By Douglas Clarke, Paul Bourne and Lauren March
Summary of Study - This is an ethnographic study on marginalized groups with emphasis on Puerto Ricans who experience socio-economic and political exclusion in El Barrio, New York City. The researcher sought to highlight the macro-structural and ideological forces that perpetuate inner city lived culture. From all indicators, he used informal consent to gather his data and participatory observation along with content analysis. In concluding, the researcher made recommendations to academia, politicians, and policy makers as to how empowerment can be facilitated through non-stereotypical research.
Subject of research
Paradox of First World Country with high Levels of Inner-city poverty;
Racial Marginalization;
Bureaucracy deters formal employment;
Dynamics of the underground economy-necessary (the formal market cannot absorb some persons due to cultural, socio-economic
conditions) but illegal, and
Inner-city culture within the society but more-so evident among Puerto Ricans and African Americans
Main Question(s) to be answered
Has development fostered a positive outcome for marginalized groups?
How effective are the policies that are supposed to facilitate this social inclusion/intervention of minority groups?
What are the dynamics of drug abuse?
What perpetuates this abuse/usage?
How much has the formal labour market met the expectations of entry level individuals who need this medium to enhance their live?
How valid is the quantitative analysis (especially the census) of the situation that affects residents in El Barrio?
How effective has previous research (Thatcher and his students, Oscar Lewis) and methods been in their analysis of the situation in
El Barrio and how has it changed their reality? What is the ideological structure of New York and inner-city poverty?
What is the importance of inner-city culture to the survival of some individuals in society?
How much of an impact does modernity have on the behaviour of these Puerto Ricans and his ‘old’ analysis? – (Increase
usage/availability of Drugs and violent acts are reflective of the change that occur in America with modernity)
Are these actions done in an effort to garner respect for self and society especially in light of the stereotype meted out to these
groups?
How valid has previous ethnographic research been in addressing the issues?
Researchers’ Role
The researcher serves multiple roles; he is facilitator, participant and observer
Methods used
His choice of Ethnographic Research employing participant observation and life stories were the main mediums through which most data was accessed. Through content analysis he was able to analyze issue and put meanings to words to address the issue that these marginalized groups face. This was best suited to deal with the situation when compared with quantitative data which also used Census which failed to capture the essence of what these youths endure.
Data Analysis and Presentation
The data was analyze and presented in a systematic timely manner
Format of Report
The respondents had a strong voice however it was not clear which style was continually used he was all over the place; He went
backwards and forwards. The target audience consisted of academic, policy makers, general public
(Note – neither diachronic or synchronic
Emic was dominant throughout the study
Standards of Qualitative Research (Rigour and Trustworthiness)
Triangulation was strongly evident in his work. The intertwining of Census data, previous research and his primary research were both Quantitative and Qualitative
(Note He “gingerly” use census data)
Ethical Considerations-Satisfactorily Addressed
Bourgois speaks of issues with such normality that the line is blurred between what is morally accepted and what is wrong. He had to normalize or deny the culture of terror that he saw in order to maintain his own sense of sanity. He said “to be successful in my street ethnography I had to be relaxed and enjoy myself on the street.” (p. 35)
His white drug addict profile was presented and accepted rather than his anthropological stance studying poverty and marginalization (p.31).
Ethical Considerations-Satisfactorily Addressed
• He was able to state that you will not be mugged especially if you are white because they believe you are a cop or drug addicts-evidence in his three years on the street he stated he was mugged once as was every body else. His wife was never mugged while half a dozen of his friends living downtown living in safer neighbourhoods were mugged during the same time slot but everyone was conscious of the possibility of assault.
Ethical Considerations-Satisfactorily Addressed
Violates any standard of ethics (I interviewed, and in many cases befriended, the spouses, lovers, siblings, mothers, grandmothers, and –when possible- the fathers and stepfathers of the crack dealers… I also spent time in the larger community interviewing local politicians and attending institutional meetings.
His knowledge of their activities could have landed anyone of them in jail but he did not divulge such information.