Ethnographic Fiction and Representing the Absent Other

Abstract

Speaking to and for the interests of silenced groups and absent Others raises a number of ethical and pedagogical dilemmas. In this paper, I focus upon my attempt to resolve some of these dilemmas by the use of an ethnographic fiction I constructed about a gay, male, physical education teacher and sportsman called Alexander. A context for this construction is provided prior to presenting the fiction in its entirety. Questions are then raised regarding how readers might pass judgement on such tales. Finally, the value of this genre of representation as a tool for critical pedagogy is considered.