Auto-Ethnography:

Owned by Darlene Edgar
Last updated: May 27, 2024
2 min read

Chang, H. (2016). Autoethnography as Method (1st ed.). Taylor and Francis. https://www.perlego.com/book/1569460/autoethnography-as-method-pdf

  • Four Main Forms:

    • Life Histories: Includes self-narratives.

    • Native Ethnographies: Conducted by researchers about their own people.

    • Intimate Involvement: Involves anthropologists in more personal, reflective ethnographic memoirs.

    • Reflexive Ethnographies: Researchers expose personal experiences and feelings from the field.

  • Memoir Focus:

    • Memoir primarily focuses on researchers' lives rather than ethnographic work.

    • Provides cultural insights through personal stories.

  • Reflexivity in Autoethnography:

    • Emphasizes intentional self-reflexivity.

    • Turns scholarly interest inward, bringing personal stories to the center of investigation.

    • Subjectivity allows researchers to insert personal interpretations into the process.

  • Objective vs. Evocative Autoethnography:

    • Objective Autoethnographer: Complete member of the social world under study, engages in reflexivity, includes other informants, committed to theoretical analysis.

    • Evocative Autoethnography: Emotionally engaging, subjective approach.

  • Combination of Cultural Analysis and Narrative:

    • Combines cultural analysis and interpretation with narrative details.

    • Anthropological in social scientific inquiry, not purely descriptive or performative storytelling.

  • Explanation in Autoethnography:

    • Difference from autobiography lies in the explanation aspect.

    • Connects personal experiences to cultural context, linking the self to the social.

  • Methodical Orientation:

    • Autoethnography should be ethnographic in its methodical orientation.

    • Cultural in its interpretive orientation.

    • Autobiographical in its content orientation.

  • Data Collection and Interpretation:

    • Collects primary data from personal experiences.

    • Utilizes participation, observation, interviews, and document review for field data.

    • Verifies data through triangulation from multiple sources.

    • Analyzes and interprets data to decipher cultural meanings.

    • Focuses on achieving cultural understanding through critical analytical interpretation.

 

Tibbitts, F. (2016). Political autobiography: Reflexive inquiry in the preparation of social justice educators. International Journal of Educational Sciences, 13(1), 108–117. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321205820_Political_Autobiography_Reflexive_Inquiry_in_the_Preparation_of_Social_Justice_Educators

  • Study Overview:

    • Examined political autobiographies of 15 graduate students in education.

    • Analyzed autobiographies through critical pedagogy and identity lenses.

  • Purpose of Political Autobiography:

    • Supports educators in understanding their own beliefs and reconstructing their identity.

    • Helps clarify the need for caring for oneself and addressing community issues.

    • Affirms dedication to education for justice and equity.

  • Role of Teachers in Fostering Values:

    • Emphasized the moral enterprise of education in fostering values related to peace and human rights.

    • Critical pedagogy central to challenging inequality and fostering personal agency.

  • Political Autobiography Process:

    • Exercise used to reflect on belief systems and clarify career choices as educators.

    • Encouraged the development of historical consciousness to recognize personal actions within social structures.

    • Facilitated the reconstruction of experiences to promote personal and societal change.

  • Identity and Reflexivity:

    • Autobiographies reflected diverse backgrounds, with an emphasis on understanding personal and societal influences.

    • Writing process allowed for self-development and reflection on past experiences and future contributions.

    • Recognized the dynamic nature of identity and the impact of personal experiences on professional choices.

  • Data Analysis:

    • Used phenomenology to analyze subjective experiences and interpretations.

    • Coded papers into themes related to understanding (life experiences) and agency (moving forward).

    • Emergent themes included gender, sexism, patriarchy, race, ethnicity, religion, poverty, privilege, violence, and conflict.

  • Reflections on Writing Autobiographies:

    • Majority recognized the value of writing autobiographies in understanding influential life experiences.

    • Emotional component involved in reflecting on personal identities and reevaluating values.

  • Support for Personal Well-being:

    • Identified various sources of support for personal well-being, including love, care, role models, and self-care habits.

    • Recognized the necessity of personal resources to maintain commitment to social justice education.

  • Agency as Social Justice Educators:

    • Students anticipated contributing to education through caring, compassion, and addressing social injustice.

    • Political autobiography stimulated agency and self-awareness, contributing to the effectiveness of critical pedagogy.

  • Conclusion:

    • Political autobiography is a promising tool for cultivating understanding and agency among graduate students in education.

    • Supports self-awareness and well-being while promoting values of peace and social justice.