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Ethnography and observational research in daily life and organizational settings

Ethnography is one of the main designs in qualitative research. It is often used to study power dynamics, organizational structures, subcultures, meaning making and behavioural change. Usually, it is conducted by using various methods, like participant observation and in-depth interviews.

However, traditional ethnography has also been misused for colonialism and imperialism and can cause serious harm towards participants when not used carefully. This course addresses the theoretical and methodological characteristics of ethnographic design, like thick description, positionality and observant roles, but goes beyond the traditional approaches.

It explores novel ways of conducting ethnographic research that try to address its problems, through decolonialization, focused, organizational and digital ethnography. By the end of this course, participants will have developed a critical awareness of both the possibilities and the limitations of ethnographic research — and the tools to navigate them thoughtfully.

Interested in this course?

Lecturer: S. Roggeveen

Date: Fall 2026

Location: To be announced

Language: English