The Evolution of Ethnography in Social Sciences: The Role of the Researcher Between Traditional and New Approaches

The ethnographic method has been a feature of the social sciences since its inception. In some disciplines, it is markedly characterized by an emphasis on physical field research over extended periods within circumscribed communities. However, with the advent of the digital age, this process has undergone further acceleration, disrupting and partly undermining the solid assumptions on which the ethnographic method was originally formed. In the digital scenario, the notions of contextual boundaries and the role of the researcher are radically transformed. In light of these changes, there is an urgent need to retrace the evolutionary trajectory of ethnographic practice and to systematize its recent developments. This is to ensure that researchers can identify appropriate research paths and methods to achieve their research goals in the digital realm. The aim of this work is to investigate the current developments in ethnographic practice and understand its evolutionary trajectory. This will be addressed through the following research questions: What are the most important steps in the evolutionary processes of ethnography and its application in both physical and digital environments? How can researchers adapt the ethnographic assumption to digital communities, digital data and digital traces available online? How do researchers navigate inside and outside the online field making use (or not) of research innovations and related digital technologies? To this end, a systematic literature review and a typological framework are proposed to systematize ethnographic practice in digital environments. The subsequent discussion will address the fundamental assumptions that should be prioritized in order to satisfactorily answer the research questions and the overarching objective: understanding the epistemological and ontological essence of the ethnographic method.