Inspired by the 2007 NCA theme and by Chicago’s rich legacy of engaged field study, the 2007 preconference explored our faith in ethnography from multiple perspectives, commitments, and concerns. The preconference featured:

1. •Presenters whose contributions have shaped ethnographic work in the field of communication.
   

2. •Facilitated group discussions tasked with developing collective statements of commitment to ethnographic work.
   

3. •A performance by the legendary band The Ethnogs that included the world premiere of their original song, “Ethnography Anthem.”
   

This site offers visual, audio, and textual materials from the preconference to both document and continue the conversations. We’ve started a blog that we hope you’ll use to talk about the issues, commitments, and directions of ethnographic work in communication.

Preconference abstract

The preconference participants considered our faith in ethnography to enrich and generate theory; as a praxis, an agency affecting progressive change; as a pedagogical perspective; as a spiritual journey; as a ethics; as performance; and as a critique of and impetus to community. Invited speakers briefly reflected on these sites of ethnographic engagement and participants joined them in roundtable discussions with the goal of fashioning statements in various formats (written, audio- or videotaped) about faith in the multiple dimensions of ethnographic work. Such expressions of commitment may appear in our syllabi, on our websites, in our professional statements, and in our work; at this preconference, we discussed how and why we make them and work out together the implications and challenges of doing so. 

Special thanks to the Department of Humanities, Michigan Technological University (Dr. Robert Johnson, Chair) for sponsoring the Ethnogs performance and the roundtable facilitators.

We are very grateful to Randy Harrison, Michigan Tech graduate student, for website design and technical expertise.