Essays in Linguistic Ethnography: Ethics, Aesthetics, Encounters

This book advocates for a linguistic ethnography approach that prioritizes the voices of participants, researchers, and collaborators, challenging the singular gaze of the academic researcher. It incorporates the complexity of individual voices and offers an emic perspective, considering the experiential, aesthetic, emotional, moral, and ethical value people bring to encounters with others. It is an essential addition to research methods courses in applied linguistics and sociolinguistics and a valuable contribution to knowledge about research-based drama, theatre, and creative practice.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 12 September 2023
Publisher: Multilingual Matters

This book presents a novel approach to linguistic ethnography that aims to elevate the voices of participants, researchers, and collaborators, rather than relying solely on the singular perspective of the academic researcher. The authors offer a comprehensive account of writing ethnography polyphonically, incorporating the rich diversity of individual voices. By doing so, they challenge the conventional urge to extract meaning and explain the culture of "the other." The collection of essays in this book fosters an emic perspective by exploring the experiential, aesthetic, emotional, moral, and ethical dimensions that individuals bring to their encounters with others. This book serves as a valuable resource for research methods courses in applied linguistics and sociolinguistics, as well as providing insightful knowledge about research-based drama, theatre, and creative practice.

Introduction:
Linguistic ethnography is a field that has gained significant attention in recent years, as researchers seek to understand the complex interplay between language, culture, and social interaction. While traditional approaches to ethnography have often focused on the academic researcher's singular gaze, this book argues for a departure from that approach. By amplifying the voices of participants, researchers, and collaborators, linguistic ethnography can provide a more comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the cultural practices and experiences of different communities.

The Importance of Polyphonic Ethnography:
Polyphonic ethnography involves the inclusion of multiple perspectives and voices in the research process. This approach recognizes that individuals have unique experiences, perspectives, and cultural backgrounds that contribute to their interactions with others. By incorporating these diverse voices, researchers can gain a deeper understanding of the cultural practices and meanings that are embedded in language and social interaction.

Challenging the Academic Gaze:
One of the key challenges of traditional ethnography is the tendency to prioritize the academic researcher's perspective over the voices of participants. This book challenges this notion by advocating for a more collaborative and inclusive approach to research. The authors suggest that researchers should work closely with participants to ensure that their voices are heard and valued, and that their perspectives are incorporated into the research process.

Incorporating Individual Voices:
In order to incorporate individual voices, polyphonic ethnography requires a nuanced approach to writing. The authors suggest that researchers should adopt a multi-voiced writing style, which allows for the representation of multiple perspectives and voices within a single text. This can be achieved through the use of different voices, such as first-person narratives, interviews, and observations.

The Emic Perspective:
Polyphonic ethnography fosters an emic perspective, which emphasizes the cultural and experiential knowledge of participants. This perspective recognizes that individuals have a unique understanding of their own culture and experiences, and that their perspectives are valuable in shaping the research process. By incorporating the emic perspective, researchers can gain a deeper understanding of the cultural practices and meanings that are embedded in language and social interaction.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, this book presents a novel approach to linguistic ethnography that aims to elevate the voices of participants, researchers, and collaborators. By incorporating the complexity of individual voices, polyphonic ethnography can provide a more comprehensive and nuanced understanding of cultural practices and experiences. This approach is essential for research methods courses in applied linguistics and sociolinguistics, as well as for those interested in research-based drama, theatre, and creative practice.

Weight: 368g
Dimension: 156 x 235 x 16 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781788925587