An activist in the field: Social media, ethnography, and community

ABSTRACT

This article examines the undertheorized intersection of ethnography and social media use by researchers by drawing upon my ethnographic research in Camden, New Jersey, on community activism and my social media presence in the same community. I argue that blogging and social media are intersecting methodologically with techniques such as keeping field notes that document observation. In doing so, social media holds great potential to further the values of standpoint theory. Active blogging and social media presence by academics also increase the transparency inherent in ethnography by providing those involved with informed choices about how to engage with such research. Finally, scholars who are digitally active in their field of study have the potential to broaden the impact of their own work, not only influencing the field after the conclusion of research but becoming a part of the local tapestry and impacting current policy and local perceptions. I argue that for the ethnographer, social media both facilitates and makes visible better qualitative data collection that acknowledges the iterative nature of knowledge development, while buttressing the ability of researchers to better engage and advocate in spaces most meaningful to local communities.

Acknowledgments

The author thanks the peer reviewers, the scholar activist section of the Urban Affairs Association for their mentorship and friendship, and the residents of Camden for their engagement and generosity.

Additional information

Funding

The author thanks the Rutgers Research Council for financial support.

Notes on contributors

Stephen Danley

Stephen Danley is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Policy and Administration at Rutgers University–Camden. He is a Marshall Scholar and Oxford University alum. His research focuses on protest, power, and participation within the context of urban social movements and the right to the city.