Standing Still, Go Along, and Zooming In: Complementary Strategies of Participant-Observations in Urban Ethnography

Authors

Lene Granzau Juel-Jacobsen, Danish School of Media and Journalism + Zealand Academy of Business and TechnologyFollow

Abstract

This paper seeks to complement conventional ethnographic participant observation methods, proposing the integration of three distinct strategies. Motivated by own ethnographic studies, conducted in an urban supermarket and a food festival site, the paper contends that traditional long-term immersion may not always suffice for investigating transient urban phenomena. The paper advocates for the integration of complementary methodological strategies for participant observation adaptable to evolving contexts and research questions. Firstly, the "standing still" approach involves minimal engagement while observing a specific scene or interaction, offering a detached yet insightful perspective on fleeting moments or events. Secondly, the "go along" strategy entails tracking a particular individual, group, or object through movements and networks, providing valuable insights into routines, relationships, and controversies. Lastly, the "zooming in" technique uncovers unexpected details within scenes, interactions, or subject matter, enriching understanding of what might otherwise go unnoticed. While the first two strategies are practices employed by early pioneers in the field, the latter gains relevance in an era where video recordings are increasingly prevalent. The paper argues for the complementarity of the three strategies, fostering a more advanced comprehension of the supermarket and social landscape at large. This study holds significant implications for the practice of participant observation, encouraging researchers to embrace a repertoire of strategies tailored to the unique demands of each research inquiry and situational context. This attentive and context-driven approach allows for a more nuanced and comprehensive grasp of the social world under scrutiny.

Keywords

ethnography, participant observation, urban studies

Author Bio(s)

Lene Granzau Juel-Jacobsen, Ph.D., is senior lecturer at Danish School of Media and Journalism and associate professor at Zealand Business Academy, and appointed member of the evaluation committee for associated professor applications at university colleges in Denmark. With a background in sociology and urban studies, Lene Granzau Juel-Jacobsen has extensive experience with qualitative research, particularly ethnographic studies. She has published widely on consumption within a variety of socio-material spaces and co-edited special issue journals and anthologies. Please direct correspondence to lgj@dmjx.dk and lejj@zealand.dk

Publication Date

10-14-2024

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

DOI

10.46743/2160-3715/2024.7648

Recommended APA Citation

Juel-Jacobsen, L. G. (2024). Standing still, go along, and zooming in: Complementary strategies of participant-observations in urban ethnography. The Qualitative Report, 29(9), 2440-2453. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2024.7648