Deconstructionism in Ethnography: Power and Authority
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Deconstructionism in Ethnography
Deconstructionism focuses on the power relations through which the 'other' is constructed, particularly in writing about other cultures—the language of ethnography. It questions the authority claimed by anthropologists over other cultures.
Historical Context and Critique
- Throughout history, anthropologists have claimed to be authorities on other cultures.
- This claim fortified the mystique of fieldwork and the explanation of other cultures to their audiences through written descriptions.
- The deconstructionist critique led many anthropologists to question the relationship between ethnographic texts and the fieldwork experience upon which those texts are based.
Result of the Critique
The filtering of exotic otherness through the constructions of social theory is exposed as “literature” (novel, fiction) disguised as “scientific reportage”.
Resulting View of Fieldwork
Fieldwork is crucial in the creation of ethnographic texts, but:
- Anthropologists can never be unbiased observers of all that occurs within a culture.
- Fieldworkers must necessarily be in specific places at specific times; consequently, they see some things and not others.
- The particular circumstances of fieldwork, the political context, the investigator’s preferences and predilections, and the people met by chance or design all condition the resulting understanding of society.
Impact on Anthropological Writing
Genre and Voice
- This critique has significantly affected the way anthropology is written.
- Ethnography is now viewed as a genre—a specific way of writing about culture and the other. Anthropologists generally establish a distinct authorial 'voice' within this genre.
Ethnographic Authority and Control
The concept of ethnographic authority raises critical questions: Who are you, and how did you gain the authority to state that what you wrote is the ultimate truth?
By maintaining this 'voice,' the anthropologist maintains control. He describes what he sees and analyzes it, often silencing the other by not reporting what or why they do what they do, focusing only on his own subjective view. Ultimately, this process is about disempowering the other.