Philosophy of Research
Not every text has been written. This is why ethnographic research is so important - it provides a way to "read" unwritten texts and celebrate diverse experiences. As a feminist theologian, I place a high importance on ethnography because it provides a means of discovering particularities and listening to voices that have been overlooked or marginalized.
In my own research, I have used ethnographic fieldwork in my work on street children, refugees, internally displaced persons, women and HIV/AIDS, and abstinence education. My book, Risky Marriage, used qualitative interviews and participatory action research to explore the reasons why marriage is an HIV/AIDS risk factor in East Africa.
While the use of ethnographic research is an established discipline within Religious Studies and Sociology of Religion, it is still a new discipline in the fields of Theology and Ethics. Within ethics, ethnography represents a growing edge and a new way to speak normatively as it recognizes sources of authority beyond the church and the academy. Ethnographic research is a way of speaking with, rather than about, the people who are represented in our work.
I also see ethnography as an important pedagogical tool to use in the classroom. Teaching students how to listen through the art of qualitative research can open new avenues for learning and new approaches to ministry and activism.
Research also provides a space for engagement with the community. In some of my research projects, I have worked along side churches and faith-based organizations to create new programs or attain new knowledge to reshape current programs. In this way, ethnographic research provides not only a space for new knowledge, but can provide a space for advocacy and service as well.