Ethnography is the central method of anthropology. Nevertheless, it has often been
borrowed and adapted by other disciplines. While there is a central body of
methodological texts within anthropology, this is not the case in relation to the use of
ethnography outside the discipline and in relation to online fandom in particular.
This “absence of a central corpus of methodological texts” (Ruddock 1998, p.297)
results in a broad range of diversity in so-called ethnographic writing. Harry F.
Wolcott’s struggle (in Van Maanen 1995:92) to decide whether to call his study The
Man in the Principal’s Office (1973) ethnographic or not, characterises very clearly
the fuzziness and complexity of the method. Even when contemporary ethnographies,
such as virtual ethnography, are intended to feature a much narrower focus, some of
these difficulties remain.
The first ethnographers in the middle of the 19th century were the so-called
“armchair-ethnologists.” Often their only sources of information were travelogues of
missionaries. They accumulated their information without coming to direct contact
with the human beings that were their objects of investigation. The research scientist
only evaluated the data. This impersonal, anonymous basic approach resulted in
distorted, superficial and extremely notional representations of societies. Around
1918, the “Malinowskian revolution” in ethnography demonstrated an approach of
participant observation. The previous segregation between fieldworker and scientist
ceased, which resulted in a single person acting as reporter, researcher and analytical
scientist. Malinowski suggested that it is important not only to record the actions of
the subject of exploration but also to understand the underlying motivations.
“Ethnography has changed a lot since its origins as the method anthropologists used
to develop an understanding of cultures in distant places” (Hine 2000, p.41). One of
the last relics may be the original core approach of travelling to a foreign place and
integrating into a community or society with the aim of understanding the actions and
underlying motivations of its members. “It (ethnography) refers to a style of research
that seeks to describe and interpret a cultural or social group or system, and involves
the participation of the ethnographer(s)” (http://staff.bath.ac.uk/psssr/courses/mres
ethnography.html). [...]
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The study of cyberculture
2.1 Virtual ethnography – “real world” ethnography
3. Pilot study of Lindenstrasse: About the series
3.1 Classification of the pilot study
3.2 Fan practices
3.2.1 The absence of fan fiction
3.2.2 Human-Computer-Interaction: de.rec.tv.lindenstrasse
3.2.3 Face-to-face interaction: fan-meetings
3.2.4 Fanzines
3.3 Methodological aspects
3.4 Ethical aspects and problems
4. Conclusion
5. References
Research Objectives and Themes
This assignment provides a theoretical foundation for conducting ethnographically-inspired audience research on the online fandom of the German soap opera Lindenstrasse, contrasting it with existing research on American counterparts.
- Theoretical evaluation of cyberculture studies and its methodologies.
- Examination of "real world" versus virtual ethnography.
- Analysis of specific fan practices such as newsgroup interaction and fan-meetings.
- Discussion of methodological challenges in studying online resistive audiences.
- Assessment of ethical considerations in internet-based field research.
Excerpt from the Book
1. Introduction
Ethnography is the central method of anthropology. Nevertheless, it has often been borrowed and adapted by other disciplines. While there is a central body of methodological texts within anthropology, this is not the case in relation to the use of ethnography outside the discipline and in relation to online fandom in particular. This “absence of a central corpus of methodological texts” (Ruddock 1998, p.297) results in a broad range of diversity in so-called ethnographic writing. Harry F. Wolcott’s struggle (in Van Maanen 1995:92) to decide whether to call his study The Man in the Principal’s Office (1973) ethnographic or not, characterises very clearly the fuzziness and complexity of the method. Even when contemporary ethnographies, such as virtual ethnography, are intended to feature a much narrower focus, some of these difficulties remain.
The first ethnographers in the middle of the 19th century were the so-called “armchair-ethnologists.” Often their only sources of information were travelogues of missionaries. They accumulated their information without coming to direct contact with the human beings that were their objects of investigation. The research scientist only evaluated the data. This impersonal, anonymous basic approach resulted in distorted, superficial and extremely notional representations of societies. Around 1918, the “Malinowskian revolution” in ethnography demonstrated an approach of participant observation. The previous segregation between fieldworker and scientist ceased, which resulted in a single person acting as reporter, researcher and analytical scientist. Malinowski suggested that it is important not only to record the actions of the subject of exploration but also to understand the underlying motivations.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the methodological challenges of ethnography in the context of online fandom and the transition from classical to virtual ethnographic approaches.
2. The study of cyberculture: Defines the generations of cyberculture scholars and explores how virtual ethnography adapts traditional fieldwork to the internet environment.
3. Pilot study of Lindenstrasse: About the series: Provides context on the television show and investigates fan practices, methodological aspects, and ethical challenges associated with studying the Lindenstrasse community.
4. Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, noting that the resistance of German soap opera audiences may differ from the patterns observed in American studies.
5. References: Lists the academic literature and digital resources utilized for this theoretical inquiry.
Keywords
Ethnography, Virtual Ethnography, Cyberculture, Lindenstrasse, Fandom, Soap Opera, Online Research, Fan Practices, Audience Research, Participant Observation, Media Studies, Digital Interaction, Methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper explores the theoretical framework and methodological approaches necessary to conduct ethnographic research on the web-based fans of the German soap opera Lindenstrasse.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
Key areas include the evolution of cyberculture studies, differences between traditional and virtual ethnography, the specific interactions within the Lindenstrasse community, and ethical considerations for internet research.
What is the main research objective?
The goal is to determine how to apply ethnographically-inspired methods to analyze how soap opera fans interpret and potentially resist the ideological messages within the show's narrative.
Which scientific methods are discussed in the study?
The paper discusses participant observation, the analysis of fan-generated content like fanzines and newsgroup posts, and the need for a holistic, hybrid approach combining online and offline research.
What does the main body of the work address?
It covers the history of ethnography, the classification of cyberculture studies, detailed observations of fan practices (Usenet, meetups), and critical reflections on the researcher's role in the community.
How can this work be described using keywords?
It is characterized by terms such as Virtual Ethnography, Cyberculture, Fandom, Lindenstrasse, Audience Resistance, and Media Methodology.
Why does the author differentiate between American soaps and Lindenstrasse?
The author argues that American soaps typically adhere to "happy endings" and hegemonic values, while Lindenstrasse deals with controversial social issues, making the audience's resistive potential potentially different.
How does the author address the issue of the researcher "going native"?
The author acknowledges the danger of losing critical distance and emphasizes the necessity for the researcher to maintain academic objectivity while being integrated into the community.
- Quote paper
- Anonym (Author), 2003, Theoretical approach of how to conduct ethnographically-inspired audience research of web-based fandom of the soap opera Lindenstrasse, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/16686
