Ethnography Leaves us Changed
Imagine the chaotic turmoil of war – lives vastly changed through one act of terror. Picture yourself on the city steps – bodies fall before your eyes. You can hear the bombs encircling overhead. You can feel the chill of the wintry breeze hitting your face. Your experience is written within the core of your being, but you lack the ability to express you story. Therefore, your words return to the depths of your mind and remain dormant.
Ethnography seeks to extract your thoughts, experiences, customs and personal perspectives through the use of visual and auditory aids. They provide the individual with a platform and microphone. They wait – watch – and listen for your cue. With script in hand, you step up to the stage, and the world awaits your story. As the fears set in and the insecurity ensues, you look past the lights and gaze out to a captive crowd – a crowd that NEEDS to hear your story. Ethnography translates your story to reach across all cultures, creeds and communities. In a sense, an Ethnographer is much like a Linguist. They tell the hidden truths of individuals all over the world and create visual atmosphere that’s attractive to achievement.
Alice Herz-Sommor had experienced the pain of war much like the majority of those within her generation, but her story was different – her story was unique and it needed to be heard. Ethnographer and filmmaker, Nick Reedent, sought to give voice to her story through photo elicitation and visual aid. As the interview progresses, we find that this woman, of 109, clung onto music as her hope through the torment she experienced through World War II. The documentary did not highlight the Holocaust in the forefront, it gave one woman the ability to speak in the face of monstrosities. Ethnography seeks to collaborate with the participant and grasp the DNA of the individual. They seek to go beyond the surface and find the heart and soul of the subject in question.
Active observation; like active reading, requires one to interact with the visual story. We must seek to grasp the collaborative story posed by the ethnographer and participant. The Ethnographer and audience must seek to understand, not just be informed. We must ask ourselves the question, what does this research evoke me to accomplish? There must be a relationship between the Ethnographer and the subject being interviewed in order to convey the application or emotional response to the viewer. In order for a reaction to take place, the Ethnographer must create an atmosphere of authenticity – an atmosphere of collaboration. “If ethnography is seen as a process of negotiation and collaboration, with participants through which they too stand to achieve their own objectives, rather than as an act of taking information away from them, the ethical agenda also shifts. By focusing on collaboration and the idea of creating something together, agency becomes shared between the researcher and the participant” (Pink, 64). For instance, one might chose to allow the participant the opportunity to film their story and be an observer within the process of visual ethnography. Another option would be to collaborate in design, preparation, editing and directing of the video. This would give both the researcher and the subject the ability to hone in on the main point of the story. In a perfect world, collaboration would be at the forefront of ethical praxis; however, that is not always the case. Participants are misrepresented. Stories and distorted in the pursuit of agenda. Inequality ensues.
When there’s inequality between the Ethnographer and the participant, the person of interest becomes nothing more than a chess piece – moved about the board to achieve the Ethnographer’s vision. However, when collaboration ensues, it grants the contributor with the position of influence; not simply the researcher.
The ethnographic story of Alice Herz-Sommor, is painted unlike so many from the Holocaust. Her story is more than a documentary of events, it is a culmination of photos, audio clips and video that work in tandem to display her specific viewpoint and voice. The Ethnographer, Nick Reedent, provides Alice Herz-Sommor with a platform. She has a voice. She has a story. Pink suggest, “Whether we are making a video, viewing other people’s videos, re-viewing our own video, or asking other people to view videos with us. Video does not take us or anyone else back either in time or to a place or locality. Rather, video invites us to move forward with it, and as such to engage with it” (Pink, 106) Visual Ethnography does not seek to place us back into the past, but give us a glimpse into the past to prepare us to face the future. The author is challenging us to utilize the various tools of ethnographic research to build a foundation for where we are going. We are asked to be left changed by their stories.
About the Author
Colleen Batchelder
I speak at conferences, churches, companies and colleges on intergenerational communication, marketing, branding your vision and living authentically in a ‘filtered’ world. My talks are customized to venue needs and audience interests. My passion is to speak with organizations and bridge the intergenerational gap. I consult with companies, individuals, churches and nonprofit organizations and help them create teams that function from a place of communication that bridges the generational gap. I’m also the Founder and President of LOUD Summit – a young adult organization that presents workshops, seminars and summits that encourage, empower and equip millennials to live out their destiny and walk in their purpose. When I’m not studying for my DMin in Leadership and Global Perspectives at Portland Seminary, you can find me enjoying a nice Chai Latte, exploring NYC or traveling to a new and exotic destination.8 responses to “Ethnography Leaves us Changed”
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I like this sentence that I feel really captures the heart of what Pink was trying to communicate: “However, when collaboration ensues, it grants the contributor with the position of influence; not simply the researcher.” Defining roles and terminology in the context of this field was very enlightening to me. Perspective is so subjective but it can be influenced so powerfully by both the “informant” and the ethnographer. Collaboration is a great story teller.
Are you a story teller? Your writing would suggest that you are a story teller.
Kevin
Thank you, Kevin!
Michael Hyatt wrote a book called, Platform. As I read Pink, I thought back to that term – Platform – a stage that lifts others to the position of influence. So many times, our ministries can be focused on presenting our own “platform”, but ethnography challenges us to do more than presentation. Pink challenges us promote those around us and present them with a microphone. We have the amazing opportunity to speak for those around us – to let their stories be known and create change. I love Pink’s take on collaboration being the root of ethnographic research. “Visual ethnography is not just a set of methods, but rather the methods are engaged in ways that are theoretically informed, as part of academic disciplines…also in relation to understandings of power and inequalities” (Pink, 117). Collaboration is essential, both in media forms and the interpersonal relationship of ethnographer and participant.
