedule

Day 1: 24^th Nov

1000: Introductions and Welcome: Say a little about yourself and your research (1-2 min)

1010: Presentation around Creative Visual Ethnographies – Definitions, examples, how-to’s

1130: Break-out, take 2 photographs, upload 1 to Padlet

1200: Camera and Software Demonstration and Practice

1300: End of Day 1 – “Homework” for tomorrow

Day 2: 25^th Nov

1000: Welcome back

1010: Presentations by Participants and Critique (1-3 min each + 3 min critique)

1140: Break

1200: Publishing outputs from Creative Visual Ethnographies – visual essays and visual monographs

1300: End of Day 2