Ethnographies are a book length,
first hand, extensive description (or picture) of the daily way of life or cultural practice of a particular group of people
insider's account of the culture based on the author’s interactions and participant observation / field work with the group that is the subject of the ethnography
written by an anthropologist, possibly a sociologist, who has conducted their detailed study while being immersed in the particular culture, often living with the people, over a period of time, often years.
Ethnographies may be focused on traditional or contemporary cultures and are usually published by academic publishers.
Ethnographies might focus on:
the Zande (in Africa), Toraja (Indonesian People), Romanies (older books use the term Gypsies), Masai, Inuit (older books use the term Eskimos), Quechua Indians, Palestinian Arabs, Maya
college students, drug dealers, street children, surrogate mothers, teenage boys, ultra-Orthodox Jews, homeless persons, Muslim girls, nurses’ aides, bicycle messengers, policewomen, transgender people, criminals, soldiers, welfare recipients, middle class families, male prostitutes, young adults, gay fathers, teenage automobile drivers, soccer fans, wildfire fighters, women body builders
ethnic identities, drinking customs, male friendship, reindeer herding, sex roles, drug use, traditional farming, soccer, witchcraft, recreational vehicle living, forced migration, initiation rites, gangs, alcohol use, spirit possession, parenting, khat, virtual reality, sex customs, open source software
ethnology social life and customs
social conditions social aspects
alcohol use economic conditions
death ethnic relations
funeral customs and rites family
kinship religion
rites and ceremonies sexual behavior
medical care sex role
Sample subject heading/subdivisions combinations:
Muslim women - Canada
Rites and ceremonies - India
Xhosa (African people) - Rites and ceremonies.
Batuan (Indonesia) - Religious life and customs.
Goth culture (Subculture) - Great Britain
Internet - Social aspects
Hints :
Use the ? to say "I don't care what letters come after this", e.g.
relig? retrieves religion, religious, religiosity
If your term is a phrase, change "any of these" to "as a phrase"
Authority is constructed and contextual.
Information has value to its audiences.
Book reviews can give us insight into the critical reception of an ethnography and help provide context: