Autoethnography.pdf

Us and Them- Seeking the Autoethnographic ‘We’" by Nicola Donovan explores the concept of autoethnography, a developing field of ethnographic practice. Two divergent approaches are identified: analytic autoethnography, which adheres to academic convention, and evocative autoethnography, which experiments with personal, narrative forms.

Analytic autoethnography, as practiced by Anderson, Coffey, Delamont, and Gannon, emphasizes analytic rigor and traditional standards of social inquiry. In contrast, evocative autoethnography, led by Denzin, Bochner, Ellis, and Richardson, seeks to represent polyvocality and promote co-participative dialogues through autobiographical and narrative forms.

However, problems arise with evocative autoethnography, including a lack of quality control, resulting in texts that are not scholarly or rigorous. Examples of this include Richardson's autoethnographic response to the 9/11 attacks and the Gergen's under-researched experimentation with performance and live art.

The paper suggests that combining analytic and evocative methods can produce alternative, academically rigorous texts. An initial investigation of autoethnography in Nottingham demonstrates the potential of this approach, highlighting the importance of balancing personal narrative with theoretical sophistication and academic rigor. Ultimately, the goal is to create a connected relationship between the two approaches, conveying and analyzing data in a more effective and engaging manner.