Ethnography

This week, we learned about Ethnography, and why it is conducted. People conduct ethnography to get quantitative data, including getting statistical data by doing poles and surveys, and also qualitative data from face-to-face interviews.

Cross-cultural interviews are particularly impactful because the give you a greater sense of the person’s viewpoint. In one of our readings, Interviewing in Cross-Cultural Settings, William Shneider explains,

“Cross-cultural interviews broaden our appreciation for how people use oral narratives to express meaning. This can have a direct impact on interviews we do within our own cultural group. It can force us to question whether we really understand what is meant by what is said, and it can make us more sensitive to the nuances of expression. It makes us more conscious of the role of context and how circumstances affect construction of narrative. And it forces us to consider tradition, what people bring to their understanding and discussion of the present. These are aspects of dialog that we take for granted in familiar surroundings. In our translation of oral narrative to literate prose, we often miss the nuances of meaning specific to the oral performance, setting, the questions that came before that, and the relationships between the present and past history.”

When thinking about conducting my interview, I had to think about what questions I could ask that would make my interviewee most comfortable and willing to share. It is important to establish a comfortable environment for the interviewee before asking any questions that could have controversial or uncomfortable answers. I also thought about being more aware of any nuances in the conversation, and to think about her past as it effects her present. Since our interview was over the phone, I also had to think about how the interview might be different than face-to-face. I would not be able to see facial expressions, but I would be able to hear changes in her tone and hesitations about certain subjects.

Before speaking with my interviewee, Martha O., here are some questions I was considering asking her:

1. How do you feel as a Nicaraguan living in America?

2. What cultural differences do you like and dislike?

3. How was working as a nurse in Nicaragua different from working in the US?

4. Can you please describe the events leading up to you leaving Nicaragua and finding a home in the US?

5. Can you describe your family’s political views related to the Sandinistas and Somoza?

6. What are your feelings towards Nicaragua now? Do you consider yourself to be more of a Nicaraguan or an American now?

7. What is your opinion on student service trips?

8. Is there anything you think I should be aware of on my trip that I wouldn’t necessarily know about?

9. Is there anything else you would like to comment on?

I am very excited about talking to Martha, because I think she will bring a unique perspective to the topics we are learning about in class.