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Playing it by the Rules: the politics of research in ‘race’ and education
Author(s) -
Connolly Paul
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
british educational research journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.171
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1469-3518
pISSN - 0141-1926
DOI - 10.1080/0141192920180203
Subject(s) - race (biology) , politics , racism , sociology , biology and political orientation , ethnography , ethnic group , epistemology , educational research , critical theory , critical race theory , social science , gender studies , law , political science , anthropology , philosophy
This article offers an examination of the interplay between politics, ethics, theory and methodology as they impact upon social research, through a critical analysis of the ethnographic study conducted by Peter Foster. It will be argued that his highly contentious claim, to have found no manifestations of racism (either direct or indirect) throughout his study of an inner‐city, multi‐ethnic comprehensive school was, in the last analysis, both misleading and inaccurate. It will be contended that such claims were based upon a research design and methodology which were ultimately determined by his own political orientation and the ethical and theoretical positions which he developed as a consequence.