Abstract
Autoethnography is a method of cultural research where you use your own experiences as a starting point or as examples of more general conditions. You are both the subject and the object of observation. Recently I tried a variant of this method in a Do-It-Yourself project, writing field notes while working as a home fixer with hammer, screwdriver and other tools. I also reflected on some differences and similarities between writing and DIY. The purpose of self-narrative experiments like this is to improve fieldwork and cultural analysis. By practising autoethnography you may learn more about the research process and become more conscious of what is going on when you are doing observations and interpreting them.
Keywords
working knowledge, self-narratives, reflexivity, observation, non-verbal experience, autoethnography
How to Cite
Ehn, B., (2011) “DOING-IT-YOURSELF”, Ethnologia Europaea 41(1), 54-65. doi: https://doi.org/10.16995/ee.1077
Publisher Notes
- This article was previously published by Museum Tusculanum Press.