Along for the Ride: A Rural Ethnographic Approach to Studying Crime

• In Event: Importance of place for ethnographic research

Abstract

This paper highlights the importance of the ride-along component of field visits for understanding geographical context of rural places in ethnographic research. Interviews and field visits were conducted with 39 individuals across Oklahoma and a nearby state between 2017 and 2019. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews, field visits, ride-alongs, observations, and photographs. While interviews that occurred in an office setting provided valid information and answers to scripted questions, the discussions that took place during ride-alongs provided answers to questions that went far beyond the scripted interview. Ride-alongs with law enforcement proved to be essential for obtaining some of the richest ethnographic data gathered.

Authors

• Rashi Shukla, University of Central Oklahoma

• Melissa Inglis, East Central University