Traditionally, field research has been associated with the study of small-scale societies by social anthropologists. More recently, however, researchers have 'come home' to study a variety of locations in urban-industrial societies. Sociologists as well as social anthropologists now do field research.
In the Field is an authoritative guide to the problems and procedures associated with data collection and analysis in field research. The author has included many examples from British and American research together with his own observations, interviews and documentary materials, to illustrate the principles and practice of field research. The book complements the author's anthology "Field Research: A Sourcebook and Field Manual," and includes chapters on starting research and gaining access, selection strategies and ethics, as well as discussions of participant observation, interviews, and personal documents. In common with the earlier volume, detailed guides for further reading are provided.
The author has provided an invaluable text which will be essential reading for undergraduates, postgraduates and researchers who intend to conduct field research in their own societies. It will be of special interest to sociologists and social scientists working in education, criminology, industrial relations, medicine, and other areas in which this style of research is used.