ethnography in the expanded field

Ethnography is variably understood as a set of tools, a way of seeing, a research disposition, an ethical orientation, a mode of writing as well as an effort of generating concepts. Historically associated with social scientific research, ethnography today is just as likely to be claimed as a practice in art and design as it is in anthropology. The expansion of the field—a source of consternation and loss of identity for some, a source of inspiration and possibility for others—is now a practical reality. Contributors to the archive hail from a wide range of professional and disciplinary backgrounds including anthropology, sociology, geography, political science, art and design. In the convergence of diverse ideas and practices, the archive serves as an acknowledgement of the partiality embedded in disciplinary efforts to understand the world. Fragments from the field along with commentary on practice invite interpretation, debate and conversation. The goal of this project is to initiate modes of social inquiry and action that derive insight from broadened repertoires and cross-disciplinary considerations.

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Ethnography in the Expanded Field developed from conversations at the Graduate Institute for Design Ethnography and Social Thought (GIDEST) and is generously supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation in conjunction with The School of Design Strategies at Parsons School of Design.

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Ethnography in the Expanded Field is organized by Barbara Adams, Scott Brown, and John Bruce.