CRITICAL ETHNOGRAPHY - PROBLEMS IN CONTEMPORARY THEORY AND PRACTICE

This paper reviews and critiques significant developments within conte mporary ethnography. The first part of the paper traces the antecedent s of ethnography in an anthropology which was itself closely identifie d and entwined with colonialism and imperialism. The paper then goes o n to review contemporary developments within ethnography, particularly those associated with postmodernism. Attempts to establish a critical ethnography are reviewed and critiqued in the following section. ?he paper then goes on to suggest ways in which the concepts of 'really us eful knowledge' and the processes of action research might be combined in order to assist in the construction of critical ethnography. The p aper concludes by acknowledging the difficulties which exist for educa tional researchers and practitioners who wish to practice critical eth nography in the current educational climate in both Britain and North America.