Abstract
In this paper, I discuss two ethical issues central to the conduct of any ethnographic research: the representation of truth and confidentiality. The first issue relates to a fundamental assumption of the ethnographic paradigm, namely that truth and reality are perspectival, contextual, and multiple. Moreover, in the field of art education, areas of knowledge and expertise between researcher and researched often overlap. Observations, interpretations, and their articulation are shaped by the situated knowledge, beliefs, and commitments of the art researcher. The way we address this issue affects the very process of conducting ethnographic research-data collection and analysis-eventually shaping the voice and form of the product. The second issue of confidentiality concerns the product and its dissemination to members within and outside the researched setting. More than following a contract or a formula, ethical considerations are guided by a search for a deeper understanding, as well as a cultivation of a curious, compassionate frame of mind.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 133-144 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | Studies in Art Education |
| Volume | 37 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| State | Published - 1996 |