Doing ethnography from within a constructivist paradigm to explore virtual communities in Saudi Arabia

Yeslam Al-Saggaf; Kirsty Williamson

doi:10.18778/1733-8077.2.2.02

Authors

Yeslam Al-Saggaf Charles Sturt University and Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics, Australia
Kirsty Williamson Monash University and Charles Sturt University, Australia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18778/1733-8077.2.2.02

Keywords:

Ethnography, constructivist paradigm, constructivist ethnography, unobtrusive observation, NVIVO, virtual communities, Saudi Arabia, Saudi women

Abstract

Most of the studies in the recent literature focus on the method used but not the philosophy behind it. This article focuses on doing ethnography, from within a constructivist paradigm, to explore individuals’ participation in virtual communities in Saudi Arabia. An aim of this article is to highlight how particular ethnographic techniques, viz unobtrusive observation and participation, were used in that study. The article argues that doing ethnography in this way allowed for placing the results within the social and cultural context of Saudi society. The article, which includes a sample of the findings from the two techniques involved for illustration, concludes that the one-year unobtrusive observation and the eight months’ participation in two different but similar virtual communities, during the period 2001-2002, have produced findings that are deep, meaningful and rich in description.

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Author Biographies

Yeslam Al-Saggaf, Charles Sturt University and Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics, Australia

Yeslam Al-Saggaf (PhD) is a lecturer in the School of Information Studies, an Associate Course Coordinator for GradDipInfoTech/MInfoTech/MInfoSys at Charles Sturt University, Australia and a Research Fellow at the Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics. He holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering (computer and information engineering) from Malaysia, and a master of information technology and a PhD from Charles Sturt University, Australia. His research interests lie in the areas of online communities (both social and political) and the online political public sphere in the Arab world. He has published in those areas in a number of international refereed journals as well as presenting at a number of international conferences.

Kirsty Williamson, Monash University and Charles Sturt University, Australia

Kirsty Williamson (PhD) is the Director of the research group, Information and Telecommunications Needs Research (ITNR), a joint initiative of Monash and Charles Sturt Universities. Since the early 1990s, she has undertaken many research projects, funded by a range of different organisations including the Telstra Fund for Social and Policy Research, Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts (DCITA), and the Australian Research Council. Her interests are in a wide range of topics, many of which are related to the use of the Internet as is the present article. Kirsty also teaches research methods at Charles Sturt University and supervises PhD students there.

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