Ethnography in a Public Place - Research Paper Example

College Ethnography in A Public Place This research is about an ethnography done in a public place in Washington DC i.e. Tysons Corner Mall in VA state. Ethnography is a type of research that involves unfolding cultural phenomenon of a particular group of people. The methods that I used in this research include direct observation and interviewing. This research will also give the possible results on the study together with the problems encountered during the study. It will further explain the ways in which the problems were solved to ensure that this study proceeded without being altered. Introduction Ethnography encompasses studying social interactions including behaviors that are taking place in a certain community, team, and group of an organization (Brewer, 34). The main aim of this study is to provide holistic insights into views and actions of the people. It also provides the nature of the place in which these people are living. This is achieved by collecting detailed data by the use of direct observations and interviewing the residents of that place. Therefore this research will involve the social pattern of the people at Tysons Corner Mall in VA State, Washington DC. The research will also emphasize on the problems experience during the study and their possible solutions. In addition, this research will emphasize on many aspects in that place of study rather than one aspect. This ethnography is based on all dimensions that include the physical layout of the place, actions that are taking place, people who are involved in that place, the things that these people are trying to achieve, the activities that are repeated sequentially and the emotions that can be felt or articulated in that place (Coleman 67). Methodology This was my first field study about ethnography. It involves the cultural phenomena that can be conveyed at Tysons Corner Mall in VA State, Washington DC. Different people from different sides of Washington DC go to public places to spend their leisure time. They have different things that they want to achieve in this place. This place has shopping malls, cinemas and smoking zones. In my ethnographic research, I used two methods, direct observation and interviewing, to collect information in this public place. I involved myself in this group for three consecutive days. All this time was enough for me to collect detailed information about this place and the place that spend time there. In this public place, at Tysons Corner Mall in VA State, there are very many activities that were taking place but first I had to familiarize myself with that place in my first day. In the first day, I used observation as a method of collecting data. This method was very efficient more especially when collecting data that do not involve people in that place. I used direct observation to collect data on the physical layout of the public place. I could also observe very many activities that were taking place although they were not near to the position that I was. I also participated in some activities that were taking place so as to create good relationship with the people in that place. This relationship helped me a lot when gathering more information about these people. I asked them many questions that looked stupid to them but the questions were important to me. I observed what they were doing and I could conclude many things about them. I also observed how they utilized the resources that were in that pubic place. I observed many activities that were repeated by the people and the age groups of the people doing the activities. Another observable activity at Tysons Corner Mall in VA State, was how new people socialized with others in order to know each other well. I observed the common people who were in this place and the use of new technologies like mobile phones. In my research, I also employed interviewing as my second method of collecting information from the people in the public. This method was very efficient although I could experience some difficulties. I interviewing the people starting with those who were close to me after participating in some activities with them (Atkinson, 52) .i asked them many questions about the importance of that public place to their lives and they gave different answers about it. I interviewed a couple that had come to Tysons Corner Mall to shop. They were very social and they responded to my question inn a polite manner. I asked them the importance of the place to them and why they chose the place for leisure rather than other leisure activities like swimming. I asked the some questions about their private lives they could not answer arguing that those were too personal and they could not answered them. I also interviewed some children who were playing. At Tysons Corner Mall in VA State, there is a section where people smoke. I manage to interview one man who was smoking there. This was on my second day to this public place. Who responded to some question and said that he had come there just for some minutes so he had to go. The interview did not last for long since he was in hurry for his job. Results Through this research, I found out very many social patterns at Tysons Corner Mall in VA State. First is the physical layout that makes many people like the place. This place is spacious and can accommodate very many people at a time. In my first day, I observed very many features that make this place attractive to many. Many people use this public place for leisure activities more especially during weekends. Others use it rest after some lunch before they get back to their offices. This place has some trees that provide cool shades. Many love these shades since they provide cool environment with fresh air. It also has some benches where people can sit. These benches provide relaxed conditions for siting. People could rest here after having a long day in work or during travelling. This public place provides a physical environment where people can interact. Many people who rest here interact with one another and share ideas. at Tysons Corner Mall in VA State, one would relax while watching movies in the cinemas around. This acts as part of recreation activity in this place. At Tysons Corner Mall in VA State, you could identify different people with different cultures and social patterns (Atkinson, 52). These cultures can be observed directly and also interview can help in identifying some. The cultures that can be seen in this public place can range from material cultures like new technologies like phones, behavioral patterns and expressive culture through language and the arts. Many people in the public place were using mobile phones as the best means of communication. Most of them were calling while other seemed to be using the phones to surf internet. This show how new technologies have changed the way people live and communicate. Mobile phones act as a way of interaction when people exchange their phone numbers. I observed many people chatting and they exchange their phone numbers. These shows how new friendships are generated through the new technologies. Most of the people who were in this place were from jobs. They used tis place to rest for some while more especially during their lunch breaks. They need some fresh air and change of environment from the serious working environment to the relaxed one with fresh air in the public place. Others come here to rest a little before they proceed to the next destination of their journey. This shows how employed people use their free before they proceed to the next working hours. They are able to interact with other workers from different companies during this break. However, public place provides interaction environment where people meet and get to know one another. Through this ethnographic research, I found out that people at Tysons Corner Mall do not speak the same languages. Although most of them spoke English, a few were speaking Spanish. This shows how these people are diverse in terms of languages they speak. From the three days of study, the common languages that I heard were English and Spanish. The people used these languages to ensure that they understood each well. Despite the interactions that take place in the public place, the things that the people involved want to accomplish to rest a little before they continue with their routine work. For those who were waiting for some people, their accomplishment is to wait until they meet with them. For those who came to smoke, they should accomplish the activity before they proceed with other activities. One of the behavioral patterns I found at Tysons Corner Mall in VA State is smoking. Smoking is prohibited in public. This public place has a smoking zone. In this zone, only the people interested in smoking go there. This shows how the society is concern with the health of the people. Smokers are isolated from the non-smokers for health reasons. This is ethical since it helps in avoiding any interference. Problems encountered and their solutions There are some problems I encountered during this ethnography study. I was able to solve many off the problems but some were a bit hard. One of the problems was when the person I wanted to interview was in a hurry to work or travelling. I managed to convince many them that I was going to be brief and they could give some time (Cranstone 78). Another obstacle I went through is that I feared to talk to people. I experienced this problem in the first day but the fear faded out when I interacted with more people in the next day. I got used to talking to them and I was able to collect the information in a smooth way. At times, some people took my interview as a waste of time to them since they did not see any importance to them. I also tried to convince them that it was but an academic study and privacy was guaranteed. I omitted some questions that were more sensitive to them since they could not answer them. However, ethnography is very important in describing cultural phenomena of a certain group of people in a particular place in the society (Cranstone 78). This study helped me in describing the cultural characteristics of people at Tysons Corner Mall in VA State, Washington DC. The method I used, observation and interviewing, helped me collect required information about the people. People in this public place interact with one another for the little time they have there. Some speak different languages but most of them speak English. Work cited Coleman, Simon, and Hellermann P. Von. Multi-sited Ethnography: Problems and Possibilities in the Translocation of Research Methods. New York: Routledge, 2011. Print. Brewer, John D. Ethnography. Buckingham: Open University Press, 2000. Print. Cranstone, B A. L. Ethnography. London: Museums Association, 1958. Print. Atkinson, Paul. Handbook of Ethnography. London: SAGE, 2001. Print. Read More