Recognizing the practitioner-self: lessons from studying rock bands at-home
Journal of Organizational Ethnography
ISSN: 2046-6749
Article publication date: 16 May 2018
Issue publication date: 28 June 2018
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore and discuss some of the possibilities and risks that one can encounter in the process of doing ethnographic organization research with an at-home approach.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper draws on self-reflexive analyses of a four-year research process, where the author – a rock musician – investigated how rock bands within the author’s social networks organize their activities. The materials used for analysis were notes and diaries, as well as reflections on memories.
Findings
The findings illustrate aspects of the researcher’s “breaking out” process, which involved the researcher’s initial impulse to leave his practitioner-self, a subsequent lack of interest and eventually a return to what felt genuinely intriguing for him to study. The paper argues that one important aspect of the at-home researcher’s breaking out process may involve an active recognition of his/her practitioner-self as a resource – not least to avoid losing interest or getting lost in abstractions.
Originality/value
This paper conceptualizes and builds further upon previous discussions on at-home research, adding insights into the “breaking out” process and the curious paradox of the proposed necessity for the researcher to leave and utilize his/her at-home experience and familiarity.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The author would like to thank Ulrika Bennerstedt, Pär Larsson, Camilla Thunborg, Eva-Maria Hardtmann, Mikael Persson and Keith Roberts for their support, inputs and comments.
Citation
Malm, T. (2018), "Recognizing the practitioner-self: lessons from studying rock bands at-home", Journal of Organizational Ethnography, Vol. 7 No. 2, pp. 135-146. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOE-11-2017-0060
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited