Joining the Gang and Becoming a Broder: The Violence of Ethnography in Contemporary Nicaragua
Abstract
The fact that anthropologists 鈥榗onstruct鈥� the field in which they conduct their ethnographic research has long been recognised, but less considered are the ways in which the field can 鈥榗onstruct鈥� both the anthropologist and fieldwork practices. In many ways, this process is a natural corollary of the fact that researchers must always adapt and sensitise themselves to the realities of their field locations, and more importantly, the inherently dialogical nature of ethnographic research. At the same time, this 鈥榗onstruction鈥� can potentially have more singular ramifications, particularly when fieldwork is carried out in situations characterised by chronic violence. In such circumstances, the ethnographic process almost inevitably exposes the anthropologist to violence, but can also become intrinsically imbued with violence, to the extent that it can make sense to talk of the 鈥榲iolence鈥� of ethnography. This article illustrates this idea through a consideration of the author鈥檚 doctoral fieldwork experiences in Managua, Nicaragua, including his ritual initiation into an urban youth gang, and considers some of the ethical and practical ramifications of this experience.
Citation
Bulletin of Latin American Research (2007) 26 (4) 444-461 [doi: 10.1111/j.1470-9856.2007.00234.x]