INSTITUTIONAL ETHNOGRAPHY - A METHOD FOR SHOWING HOW THE CONTEXT SHAPES PRACTICE

The article illustrates the sociological theory and method of institut ional ethnography by describing a study of occupational therapy's ment al health practice. Over almost 6 months, the author collected data th rough observation, interviews, and review of documents. Data describe the practice of occupational therapy in seven adult mental health day programs with at least one site in each of the four provinces of Atlan tic Canada. The question asked was, What are the possibilities and con straints for occupational therapists to enable the empowerment of adul ts who attend mental health day programs? Although developed as a femi nist methodology for displaying the social organization of patriarchy, institutional ethnography is used in this study to show how the organ izational context invisibly shapes occupational therapy practice. Thro ugh this method, occupational therapy ideas about occupation can be se en to be organizationally subordinated, Occupational therapists' work in enabling empowerment through occupations such as ''chores'' is rele gated to the background to make practice fit prevailing medical and ps ychologic ideas about health.