ABSTRACT
Ethnography is a well-established qualitative school of inquiry best suited to the study of a group or culture. This chapter introduces this methodological approach and draws on two ethnographic studies conducted in a Canadian metropolitan area to illustrate some of the key features of critical ethnography. The authors address the epistemology of ethnography as well as topics and research questions best suited to this approach. In discussing how to design an ethnographic study, the authors consider boundary setting, recruitment, data collection methods (including critical discourse analysis, observations, interviewing, and participatory approaches), and data analysis for textual, observational, and visual data. The types of findings presented from ethnographies are outlined, as well as considerations for rigor and ethics and best practice in ethnographic research. The final sections of the chapter consider the application of ethnography to occupational science and occupational therapy, key considerations in critiquing ethnographic work, and some personal author reflections.
