View in EDS

Diffractive Ethnography: A Divergent Methodology in Educational Research

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Diffractive Ethnography: A Divergent Methodology in Educational Research
Language: English
Authors: Simone Blom (ORCID 0000-0003-4128-8314), Alexandra Lasczik, Amy Cutter-Mackenzie-Knowles
Source: Australian Educational Researcher. 2025 52(3):2751-2777.
Availability: Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 27
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Evaluative
Descriptors: Ethnography, Research Methodology, Educational Research, Humanism, Qualitative Research
DOI: 10.1007/s13384-025-00835-3
ISSN: 0311-6999
2210-5328
Abstract: Diffractive ethnography is a divergent methodology in educational research that seeks to enact posthuman thinking, in particular, the concept of diffraction as a methodological approach, through the application of ethnographic methods. In this paper, we consider how we can rethink the humanistic tendencies of qualitative methodologies in educational research to more authentically embrace nonhuman other and in doing so, offer new methods in undertaking ethnography diffractively. This methodological approach offers a way to undertake qualitative, educational research by drawing on conventional and rigorous ethnographic methods framed through posthuman theory that enable thinking and knowledge generation beyond the scope of current practices. We present a suite of eight principles of diffractive data entanglements informed by the diffractive ethnographic methodology and explore how these may be put to work in practice in educational research. Through demonstrating diffractive ethnography in practice, we grapple with the humanist focus of ethnographies by troubling the human as central to educational research and instead, include the entanglements of all materiality.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1487892
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1487892
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Diffractive Ethnography: A Divergent Methodology in Educational Research
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Simone+Blom%22">Simone Blom</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4128-8314">0000-0003-4128-8314</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Alexandra+Lasczik%22">Alexandra Lasczik</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Amy+Cutter-Mackenzie-Knowles%22">Amy Cutter-Mackenzie-Knowles</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Australian+Educational+Researcher%22"><i>Australian Educational Researcher</i></searchLink>. 2025 52(3):2751-2777.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 27
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Evaluative
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ethnography%22">Ethnography</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+Methodology%22">Research Methodology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Research%22">Educational Research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Humanism%22">Humanism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Qualitative+Research%22">Qualitative Research</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1007/s13384-025-00835-3
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0311-6999<br />2210-5328
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Diffractive ethnography is a divergent methodology in educational research that seeks to enact posthuman thinking, in particular, the concept of diffraction as a methodological approach, through the application of ethnographic methods. In this paper, we consider how we can rethink the humanistic tendencies of qualitative methodologies in educational research to more authentically embrace nonhuman other and in doing so, offer new methods in undertaking ethnography diffractively. This methodological approach offers a way to undertake qualitative, educational research by drawing on conventional and rigorous ethnographic methods framed through posthuman theory that enable thinking and knowledge generation beyond the scope of current practices. We present a suite of eight principles of diffractive data entanglements informed by the diffractive ethnographic methodology and explore how these may be put to work in practice in educational research. Through demonstrating diffractive ethnography in practice, we grapple with the humanist focus of ethnographies by troubling the human as central to educational research and instead, include the entanglements of all materiality.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1487892
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1487892
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1007/s13384-025-00835-3
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 27
        StartPage: 2751
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Ethnography
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Research Methodology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Research
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Humanism
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Qualitative Research
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Diffractive Ethnography: A Divergent Methodology in Educational Research
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Simone Blom
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Alexandra Lasczik
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Amy Cutter-Mackenzie-Knowles
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 01
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 0311-6999
            – Type: issn-electronic
              Value: 2210-5328
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 52
            – Type: issue
              Value: 3
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Australian Educational Researcher
              Type: main
ResultId 1