Final answer:
Postmodernism and feminism introduced ideas such as the subjective nature of knowledge and the importance of intersectionality. They have shaped ethnography to be more inclusive and objective, shifting the focus to diverse perspectives and experiences.
Step-by-step explanation:
The important ideas of postmodernism include the belief that realities are social constructs, subject to change, with no absolute truth. The movement emphasizes that knowledge and understanding are influenced by language, power relations, and the motivations of involved parties, suggesting a more subjective view of the world. Feminism, particularly influenced by the women's movement in the 1960s, questioned the male-centric focus of anthropology by highlighting the importance of women's voices, perspectives, and activities in cultures around the world. This led to an increased focus on an emic perspective in ethnography. Critical ideas of feminism include the importance of intersectionality, considering how gender intersects with race, class, ethnicity, age, sexuality, and physical ability, creating diverse and complex experiences for women. Both postmodernism and feminism significantly redefined the approach to ethnography, demanding greater inclusivity and objectivity in the representation of cultures and social groups, and aiming to correct biases introduced by predominantly male and Eurocentric early anthropological research.