Episode 2 - Susan Silbey: Team Ethnography

Ethnography Atelier Podcast

We are joined by Professor Susan Silbey from M.I.T in our second episode which explores a team approach to ethnography. Ethnography is a qualitative approach originated in anthropology that is widely used today in many academic areas and also applied research. It is heavily grounded in the study of naturally occurring phenomena, usually via observation. The goal is to understand and describe social processes from the perspective of the people studied by being immersed in their reality. While traditionally associated with a single researcher, many benefits may come from a team approach. In our conversation, Susan elaborates on the benefits of a team approach to ethnography, the reasons which lead her to adopt it in a multi-year study of the implementation of safety regulations in scientific labs, and the lessons she learned from this experience.