The Experiences of a Consumer Ethnographer in a Sensitive Research Context

Abstract

Ethnography is a research approach that deals with the study and representation of culture. Although it has its roots in anthropology and sociology, it has attracted the attention not only of scholars from different disciplines, but also of practitioners. Several research textbooks discuss the principles and the strategies for carrying out an ethnography. Instead of focusing on the principles of the research approach, the chapter explains its application by focusing on personal experiences for an ethnography carried out in a sensitive research context – the squatter neighborhood and the dwellings of poor urban migrants. The chapter explains the problems encountered before and upon entry into the field and presents the strategies employed to overcome these challenges. Eventually, it aims to help researchers and practitioners that are interested in the adoption and the use of this research approach.