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Part of
New Englishes, New Methods
Edited by Guyanne Wilson and Michael Westphal
[Varieties of English Around the World G68] 2023
► pp. 243–262

Complicating the field

World Englishes and digital ethnography

| University of Greifswald
In this contribution, I explore the growing role of digital communication for the study of World Englishes and specifically the potential of digital ethnography as a methodological framework. I outline basic principles and traditions of digital ethnography and point out continuities between the importance of traditional, on-the-ground fieldwork for World Englishes, and consequences of more complex and fuzzy notions of the digital field. I give a closer examination of applications of digital ethnography by pointing to three case studies in different global settings. Finally, the chapter concludes with a discussion of the research ethics gap in digital ethnography and initial suggestions for ethical grounding of digital ethnography approaches in World Englishes.
Keywords: digital ethnography, fieldwork, computer-mediated communication, research ethics
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Complicating the field
    • 2.1Space/place concepts in World Englishes
    • 2.2Digital ethnography for World Englishes
  • 3.Case studies: Digital ethnography and World Englishes research
    • 3.1Current trends in digital World Englishes
    • 3.2Case studies: Digital World Englishes studies across the globe
  • 4.Outlook: Bridging the ethics gap
  • References
Published online: 14 April 2023
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/veaw.g68.12hey
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Cited by one other publication

Callies, Marcus
2024. Cultural conceptualisations in Nigerian Pidgin English proverbs. World Englishes DOI logo

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