Why Ethno-Performance and Why Ethno-Performance and Why not?Why not?

Martha S. FeldmanMartha S. Feldman

University of California, IrvineUniversity of California, Irvine

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PerformancePerformance

Better to go to the theater?Better to go to the theater?– Misses the pointMisses the point

Most of us should not produce plays for Most of us should not produce plays for popular consumptionpopular consumption

But many of us should produce plays or But many of us should produce plays or poems or songs or other kinds of poems or songs or other kinds of performances as ways of engaging with our performances as ways of engaging with our data and expanding the interpretive data and expanding the interpretive possibilitiespossibilities

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Qualitative dataQualitative data

We meet extraordinary people and hear We meet extraordinary people and hear extraordinary storiesextraordinary stories

We seldom have an opportunity to present We seldom have an opportunity to present these gems to any audience.these gems to any audience.– They are lost to othersThey are lost to others– Worse, they may be lost to usWorse, they may be lost to us

But the reason for writing a play is not just But the reason for writing a play is not just to indulge ourselves.to indulge ourselves.

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Imaginative TheorizingImaginative Theorizing

How can we as interpretive researchers How can we as interpretive researchers theorize more imaginatively from our theorize more imaginatively from our research data? research data?

[We] “can stare stupidly at phenomena; but [We] “can stare stupidly at phenomena; but in the absence of imagination they will not in the absence of imagination they will not connect themselves together in any rational connect themselves together in any rational way.” Peirce, 1896 way.” Peirce, 1896

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AbductionAbduction

Imagining a way of understanding the Imagining a way of understanding the patterns that brings us new insightspatterns that brings us new insights

Different from induction - uDifferent from induction - unless we add nless we add something, induction yields only data something, induction yields only data patternspatterns

What can we do to help ourselves gain new What can we do to help ourselves gain new insights?insights?

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Engaging with DataEngaging with Data

Standard approach Standard approach – Minimal engagement with the dataMinimal engagement with the data

» Have someone else transcribe your interview notesHave someone else transcribe your interview notes

» Move as quickly as possible to focused analysisMove as quickly as possible to focused analysis

Writing this play allows Charlie to revel in Writing this play allows Charlie to revel in Anise’s style of teaching and relationship to Anise’s style of teaching and relationship to her studentsher students

Think of the play a set of field notesThink of the play a set of field notes

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Interpreting DataInterpreting Data

Data reductionData reduction The standard approach to qualitative data The standard approach to qualitative data

would have Charlie capture Anise Arcova would have Charlie capture Anise Arcova into categories of codesinto categories of codes– How would we code these data?How would we code these data?– What would we lose by coding these data?What would we lose by coding these data?

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Expanding Interpretive Expanding Interpretive PossibilitiesPossibilities

Data expansionData expansion– Not making up data, but filling in what we Not making up data, but filling in what we

know, what we have learnedknow, what we have learned– What does Charlie gain by paying attention to What does Charlie gain by paying attention to

the setting? The teacher’s way of talking?the setting? The teacher’s way of talking? What are the interpretive possibilities that What are the interpretive possibilities that

Charlie develops through writing the play?Charlie develops through writing the play? How does writing a play expand How does writing a play expand

interpretive possibilities?interpretive possibilities?

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Subjectivity and ReflexivitySubjectivity and Reflexivity

Who you are influences what you seeWho you are influences what you see Three forms of bias identified by BourdieuThree forms of bias identified by Bourdieu

– Social origins of researcherSocial origins of researcher– Position analyst occupies in the academic fieldPosition analyst occupies in the academic field– Intellectualist bias that entices us to “collapse Intellectualist bias that entices us to “collapse

practical knowledge into theoretical practical knowledge into theoretical knowledge” (39-40)knowledge” (39-40)

Need to objectify the objectifying distanceNeed to objectify the objectifying distance

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Researcher

Observations

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Another View of ReflexivityAnother View of Reflexivity

What you see influences who you are What you see influences who you are – And what you thinkAnd what you think– And what new ideas you haveAnd what new ideas you have– And what you can sayAnd what you can say

This kind of reflexivity may be achieved This kind of reflexivity may be achieved through “reflexive interpretation…the open through “reflexive interpretation…the open play of reflection across various levels of play of reflection across various levels of interpretation (Alvesson and Skinterpretation (Alvesson and Skööldberg, ldberg, 2000)2000)

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Researcher

Observations

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Researcher

Observations

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Researcher

Observations

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Researcher

Observations

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Why Ethno-Performance?Why Ethno-Performance?

Ethno-performance is one of many ways Ethno-performance is one of many ways that you can:that you can:– Engage your data more fully.Engage your data more fully.– Expand the interpretive possibilities of your Expand the interpretive possibilities of your

data.data.– Objectify the objectifying distance.Objectify the objectifying distance.– Add to your subjective interpretive Add to your subjective interpretive

possibilities.possibilities.

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And Why Not?And Why Not?

For most of us, ethno-performance is not For most of us, ethno-performance is not about the audience.about the audience.

Ethno-performance as part of academic Ethno-performance as part of academic analysis should be judged on how it analysis should be judged on how it changes you rather than on how it changes changes you rather than on how it changes the audience.the audience.

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