SOCI 217 Lecture Notes - Lecture 24: Grounded Theory, Ethnomethodology, Participant Observation
Week 12- non-reactive research
Historical-comparative research
• Study something that happened long ago
• Used to examine societies over time and in comparison, with one another
• Relies on an intensive examination of a limited number of cases
Appropriate questions/topics
• Why did societies evolve the way they did?
• Why did current social arrangements take a certain form in some societies but not in
others?
• What fundamental features are common to most societies?
Top down or bottom up?
• Research methods can use either
o Top down
▪ Abstract to concrete approach
o Bottom up
▪ Concrete to abstract approach
o Or both
• Rooted in naturalism
o Observing events and people in a natural setting
▪ No artificial setting – e.g. eperiets…
• Field research
o In addition to data collecting; a theory-generating activity
Ethnography and participant observation
• Ethnography
o More ephasis o iterpretie uderstadig of people’s o cultures/social
worlds
o Goals of uderstadig participats’ orldies
o Leads to empathetic understanding
o Involves long term immersion
• Participant observation
o First-hand experience
• Case study
o Very common in qualitative fieldwork
find more resources at oneclass.com
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Document Summary
Historical-comparative research: study something that happened long ago, used to examine societies over time and in comparison, with one another, relies on an intensive examination of a limited number of cases. In addition to data collecting; a theory-generating activity. Ethnography and participant observation: ethnography, more e(cid:373)phasis o(cid:374) i(cid:374)terpreti(cid:448)e u(cid:374)dersta(cid:374)di(cid:374)g of people"s o(cid:449)(cid:374) cultures/social worlds, goals of u(cid:374)dersta(cid:374)di(cid:374)g participa(cid:374)ts" (cid:449)orld(cid:448)ie(cid:449)s, leads to empathetic understanding. Involves long term immersion: participant observation, first-hand experience, case study, very common in qualitative fieldwork. Participatory action research: researcher serves as a resource to those being studied. Open coding just reading the data without preconceived ideas: 2. Axial coding: decide the relationship between the codes, 3. Selective coding interested in a few codes: best of science and art (creativity) extended case method, discover flaws and modify existing social theories, 1. Observe data that supports or rejects what already exists: 3. See if there is potential for modifications conducting field research: 1.
