Ethnographic and participatory methods in peri-urban research: a review of approaches and issues

1. Ethnographic and participatory
methods in periurban research
Vishal Narain
Kathmandu, August 2010

2. Qualitative research vs
quantitative research
• Difference in assumptions about social science
– Positivism vs interpretivism
• Nature of research questions
– How and why questions, process-based rather than
how much questions
• Nature of data analysed
– Events, anecdotes, relationships, processes, and
evidence as against numbers
• Approach to data collection
– More open-ended, unstructured

3. Characteristics of qualitative
research/ reports
• Rich contextual detail
• Data in the form of words, sentences,
expressions, photos, videotapes
• Researcher’s personality plays a role
• Require improvisation
• Need good writing skills

4. The qualitative research
orientation
• A non-positivist perspective
– Interpretive and critical approaches to social
science
• Circular path
– Not necessarily linear, or one step after the
other

5. Qualitative Research: some
basic principles and concepts
• Ethnography
– Description of people
• Grounded theory
– Immerse in data to theorize; say something about the phenomena that
we see
– Data and theory interact
– Inductive vs deductive method
• Case study research
– Look for patterns
– Develop and refine concepts
– Immersion in the data
– Domain of generalization
• Analytic generalization as against statistical generalization in quantitative
research
• E.g, each of our villages can be a case study that we use to illustrate or
generalize on certain relationships

6. Qualitative Techniques.. Ctd.
• Focus Groups
• PRAs, RRAs
• Semi-structured interviews
• Action Research
• Process Documentation Research

7. Doing qualitative research
• Studying process, sequence and time
• Levels of interpretation
– Different levels of coding
• Quotations
• Thick descriptions
– Detailed account of a specific activity
• Photographs
• Build on anecdotes and experiences: they
are part of evidence

8. Ethnographic methods
• What is ethnography ?
• When do researchers do it ?
• Why is it carried out ?
• What does it entail ?

9. What is ethnography ?
• Ethnos + Graphein
• Anthropology (anthropos + logos)
• Entails fieldwork
– Long period of observation
– Direct interaction
– An iterative, semi-structured approach
– “Playing by the ear”
– Keeping eyes and ears open

10. When is it suited ?
• Answer “how” questions ?
• Study of
– Social movements
– Occupations
– Social interactions and processes
– Deviant behavior

11. Principles of field work
• Methodological pragmatism
• Naturalism
• Socialization
• Researcher’s personality plays a role

12. Steps in field work
• Start with a research question
• Defocus
• Select a site
• Dealing with gate-keepers
• The access ladder
• Disclosure
• Listen, see and observe
• Regular field notes
– Building blocks of field work
– Analysis starts while in the field

13. Dealing with key informants
• Who is an informant ?
• The informant interview
– Context is important
– Semi-structured
• What makes a good informant ?
– Familiarity with the site
– Currently engaged
– Some one who can give time

14. Sampling in field work
• Theoretical sampling
– Sample on the basis of theoretical relevance, or the
ability of the specific case to say something about the
issue being researched
• Snowball sampling
– Follow leads from one to another
• Sample
– People
– Locations
– Timing

15. Intricacies of field work
• Dealing with freeze-outs
• Ethical issues
– Extent of disclosure
– Intrusion
– Confidentiality
– Dealing with deviants
• Managing stress
– Physical
– Mental
• When does field work end? When can you exit ?
– When theory building ceases
– Just call it a day ?

16. Participatory Rural Appraisal
• A method of enabling communities to share
information about themselves using visual
techniques and discussions
• Evolved from
– Disenchantment with questionnaire surveys
• High costs
• Errors
• Delays
• Manipulation

17. Principles of PRA
• A paradigm shift in the social sciences
• Question of attitude
• Direct learning from the local people
• ‘Handing over the stick’
• Plurality of methods
• Optimal ignorance
• Information shared and owned by local people,
as against being extracted by outsiders

18. Some PRA tools
• Village transects
• Village maps
• Venn Diagrams
• Seasonality Calendar
• Wealth-ranking
• Time line
• Trend analysis
• Focus groups
• Semi-structured interviews
• Do-it-yourself exercises

19. Modes of analysis
• Done by local people, in groups
• Visual
• Comparisons
• Interactive
• Iterative

20. Applications of PRAs
• Natural Resource Management
• Village Development Plans
• Programmes for women and the poor
• Agriculture and food security
• Used by NGOs, students and universities
– MYRADA, Action Aid, AKRSP in India
promoted it extensively

21. Some benefits of PRAs
• Rapport building
• Create an atmosphere of shared learning
• Often more cost-effective and quicker than
questionnaires
• Present “aggregate picture”
• Fun, interest

22. Some practical points about
PRAs
• How long ?
– Depends on time and resources
– Not done hurriedly
– Ten days- four weeks
• Who does it ?
– Inter-disciplinary teams
– Groups of people
• Consistency checks
– Triangulation

23. Practical points
• Sequencing
– No rigid sequence
– Start with maps, graphs and move to
sensitive subjects

24. Dangers of PRA: how not to do
a PRA
• Who participates in these exercises ?
• ‘Instant fashion’
• Often Hurriedly done to impress donors
and get funding
• Pitfalls of ‘rural tourism’
• Formalism: emphasis on manuals and
procedures
• Routinisation: loss of spontaneity