This paper demonstrates realist ethnographic paradigms and practices of engaging an extended peri... more This paper demonstrates realist ethnographic paradigms and practices of engaging an extended period of time to collect the information of distinctive socio-cultural structures or institutions of alien tribal or indigenous societies and describing their cultural ways of life patterns in positivistic manner detaching them from the research process. It argues that the interpretive or hermeneutic wave of ethnography deconstructs this Western hegemonic research tradition giving birth to the interpretation of socio-cultural world of the researched attaching meaning to what they say and do. It further argues that the emergence of critical reflexive ethnographic tradition is the dramatic shift that challenges the colonial ethnographic practices giving space to the self as reflexive research participant. It helps to contest the colonial assumptions of structured and objective visualization of the world and authoritative representation of the other. The ethnographic tradition is further shif...
By presenting Shamanism as a form and tradition of indigenous knowledge, this paper aims to reduc... more By presenting Shamanism as a form and tradition of indigenous knowledge, this paper aims to reduce the uncertainties attached to the concept in common approaches to indigenous research. Most indigenist researchers, who are working to blend western and non-western ways of knowing, have inadequately explored indigenous research procedures. In order to understand indigenous research procedures in the Nepali multi-cultural context, using interpretive, critical and postmodern research paradigms, the authors engaged with indigenous elders and traditional healers, and observed cultural events like shamanic performances. This paper reveals how achieving a profound understanding of indigenous knowledge traditions will be an integral part of how researchers approach indigenous communities in future studies
The central concern of this paper is to discuss the positioning of the researcher while researchi... more The central concern of this paper is to discuss the positioning of the researcher while researching one’s own community ethnographically. It argues that insider and outsider positioning of a researcher in insider ethnographic research appears in a contextual, iterative, and emergent manner. The strategies provide space for critical self-reflexive practices in the field, thereby enhancing the quality standard. In addition, it argues that the positioning of the researcher appears while maintaining the ethical issue of confidentiality. Thus, the paper claims that it is not necessary to set the ideological frame for structuring the researchers whilst engaging in the field with particular positioning. It highlights that the defined roles of a researcher guide him/her in a way denying to engage in the field adapting the contextual phenomena, thereby creating difficulties for generating quality data.
Against the effort made through Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in ensurin... more Against the effort made through Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in ensuring gender equality through providing women with the self/employment opportunities, there exists under-representation of them particularly in male-dominated training courses and jobs. In this context, the paper, based on a qualitative case study of three women who engaged in the courses and then occupations, portrays their struggles for coping with the gender stereotypes of devaluing women’s capability in the context of patriarchal power domination. Visualising from the feminist power perspectives, we came to the insights that the women’s agency (willingness, commitment, motivation, and knowledgeability) contests with the power held by males and patriarchal social structures. The negotiation of within self-power of women and external power of males and society support to unleash them for making a choice of career path.
This paper demonstrates realist ethnographic paradigms and practices of engaging an extended peri... more This paper demonstrates realist ethnographic paradigms and practices of engaging an extended period of time to collect the information of distinctive socio-cultural structures or institutions of alien tribal or indigenous societies and describing their cultural ways of life patterns in positivistic manner detaching them from the research process. It argues that the interpretive or hermeneutic wave of ethnography deconstructs this Western hegemonic research tradition giving birth to the interpretation of socio-cultural world of the researched attaching meaning to what they say and do. It further argues that the emergence of critical reflexive ethnographic tradition is the dramatic shift that challenges the colonial ethnographic practices giving space to the self as reflexive research participant. It helps to contest the colonial assumptions of structured and objective visualization of the world and authoritative representation of the other. The ethnographic tradition is further shif...
By presenting Shamanism as a form and tradition of indigenous knowledge, this paper aims to reduc... more By presenting Shamanism as a form and tradition of indigenous knowledge, this paper aims to reduce the uncertainties attached to the concept in common approaches to indigenous research. Most indigenist researchers, who are working to blend western and non-western ways of knowing, have inadequately explored indigenous research procedures. In order to understand indigenous research procedures in the Nepali multi-cultural context, using interpretive, critical and postmodern research paradigms, the authors engaged with indigenous elders and traditional healers, and observed cultural events like shamanic performances. This paper reveals how achieving a profound understanding of indigenous knowledge traditions will be an integral part of how researchers approach indigenous communities in future studies
The central concern of this paper is to discuss the positioning of the researcher while researchi... more The central concern of this paper is to discuss the positioning of the researcher while researching one’s own community ethnographically. It argues that insider and outsider positioning of a researcher in insider ethnographic research appears in a contextual, iterative, and emergent manner. The strategies provide space for critical self-reflexive practices in the field, thereby enhancing the quality standard. In addition, it argues that the positioning of the researcher appears while maintaining the ethical issue of confidentiality. Thus, the paper claims that it is not necessary to set the ideological frame for structuring the researchers whilst engaging in the field with particular positioning. It highlights that the defined roles of a researcher guide him/her in a way denying to engage in the field adapting the contextual phenomena, thereby creating difficulties for generating quality data.
Against the effort made through Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in ensurin... more Against the effort made through Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in ensuring gender equality through providing women with the self/employment opportunities, there exists under-representation of them particularly in male-dominated training courses and jobs. In this context, the paper, based on a qualitative case study of three women who engaged in the courses and then occupations, portrays their struggles for coping with the gender stereotypes of devaluing women’s capability in the context of patriarchal power domination. Visualising from the feminist power perspectives, we came to the insights that the women’s agency (willingness, commitment, motivation, and knowledgeability) contests with the power held by males and patriarchal social structures. The negotiation of within self-power of women and external power of males and society support to unleash them for making a choice of career path.
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Papers by Indra Yamphu