Qualitative Data Analysis : An Introduction

Carol Grbich

Chapter 11Ethnodrama

Ethno drama and performance texts

Key points

Ethnodrama is a powerful tool for highlighting cultural issues and the perspectives of disempowered people

The skills of a playwright are essential

The dialogical aspect of performance bringing together diverse perspectives can be an important vehicle for change

Ethno drama

A hermeneutic and critically reflective process

The primary objective is to educate or bring about change in your audience by using ethnographically derived data to present political and social issues in dramatic form.

Ethnodrama Process 1.

Source data from: interviews, observations and documentation to produce a polyphonic narrative collage.

Develop characters

Develop script – dialogue and activityMonologueDialogueMonologue+ dialogue

Ethnodrama Process 2. Develop the story line - Take out the essence of

field notes, interview transcripts and journal entries, photos, TV scripts etc

Keep the numbers of actors to the minimum required to tell the story

Decide from whose perspective the story is to be told

What role should the researcher play?

Use theatrical artifacts to send messages to the audience rather than overusing language–

Dialogical validation

Ongoing dialogue with participants

Pre performance : Dialogical interaction with

Actors

Relevant community groups

Post performance: Dialogical interaction with

the Audience

Actors

Community groups

CriticismsQuality

Researchers are not playwrights

Ethics

Uncertainties of participants

Participant vulnerability

The dialogic encounter

Whose perspective dominates

Well researchers negotiate?

Evaluation

What level of participation do key participants have in the creation of their stage characters and the dialogical negotiation which follows a performance?

What levels of interactivity occur with the audience and with relevant public groups through dialogical exchange

Do performances succeed in bringing people of different perspectives together so exchange and collaboration can occur?

What are the outcomes of these interactions in terms of change? (adapted from Jones, 2007)

New forms of Ethnodrama

World wide web as a stage

Autoethnodrama

Articles written as dramatic scripts