Popularizing ethnography: reflections on writing for popular audiences in magazines and blogs

Abstract

Ethnography has witnessed a staggering proliferation of genres over the last three decades. Modes of communication have similarly expanded. In spite of this, most ethnographers still rely on the prototypical media of their trade: the book and the journal article. The objective of this article is to examine the process of communicating ethnography through more widely accessible media such as popular print magazines, web-based magazines, and blogs. Drawing examples from my own public ethnography, I reflect on practical considerations that ethnographers might want to entertain whenever they attempt to popularize their work through these channels. I also provide reflections on the risks and limitations typical of these media.