Final answer:
Multi-sited ethnography examines cultural phenomena across multiple locations and from diverse perspectives, including non-human ones, offering a holistic understanding of cultural practices. It contrasts with traditional ethnography by exploring the interconnectedness in modern, complex societies and emphasizing inclusive research approaches.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Multi-Sited Ethnography
Multi-sited ethnography is a form of ethnographic research that contrasts with the traditional approaches of early anthropologists like Mead and Malinowski. Unlike traditional ethnography that often focused on a single location and perspective, multi-sited ethnography examines cultural phenomena across multiple locations and from the viewpoints of different actors, including non-human species. This contemporary approach is inherently interdisciplinary, involving research in various settings such as urban environments, the internet, museums, and even interactions within the shared environment of humans and other species.
Institutional ethnography, developed by Canadian sociologist Dorothy E. Smith, is another extension of ethnographic research, focusing on social relationships and often adopting a feminist perspective by considering women's experiences within male-dominated institutions and power structures. The transformation brought about by globalization has not diluted local cultures but rather enhanced their distinctiveness, a phenomenon that multi-sited ethnography is well-suited to analyze. This method provides a more comprehensive understanding of cultural practices and the effects of global interconnectivity.
Perspectives and Interpretation in modern ethnography have shifted from the early days of anthropology. Practitioners now intentionally seek a broad spectrum of perspectives, including those of different genders, ages, and societal roles, to avoid biases and provide a holistic view of cultural practices. As societies and their interactions become increasingly complex, multi-sited ethnography has become more relevant since it is equipped to explore the diversity of experiences within and across cultures.
Multi-sited ethnography is thus a response to the complexity of modern societies, the interconnectedness brought about by globalization, and the endeavor to present an inclusive and exhaustive narrative on human culture and social relationships.