Summary

In response to these critiques and others, critical ethnography has evolved since its beginnings in the 1970s. In addition to opening up space for analyses of oppressions other than those that are class based, critical ethnography has also opened up space for varied (and sometimes competing) theoretical orientations. Researchers have merged ideas from postmodern theories, queer theories, feminist theories, and countless others. If critical ethnographers are sincere about our goal of highlighting oppression and advocating social change, we must continue to ensure that new and different spaces can continue to be opened within critical ethnography's boundaries.

Critical ethnography is a methodology pursued by researchers with a commitment to equity and the skill to analyze structure and agency, and to highlight the relationships between local and global patterns. Critical ethnographic research focuses on issues of power and oppression and attempts to bring about changes in policies and practices that are more fair and just. Because critical ethnographers are explicit about our value orientations, we are often charged with being overly biased and told that our research lacks validity. Despite these critiques, critical ethnography remains as a useful, trustworthy, and important approach to qualitative research.