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Studying Caste and Occupational Mobility in India: Questioning 'Positionality' In Ethnographic Research

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Title: Studying Caste and Occupational Mobility in India: Questioning 'Positionality' In Ethnographic Research
Language: English
Authors: Sahoo, Barsa Priyadarsinee (ORCID 0000-0002-2831-7427)
Source: Qualitative Research Journal. 2023 23(1):1-12.
Availability: Emerald Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emerald.com/insight
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 12
Publication Date: 2023
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Social Class, Occupational Mobility, Indians, Foreign Countries, Correlation, Ethnography, Doctoral Students, Barriers, Educational Experience, Researchers, Novices, Sociology, Ethnic Groups, Interpersonal Relationship, Rural Areas, Self Concept, Professional Identity
Geographic Terms: India
DOI: 10.1108/QRJ-04-2022-0059
ISSN: 1443-9883
1448-0980
Abstract: Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to discuss the challenges the author had encountered and the counter-strategies she had adopted to overcome them while conducting ethnography for the first time during her doctoral research. In this paper, the author hopes to provide guidance for future researchers by discussing the role she played in her research, the experiences she gained as a result of it, the difficulties she faced and the strategies she employed to overcome these difficulties. Design/methodology/approach: Following the social constructionist perspective, this paper analyses the experience that the author had gained during her field study. As a novice researcher, the author entered the field to study the relationship between caste and occupational mobility. The caste that she had selected was the Kansari caste to which the author belongs. Therefore, her position as a researcher while conducting ethnography became a crucial part of the methodological challenges the author faced. While insider ethnography has its advantages and disadvantages, this paper does not discuss these aspects of the methodology. Instead, it discusses how, as a novice researcher, the author had to negotiate her position as an insider and outsider. Findings: While analysing her experience as a novice researcher, the author found that her journey of conducting insider ethnography was of rediscovering herself as a Kansari as well as a researcher. Through this research, the author found that as an insider ethnographer, certain strategies had to be adopted in the field by the researcher to be objective and unbiased throughout the research process. For example, whenever the author conducted an interview, she tried to try to say less, listen more and be as objective as possible, without allowing her preconceptions to influence the information she gathered from the field. Originality/value: This is an original paper based on the primary data collected by the author.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2023
Accession Number: EJ1361378
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Studying Caste and Occupational Mobility in India: Questioning 'Positionality' In Ethnographic Research
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  Data: English
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sahoo%2C+Barsa+Priyadarsinee%22">Sahoo, Barsa Priyadarsinee</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2831-7427">0000-0002-2831-7427</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Qualitative+Research+Journal%22"><i>Qualitative Research Journal</i></searchLink>. 2023 23(1):1-12.
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  Data: Emerald Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emerald.com/insight
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  Data: 12
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  Data: 2023
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Class%22">Social Class</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Occupational+Mobility%22">Occupational Mobility</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Indians%22">Indians</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Correlation%22">Correlation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ethnography%22">Ethnography</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Doctoral+Students%22">Doctoral Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Barriers%22">Barriers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Experience%22">Educational Experience</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Researchers%22">Researchers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Novices%22">Novices</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sociology%22">Sociology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ethnic+Groups%22">Ethnic Groups</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interpersonal+Relationship%22">Interpersonal Relationship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Rural+Areas%22">Rural Areas</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self+Concept%22">Self Concept</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Professional+Identity%22">Professional Identity</searchLink>
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  Label: Geographic Terms
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22India%22">India</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
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  Data: 10.1108/QRJ-04-2022-0059
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  Label: ISSN
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  Data: 1443-9883<br />1448-0980
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to discuss the challenges the author had encountered and the counter-strategies she had adopted to overcome them while conducting ethnography for the first time during her doctoral research. In this paper, the author hopes to provide guidance for future researchers by discussing the role she played in her research, the experiences she gained as a result of it, the difficulties she faced and the strategies she employed to overcome these difficulties. Design/methodology/approach: Following the social constructionist perspective, this paper analyses the experience that the author had gained during her field study. As a novice researcher, the author entered the field to study the relationship between caste and occupational mobility. The caste that she had selected was the Kansari caste to which the author belongs. Therefore, her position as a researcher while conducting ethnography became a crucial part of the methodological challenges the author faced. While insider ethnography has its advantages and disadvantages, this paper does not discuss these aspects of the methodology. Instead, it discusses how, as a novice researcher, the author had to negotiate her position as an insider and outsider. Findings: While analysing her experience as a novice researcher, the author found that her journey of conducting insider ethnography was of rediscovering herself as a Kansari as well as a researcher. Through this research, the author found that as an insider ethnographer, certain strategies had to be adopted in the field by the researcher to be objective and unbiased throughout the research process. For example, whenever the author conducted an interview, she tried to try to say less, listen more and be as objective as possible, without allowing her preconceptions to influence the information she gathered from the field. Originality/value: This is an original paper based on the primary data collected by the author.
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  Data: EJ1361378
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        Value: 10.1108/QRJ-04-2022-0059
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      – Text: English
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    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Social Class
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Occupational Mobility
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Indians
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Correlation
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      – SubjectFull: Ethnography
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      – SubjectFull: Doctoral Students
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      – SubjectFull: Barriers
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      – SubjectFull: Educational Experience
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      – SubjectFull: Researchers
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      – SubjectFull: Novices
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      – SubjectFull: Sociology
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      – SubjectFull: Ethnic Groups
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      – SubjectFull: Interpersonal Relationship
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      – SubjectFull: Rural Areas
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      – SubjectFull: Self Concept
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      – SubjectFull: Professional Identity
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: India
        Type: general
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      – TitleFull: Studying Caste and Occupational Mobility in India: Questioning 'Positionality' In Ethnographic Research
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