In order to ensure that I am on track with my auto-ethographic study, I have done some research on the best methodologies to choose for my study. As I already had an idea of the methodologies I would like to pursue, having further read about them, I am able to critically analyse whether I made the right decisions.
To begin with, I would like to establish a definition auto-ethnography. As I did this in one of my previous posts towards the beginning of the semester, I will reflect on what I have learnt from there.
“It seems to me that auto-ethnography is very self-directed learning, where we focus heavily on the primary research and produce results ourselves as opposed to essay writing which is heavily based on secondary research.I believe there are still secondary components to auto-ethnography, though we reflect and compare our own results according to other studies.” – Amy Hutchesson, 2014
According to Ellis (2004) & Holman Jones (2005) auto-ethnography is ‘an approach to research and writing that seeks to describe and systematically analyze personal experience in order to understand cultural experience.’ Rick Sheridan (2014) explains that auto-ethnographers write narratives about what they experience, making themselves a primary participant and/or subject of the research.
Upon reflection of my own understanding several weeks ago, I can establish that within my research on the significance of luxury fashion items and their prevalence on social media, I will need to embody my research in order to make it an auto-ethnographic study.
I will be performing reflexive, dyadic interview with a friend of mine, Kiki, who was born and raised in China. She will prove to be an interesting interviewee as she is interested in the fashion world and has experienced the differences in both China and Australia, having lived here for 3 years now. As stated by Ellis (2004), this dyadic interview will be heavily focused on my interviewee, though she will be taking into consideration the reason why this study is being taken place. Although her and I would often speak about fashion, performing such an interview will change the dynamic of our conversation.
I will also be utilizing layered accounts as a methodology, where I will document my changing understanding of luxury items and their social meaning. I will be able to document this in my Tumblr account and will be actively using the new found information in order to produce my own artefacts. I will ‘”invoke” readers to enter into the “emergent experience” of doing and writing research.’ (RONAI, 1992, p.123)
References
Ellis C et. al 2011, “Autoethnography: An Overview” in Qualitative Social Research, vol. 12, no. 1 at http://www.qualitative-research.net/index.php/fqs/article/view/1589/3095#g41 accessed on 10th September 2011
Sheridan R 2014, “Autoethnography: Researcher as Participant” in Teaching for Success, vol. 21, no. 1 at http://www.academia.edu/4104754/Autoethnography_Researcher_as_Participant, accessed on 10th September 2014
Image: http://www.sydneylovesfashion.com/2013/02/fashion-illustration-at-its-finest.html
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