Final answer:
Ethnography is a research method involving the collection of data about a community, society, or culture through immersive observation, focusing on how individuals perceive their social status within the community.
Step-by-step explanation:
True, ethnography involves the collection of data that becomes the foundation for a comprehensive study of a particular community, society, or culture. Ethnography is a research method in which the researcher immerses themselves in the natural environment of a social community to observe, record, and experience their everyday life and culture. The process includes objective observation and focuses on how individuals perceive their social status and understand themselves within the context of their community. Examples of ethnographic studies may include a range of social environments such as a small U.S. fishing town, an Inuit community, or a private boarding school, all of which have boundaries where people engage in activities and adhere to cultural norms specific to their reasons for being in that place.
Institutional ethnography, an extension of ethnographic principles, focuses on the daily concrete social relationships within institutions and often considers the experiences of women in male-dominated societies. By spending a significant amount of time within a community, ethnographers are able to study every aspect of it to gain an in-depth understanding of the intricacies of cultural practices and social dynamics.