Ethnography as Practice: Is Validity an Issue?

Abstract

This article addresses current debates on the validity of qualitative research by conceptualising ethnography as a form of social practice. Ethnographic research in criminal justice is described as a cross-field practice, where researchers move from an academic field to the field of observation. It is argued that validity issues arise as a result of the material structures and methodological conventions that shape the practice of ethnographic research. Using three examples from criminal justice research that the author took part in, this article reaffirms the usefulness of triangulation and concludes that validity is not simply a methodological, but also an ethical, issue in criminal justice research practice.