Crafting Ethnography: A Review

This review explores Paul Atkinson's (2022) Crafting Ethnography, the fourth installment in his series on ethnographic research. The book presents a compelling case for Embodied Ethnography as Atkinson writes of his thick participation in various introductory crafting classes, including glassblowing, pottery, silversmithing, spoon-making, life drawing, digital photography, and perfume blending. By emphasizing sensory engagement and short-term, focused fieldwork, Atkinson challenges traditional notions of ethnographic immersion. I review and critique this text as a second-year doctoral student with the hopes of understanding more about qualitative research and design. Throughout this review, I examine the book as a supplemental tool that higher education professors and students could utilize to learn more about ethnography. What I appreciate most from this book is Atkinson's exploration of the idea of an aliquout of fieldwork, teaching his readers to transform participation into a deeper understanding of ethnographic practices. His reflections on the crafting classes offer a nuanced understanding of how esoteric knowledge and experiential learning shape cultural insight. While the book does not serve as a methodological guide, it provides valuable perspectives for novice researchers to deepen their observational skills within condensed academic timelines.