ABSTRACT
The author fieldwork experience was an aesthetic one in Dewey's terms, for it embraced a combination of physically and intellectually demanding activity, together with a need for stoicism when grappling with that combination often in difficult conditions both environmentally and psychologically. Traditionally, an aesthetic way of being has largely been equated with activity described as expressive, evocative, beautiful, sacred, sublime and artistic. Doing participant observation effectively demands a combination of analytic and social skills. Crucially the former cannot be practiced unless a sound social relationship with one's participants has been established via the use of the latter; otherwise social closure is highly likely with the outcome being no insightful data and the possible demise of one's research. The most habitual medium of testing was how author talked with troops. That communication had certain narrative and linguistic features rooted in wider UK male working-class culture but which were accentuated within the infantry subculture.
