October 31, 2011

I have really enjoyed the readings for the gatekeeper discussion. My favorite article was Will the Least-Adult Please Stand Up? The idea of being an ethnographer is fascinating; to completely emerge yourself in a culture. The challenge of observation while being an active participant is tricky. How would an ethnographer deal with a bullying situation? Would they step out of their least-adult role and miss the opportunity to gain research or would they step in? Maybe it would depend on your topic of study.

I am very curious as to whether or not the parents or students had any choice in this research. The government of Taiwan is much different than our democratic society, they do not value autonomy as we do. I realize that for an adult to immerse themselves in the child's culture the barriers of language and culture close the gap. But, is it ethical of the researcher to continue with the research if the parents and children were not given a choice?