Relational ethnography: writing and reading in and about research relationships

Abstract

This paper introduces Relational Ethnography which studies reflexivity in relationships between researcher and participants and discusses the concept of ‘self’ in ethnography and ethnographic writing. In addition, the paper discusses the relationships between the voices of inner dialogue and between the voices of inner and outer dialogue. By offering increased transparency, readers, participants in research relationships may be able to participate in those relationships in ways which increase opportunities for collaboration. Relational Ethnography understands reading and writing as relational practices. The writer is always in relation to other texts, to other writers and this paper gives examples of how to speak with and through the literature. The paper discusses the developing relationship between the writer and the reader as the writer anticipates the reader and the reader imagines the writer and they enter into a dialogue with each other.