Chapter 12: Field Research

This podcast explores field research, where researchers study people in their natural settings rather than laboratory environments. The hosts begin with sociologist Arlie Hochschild’s work on household chore division to illustrate how direct observation can reveal discrepancies between what people say they do and what they actually do.

The conversation explains participant observation as a spectrum from complete outsider to fully integrated member of the group being studied. The hosts discuss the balancing act researchers face between gaining insider understanding and maintaining analytical distance, emphasizing the importance of reflexivity (self-awareness of biases). They trace field research’s roots from anthropology to urban sociology through examples like William Foote White’s “Street Corner Society” and Alice Goffman’s “On the Run.”

The episode covers practical aspects including site selection, gaining access, ethical considerations, detailed field note-taking, and analysis techniques. The hosts distinguish between descriptive notes (objective observations) and analytic notes (interpretations and reflections), explaining how these form the foundation for identifying patterns and developing theory from firsthand experiences.

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