Ethnographies are detailed descriptions of social life in different times and places. Traditionally, ethnographies focused in depth on a specific group of people, such as the Nuer or a particular North Indian village. Today, they are just as likely to explore particular aspects of social life, such as new reproductive technologies, the meanings of the veil, home decoration, or even what it means to be a Millwall Football Club fan!
Ethnographies can be fascinating to read, offering deep insights into different cultures, communities, and ways of life. Anthropologists often write about their experiences of conducting research—how they felt, what it was like to live in an unfamiliar place, and the challenges they faced—so ethnographies are also a great way to learn what it might be like to be a professional anthropologist.
If you have an interest in a particular area, try searching Google Scholar for a subject you’re interested in followed by ‘anthropology’. For example, if you like football, search for ‘football anthropology’; if you’re interested in fashion, try ‘fashion anthropology’; or if you’re curious about food, type ‘food anthropology’. There are ethnographies on almost everything, and many articles are open-access.
If you come across an article or journal you’re interested in but can’t access, feel free to email us at education@therai.org.uk, and we’ll see if we can help you get hold of it!
Here is a wide selection of ethnographies we recommend exploring:
The Mushroom at the End of the World: On the Possibility of Life in Capitalist Ruins
Anna Tsing (2015)
Making a Good Life – An Ethnography of Nature, Ethics, and Reproduction
Katherine Dow (2016)
Coming of Age in Second Life: An Anthropologist Explores the Virtually Human
Tom Boellstorff (2008)
The Sport of Kings: Kinship, Class and Thoroughbred Breeding in Newmarket
Rebecca Cassidy (2008)
Soul Hunters: Hunting, Animism, and Personhood among the Siberian Yukaghirs
Rane Willerslev (2007)
