Creating Autoethnographies
- Tessa Muncey - University of Leeds, UK, Homerton School of Health Studies
Ethnographic Research
Creating Autoethnographies is an introduction to autoethnography, a form of autobiographical personal narrative that explores the writer's experience of life. The first ever practical text on this increasingly popular research method, it provides a background and considers some of the criticisms of the approach. It is suitable for all social science students, both graduate and upper level undergraduate.
The book is structured to mirror the process of writing about experience, from establishing an idea through to the process of writing and the development of creative writing skills, and provides detailed worked examples of the whole process. The final two chapters are devoted to exploring two cases in which readers can see the principles discussed in action. There are also a wide range of case studies drawn from a wide a range of social science disciplines and exercises throughout the text
In the book, Tessa Muncey identifies a number of trends in social science research, such as the increasing focus on the individual and giving a voice to service users, that are resulting in an increase of interest in narrative research. Creating Autoethnographies is a timely contribution to the field.
Autoethnography, like all research genres, is a contested term with diverse connotations. Muncey offers clarity of understanding of the term, its evolution as a facet of anthropological research, and some of the key influences in postmodernist thought that have helped to widen its application in psychological and sociological disciplines.
David McCormack
British Journal of Guidance and Counselling
This book offers valuable guidance to students who may choose to consider influences on self that impact on 'therapeutic use of self' in health care or professional 'reflective practices'. This has been purchased for our library research section.
An interesting text that adds to material on reflexivity and ethnography. Nicely pitched between the two with good practical suggestions.
An inspirational book that highlights the topic of diversity among healthcare professionals. It is an advanced book for undergraduate courses, but can be used if the students (not English native speakers) are supervised in their reading. This book can be recommended as literature for nursing philosophy, diversity management and professional development.
Autoethnography is not something that clinical psychologists have traditionally embraced. I have decided to adopt this book as supplementary reading to try and encourage our trainee clinical psychologists to consider another approach to undertaking research at a doctoral level. This book is a good introduction and I suspect that my students will connect with the honesty and openness with which it is written.
This is a specialist book but one that I will recommend for our library and to any students writing an autoethnographic dissertation which a small number of our students choose to do. I also see its value for students writing critically and analytically about their own practice in a variety of contexts.
We have students using a range of reserach methodologies and this is certainly a text that I will recommend for those wishing to use autoethnographies within their individual dissertations
Don't like the style particularly
This is a useful book, a very appealing, clear and accessible guide.
useful information although a little too in depth for the level of learner I teach.
