The Professional Stranger: Informal Introduction to Ethnography - Softcover

Agar, Michael H.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 012043850X ISBN 13: 9780120438501

Publisher: Academic Press Inc, 1980

Synopsis

This edition of an introductory text opens with a chapter that brings ethnography up-to-date and aims it toward the next century. At a time when numerous disciplines, organizations, and communities are discovering ethnography, Agar shows how the fundamentals endure.

About this title

Review

"Agar's writing is lively and informal. He conveys the excitement of his subject while candidly sketching some of the ambiguities and problems that will challenge future ethnographers."
--CHOICE
"An intriguing and exciting little book... The range of methodological issues covered by Agar is impressive and thorough. Moreover, although he writes primarily for students in anthropology, Agar weaves into his discussion important methodological texts and articles from many social science disciplines, thus making his volume a concise reference for guiding students to further reading on particular issues. The excitement of the book is enhanced also by the diversity of research projects in which Agar has been involved as an ethnographer.... There are points of contention that could be raised about the book, and Agar frequently acknowledges that his position on certain issues is debatable. He also intended the book to set up issues 'clearly enough so that other enthographers can agree or argue. In this, he succeeds. As an 'informal introduction, the book covers more ground than the subtitle suggests, ground enough to serve as an important stimulus and guide for students of ethnography both in sociology and in other social disciplines."
--CONTEMPORARY SOCIOLOGY
"This book is one of the strongest in the field... The book appeals to an audience that grown considerably beyond anthropologists."
--JOHN GUMPERTS, University of California, Berkeley

About the Author

Michael Agar received his Ph.D. in anthropology at the Language-Behavior Research Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley. His recent books include Speaking of Ethnography, Independents Declared, and Language Shock. Agar has been doing ethnography for many years with a variety of people including heroin addicts, villagers inSouth India, independent truckers, and Austrian politicians.

Edition details

• Publisher: Academic Press Inc
• Publication date: 1980
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 012043850X
• ISBN 13: 9780120438501
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 227