The Four Seasons of Ethnography: a creation-centered ontology for ethnography

This essay demonstrates the major implications of ontological context for e thnographic methodology. The Four Seasons of Ethnography are developed as e xemplary of ontologically based methodology, guiding the use of familiar re search methods according to ideals suggested by a creation-centered ontolog y of natural cycles. This ontology assumes depth of contact and reflection necessary to fully privilege (1) integrated awareness of the human instrume nt, or ethnographic researcher, with experiential, historical and cultural contest, and (2) respect-in-practice for the unavoidable cyclic/wise nature of emergent experience, as co-creative of ethnography. The ultimate goal o f such research is not objective or bracketed observations and reports, but texts contextualized with awareness and surrender to the emergence of co-c reative cycles. This produces ethnography which is humble, holistic, and in consciously dynamic relationship with its context. (C) 2000 published by E lsevier Science Ltd.