ABSTRACT
Ethnography has been central as a social science research method since the early 20th century. Based upon observation and interviews in the field, whether a street, school classroom, or factory line, ethnographers provide thickly written descriptions and interpretations of culture (Geertz, 1973). First ethnographies read like travel narratives depicting foreign lands, peoples, and customs. While these early works were complicit with a colonial gaze directed toward “the other,” ethnography as a way of knowing remains significant in the fields of anthropology, education, and sociology and has played an integral role in the development of youth studies.
