FOUR CORNERSTONES OF THE ETHNOGRAPHY OF CHILDREN

Authors

  • Mirja Köngäs Independent post-doc research, Vanhakyläntie 177 as. 2, 08500 Lohja, Finland
  • Kaarina Määttä Faculty of Education, University of Lapland, Yliopistonkatu 8, 96101 Rovaniemi, Finland

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v8i3.3622

Keywords:

ethnography, children, childhood research, child orientation

Abstract

How to conduct childhood research from the children’s point of view? Among various methods, ethnography has proven to be a method by which researchers are able to find the reality of children's lives and symbolic messages within the reality of children. The researcher must be open to set aside his / her adult-like thinking and jump right into children’s experiences, feelings, and interactions to find the understanding of child-centered answers. How is this done? We divide the critical stages of ethnographic childhood research into four: 1) acquiring material, 2) assuming the role of a researcher, 3) reaching the child’s voice, and 4) describing the results to open up the world of children. This article opens up a discussion also about researchers’ preparedness to self-reflect and ethical perspectives in ethnographic childhood research. Ethnographic research helps to see a child’s world and can thus contribute to children’s wellbeing and education.

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Author Biographies

  • Mirja Köngäs, Independent post-doc research, Vanhakyläntie 177 as. 2, 08500 Lohja, Finland
    Mirja Köngäs (PhD) is an independent post-doc researcher, Faculty of Education and Faculty of Social Sciences. Her research interests include developmental psychology, emotion research, and leadership psychology. The latest article was about children’s peer culture in early childhood education.
  • Kaarina Määttä, Faculty of Education, University of Lapland, Yliopistonkatu 8, 96101 Rovaniemi, Finland
    Kaarina Määttä (PhD) is a Professor of Educational Psychology (emerita), Faculty of Education, University of Lapland. Her research interests include study processes and caring teacherhood, tutoring and student guidance, love and human relationships as well as positive psychology and human resources.

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Published

2021-03-12

Issue

Vol. 8 No. 3 (2021)

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