Speaking the language of power: Communication, collaboration and advocacy (translating ethnology into action)

by David Fetterman (Editor)

Overview

First Published in 1993. Speaking the Language of Power is about how a group of socially concerned scholars are making their ethnographic insights and findings useful to decision makers. They address a host of significant issues, including conflict resolution, the dropout problem, environmental health and safety, homelessness, educational reform, the situation of American Indians, AIDS, and the education of gifted children. Myriad strategies are being used by practicing anthropologists to ensure that they have an impact on sponsors and policy decision makers. The book focuses on the use of language and rhetorical style to enhance communication and effectiveness. Within that framework, the approaches presented in this collection range from translating qualitative information into quantitative forms to testifying about specific legislation on Capitol Hill. The chapters artfully blend the three themes of this book - communication, collaboration, and advocacy. Building on the enormous contributions made by qualitative researchers throughout the world, the aim of this discourse is to explore successful strategies, share lessons learned, and enhance the ability to communicate with an educated citizenry and powerful policymaking bodies. The spirit driving the dedication displayed in each chapter is simple - to improve the world we live in, to make it a better place for our children and our children's children.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781135396411
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	04/08/2014
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	196
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

David M. Fetterman is Professor of Education at Stanford University and Sierra Nevada College; concurrently, Principal Research Scientist at the American Institutes for Research.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Words as the Commodity of Discourse: Influencing Power, David M. Fetterman; Chapter 2 On Keeping an Edge: Translating Ethnographic Findings and Putting Them to Use—NYC’s Homeless Policy, Kim Hopper; Chapter 3 Testifying on the Hill: Using Ethnographic Data to Shape Public Policy, G. Alfred HessJr; Chapter 4 Ethnographic Research on AIDS Risk Behavior and the Making of Policy, Margaret R. Weeks, Jean J. Schensul; Chapter 5 Protocol and Policy-making Systems in American Indian Tribes, Linda Parker, Bertney Langley; Chapter 6 Communicating Evaluation Findings as a Process: The Case for Delayed Gratification, Jolley Christman, Elaine Simon; Chapter 7 Massaging Soft Data, or Making the Skeptical More Supple, Mary Jo McGee Brown; Chapter 8 Gaining Acceptance from Part Icipants, Clients, and Policy-makers for Qualitative Research, Joseph A. Maxwell; Chapter 9 An Evaluation Fable: The Animals of United Farms, Ronald E. Mertz; Chapter 10 A School Board’s Response to an Ethnographic Evaluation: Or, Whose Evaluation is this Anyway?, Mary Lopez de Abascal-Hildebrand; Chapter 11 A Framework for Conducting Utilization-focused Policy Research in Anthropology, Barbara Rylko-Bauer, John van Willigen; Chapter 12 Ethnography and Policy: Translating Knowledge into Action, David M. Fetterman;