幸运飞艇计划

With no way to collaborate with research participants to garner seasonal insights, we asked ourselves how can we do ethnographic research under lock-down? A decision was made to reflect on our own experiences and observations by regularly writing a seasonal diary. And so our journey of engagement with autoethnography began; opposite seasonal insights experienced at opposite ends of the world.

What is autoethnography听and how can it add value to听research into seasonal representations? As a听research method, autoethnography emphasises听personal experience and听places听reflection in the context of the cultural framework within which the research is conducted听(Ellis, Adams, & Bochner, 2011; Wall, 2008).听Contrary to traditional methodological approaches and perceptions, autoethnography encourages the researcher to incorporate her or his own positionality and subjective experience听(Adams, Jones, & Ellis, 2015; Stahlke Wall, 2018). The methodological aim is no longer to present research findings detached from personal experiences but to use these experiences to听get to the culture being researched听(Pelias, 2003),听thus,听the method is part听auto听or self and part听ethno听or culture (Ellis 2004).听

Having become听cut off from most of our daily routines like going听to the听office, doing听sports,听taking听kids to school听or听kindergarten and even socializing with friends and family, the team experienced an intensified notion of听seasonal representations by turning to autoethnography. Our senses and attention sharpened and made听us听aware of how听remarkable and听noteworthy听the听seasonal changes听taking听place around us as part of听the rhythms of our听lives. This was emphasised听due to the fact that听the majority of听cultural seasonal markers听(e.g., Easter celebration, festivals,听school holidays)听passed听by almost without noticing. The days became void of social and cultural experiences and so what at times felt like a reliving of the same day over and over again became a unique opportunity for acute environmental observation and personal reflection based on the cultural context in which the CALENDARS researchers are based.听

Three decades听ago,听when autoethnography was听in its infancy, it was already clear to Ellis听(1991)听that any research questions asked as a result of personal experience would lead to culturally relevant answers.听听Autoethnography听makes it听possible for听our own experience to guide听the research听we conduct. For that,听trust听in听our听personal听observations听and experiences and their value听and our ability to convey these听is fundamental.听The value of autoethnography holds听true for听both听sociological inquiry听as well as听for ecological and seasonal inquiry: our experience as members of the human society with the seasonal influence on our social as well as physical environment.听听

The contemporary western and scientific view is that seasons are divided into distinct periods throughout the year: spring, summer, autumn, winter.听Fixed dates have been set to mark the beginnings and ends of听these听periods,听yet they fail to do justice to the nuanced and micro-level observations and experiences 鈥榦n the ground鈥�.听Using autoethnography as part of a suit of ethnographic 鈥榯ools鈥� enables a more contextualised and meaningful way of understanding how people live by and symbolise seasons, also what they value about seasons and how these听experiences relate to the wider cultural setting in which the seasons follow their rhythms. This is because autoethnography comes from a place of experience (i.e., the place-based researcher experiences the same seasonal phenomena), even though the interpretation and the cultural framing of the experience may be different.听

Hence, the intention of reflecting on our own seasonal experiences and听expanding our ethnographic research approach to include听autoethnography听comes from our听personal听experience听of seasons听oftentimes being out of sync with听wider society鈥檚 seasonal representations听(spring, summer, autumn,听and听winter). Through our own experience in 鈥榖eing out there鈥�, whether it is going for a stroll in the forest, catching waves or just feeling the elements, there is, at times, a mismatch between what the calendar says and听our own听experience on the ground as much as there is a scale discrepancy. On a personal scale, the seasonal experience is nuanced and intimate:听we see and hear seasonal听markers,听yet these听are not necessarily documented by others听and often they are also not represented as part of听cultural听and/or听scientific听seasonal experience.听听

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References:听

Adams, T. E., Jones, S. H., & Ellis, C. (2015).听Autoethnography. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.听
Ellis, C. (1991). Sociological Introspection and Emotional Experience.听Symbolic Interaction, 14(1), 23-50. doi:10.1525/si.1991.14.1.23听
Ellis, C. (2004). The Ethnographic I: A Methodological Novel about Autoethnography. Walnut Creek, CA:听AltaMira听Pres.听听Ellis, C., Adams, T. E., & Bochner, A. P. (2011). Autoethnography: An Overview.听Historical Social Research /听Historische听Sozialforschung, 36(4 (138)), 273-290.听听
Ellis, C., & Bochner, A. P. (1996).听Composing ethnography: Alternative forms of qualitative writing听(Vol. 1): Rowman Altamira.听
Pelias, R. J. (2003). The Academic Tourist: An Autoethnography.听Qualitative Inquiry, 9(3), 369-373. doi:10.1177/1077800403009003003听
Stahlke Wall, S. (2018). Reflection/Commentary on a Past Article: 鈥淓asier Said Than Done: Writing an听 听Autoethnography鈥�:听听International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 17(1),听doi:10.1177/1609406918788249听
Wall, S. (2008). Easier Said than Done: Writing an Autoethnography.听International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 7(1), 38-53. doi:10.1177/160940690800700103听

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