ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces some general concepts and methods concerning ethnographic methods such as participant observations, the writing of field notes, video-ethnography and in-depth interviews. It analyses such methods with regard to dementia studies, revolving around people of varied cultural and linguistic backgrounds. The chapter provides the three authors' own experience – and pitfalls – as examples in order to discusses issues such as closeness/distance to one's informants; cultural competence vs. intercultural empathy; embodiment and ethical considerations. The goal of ethnographic research is to formulate a pattern of analysis, making sense out of human interactions in certain contexts, in a certain time. Participant observations are a commitment to adopt the perspective of those studied by sharing in on their everyday day-to-day experiences. Video-ethnography can be of great advantage while preparing for informal interviews, especially so if one interviews people with cognitive and/or communicational disabilities.
