Open AccessSocio-Cultural Challenges in Conducting Ethnographic Research among Ethiopian Street Youth
Author(s) -
Patricia Walls
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
the qualitative report
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2160-3715
DOI - 10.46743/2160-3715/2011.1091
Subject(s) - ethnography , sociology , data collection , interpretation (philosophy) , work (physics) , public relations , social science , anthropology , political science , engineering , computer science , programming language , mechanical engineering
Little has been written on the personal experience of the researcher as it relates to data collection, data analysis and interpretation of results. Even more scarce has been knowledge that addresses the challenges and barriers faced by 21st century researchers engaged in ethnographic data collection amidst culturally diverse populations. The present work has addressed these gaps in the literature by detailing the personal, methodological and cultural challenges encountered by this researcher in a larger study which utilized a mixed method design to investigate homeless street youth in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Results indicated the need for social workers to possess an awareness of their own limitations and biases as it may relate to cultural differences.