Yes. I would definitely consider myself as a storyteller. There’s nothing better than being a voice for those who are oppressed and being Jesus to those who have fallen short. Thank you for the compliment.
Colleen,
Great post, punctuated with all kinds of golden nuggets that get to the heart and soul of the ethnographic process. Thank you so much for the opportunity to get a glimpse into the life of Alice Herz-Sommor, the oldest living Holocaust survivor, and to partake in her enthusiasm for the gift of life. Experiencing the beauty and peace of God through music sustained her all these years. She is certainly a tribute to one triumphing in tragedy. This is a terrific illustration of how powerful and all-encompassing the fruit of ethnographic research can be, especially for the Christian researcher and for taking Christian ministry in general to unprecedented heights.
Concerning the ethics regarding ethnographer and participant collaboration Pink states, “Rather than the researcher being the active party who both extracts data and gives something else back, in this model both researcher and participant invest in, and are rewarded by, the project. In some cases this has empowered participants and can serve to challenge existing power structures that impinge on the lives of participants and ethnographers” (Pink, 65).
Thank you, Claire!
Alice’s life truly is the perfect picture of one who lived life without restraint. Her joy and zest for life is inspiring. I thought it was interesting that her perspective of life was seen through music. Bach and Beethoven painted her a landscape that differed much from the reality of her surroundings. However, her view was influenced by what she heard – which overshadowed what she saw. Her ethnographic perspective was through the veil of music. These women had lost everything, yet these melodies saved their lives and their sanity.
I also found it interesting that Alice stated, “Music is “God”. Many times, we as Christians see through the looking glass of Scripture and bristle at various comments that don’t line up with our theology. Yes. Alice’s view of God was a bit distorted, but it reminded me of Paul and his interaction in Acts 17:22-23 “So Paul took his stand in the open space at the Areopagus and laid it out for them. “It is plain to see that you Athenians take your religion seriously. When I arrived here the other day, I was fascinated with all the shrines I came across. And then I found one inscribed, TO THE GOD NOBODY KNOWS. I’m here to introduce you to this God so you can worship intelligently, know who you’re dealing with.” Ethnography gives us the ability to understand our culture _ to answer questions about an “unknown God” and make Him known. This requires ethnography to delve into the doubts and struggles of each participant and allow them to grapple with questions about God, life and purpose.
Colleen,
This was well written and you definitely included all facets as an ethnographer. Your following paragraph captured my attention:
“When there’s inequality between the Ethnographer and the participant, the person of interest becomes nothing more than a chess piece – moved about the board to achieve the Ethnographer’s vision. However, when collaboration ensues, it grants the contributor with the position of influence; not simply the researcher.”
This tells me it is very important to ensure there’s equality between the ethnographer and the participant. As an ethnographer, I can see the challenge in separating one’s self and allowing the participant to draw their own opinion. When I use visual aids, I’m always seeking different perspectives. However, I usually have a vision for the suggested image. Your post is a great reminder for us to relinquish some of our desires to control everything and allow the participant to freely engage.
Thank you, Garfield!
As I read through Pink’s book, a chess board came to mind – a scattered mess of pawns moved around a checkered space without rhyme or rhythm. It’s annoying to our eyes, because it fails to paint the picture of the participant’s view. When we interview others for the sake of achieving our own agenda, it’s like trying to fit into a pair of jeans 3 sizes too small. The audience sees our insincerity and feels the awkwardness of the presentation. We’re uncomfortable. We’re making our audience uncomfortable. We’re contorting ourselves to fit the “jeans”. Collaboration between participant and ethnographer is essential. It becomes authentic and effectual in staging and storyline.
I thought it was interesting that Pink stated, “Ethnographic texts, be they books, videos or photographs, are not usually released for the public consumption without some consideration of how they communicate” (Pink, 190). We can seek to develop a relationship with the participant and paint their story with truth and individuality, but without consideration of the audience, their voice becomes lost and ineffective. I loved this advice and found it extremely helpful. I’m expanding my own ministry to include more videos that will interview fellow leaders and pastors. However, will definitely be using a focus group before posting any of the videos on YouTube. I want to make sure that I’m communicating well to the audience.
Colleen,
I was/am intrigued by your statement, “Ethnography seeks to extract your thoughts, experiences, customs and personal perspectives through the use of visual and auditory aids.” As a musician and photography hobbyist I know that the arts are powerful, especially as they can access and touch our emotions. I’m contemplating the potential of visuals to bring dormant thoughts to the surface. The film you posted certainly is a touching piece for those of us who did not live through W. W. II. I can only imagine how much more touching for someone who went through it.
How true that this video gave Alice voice. It seems that there are two good outcomes from such video: A person being given voice to express personal experience AND how that visual touches others.
“Active observation; like active reading, requires one to interact with the visual story.” GREAT comparison.
Colleen,
I’m glad to see how you focused your blog about ethnography from the angle of videography. Thank you for sharing the video in your post; it was truly inspirational. I had not heard about Alice Herz-Sommor, so I learned something new from your blog. It reminded me of another story I watched from Smithsonian channel app called “The Seven Dwarfs Of Auschwitz” by ethnographer Warwick Davis. Thank you for a well written blog!