Ethnomethodology
Introduction
Ethnomethodology is a sociological perspective that studies the ways in which people make sense of their world, convey this understanding to others, and produce a mutually shared social order Sociology. It was developed by sociologist Harold Garfinkel during the 1960s and is primarily focused on the tacit rules and procedures that people use to make sense of everyday situations.
Background and Development
Ethnomethodology emerged as a new approach to sociological inquiry in the 1960s, largely as a result of the work of Harold Garfinkel. Garfinkel was critical of mainstream sociology's preoccupation with social structures and institutions, arguing instead for a focus on the everyday practices and procedures through which these structures are produced and maintained Harold Garfinkel.
The term 'ethnomethodology' was coined by Garfinkel and derives from the terms 'ethnography' and 'methodology'. This reflects the approach's emphasis on the methods that people use in their everyday lives to produce social order.
Key Concepts
Ethnomethodology is based on several key concepts, including the notion of the 'account', the 'indexicality' of language, and the idea of 'reflexivity'.
Account
In ethnomethodology, an 'account' refers to any statement or action that attempts to explain, justify, or make sense of some aspect of social reality. Accounts are seen as crucial to the production and maintenance of social order, as they allow individuals to make their actions understandable to others.
Indexicality
The concept of 'indexicality' refers to the idea that the meaning of any statement or action is always context-dependent. This means that the same statement can have different meanings in different situations, depending on a range of factors such as the speaker's intentions, the listener's interpretation, and the broader social context.
Reflexivity
'Reflexivity' in ethnomethodology refers to the idea that individuals are constantly monitoring and adjusting their own behavior in response to the reactions of others. This ongoing process of self-monitoring and adjustment is seen as a key mechanism through which social order is maintained.
Methodology
Ethnomethodologists typically use qualitative research methods, such as participant observation and conversation analysis, to study the everyday practices and procedures that people use to make sense of the world around them Qualitative Research.
One of the most famous studies in ethnomethodology is Garfinkel's 'breaching experiments', in which he instructed his students to act as if they were unfamiliar with the rules of everyday social interaction, and then observe the reactions of others. These experiments were designed to reveal the tacit rules and procedures that people normally take for granted in their everyday lives.
Criticisms and Controversies
While ethnomethodology has been influential in sociology and other social sciences, it has also been the subject of various criticisms. Some critics argue that the approach is too focused on the micro-level of social interaction, and neglects the broader social structures and institutions that also shape people's behavior. Others argue that ethnomethodology's emphasis on the tacit and taken-for-granted aspects of social life makes it difficult to apply in practical research situations.
Conclusion
Despite these criticisms, ethnomethodology remains an important perspective in sociology and continues to influence research in areas such as social psychology, communication studies, and human-computer interaction. By focusing on the everyday practices and procedures that people use to make sense of the world, ethnomethodology provides a unique and valuable lens through which to understand the complexities of social life.