THE ISSUES OF CONTEXT AND CONTEXTUALITY IN ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH

The article presents the consideration about one of the criteria of status of ethnography as a science - the contextuality. The aim of this text is searching for the answer to the question: What is the contextuality for the ethnographic research and what is its function? The authoress analyzes the proposition of terminological definition concerning contextuality and context. They are being considered on two levels: the investigated reality and the research process. The first is identified with a cognitive attitude to the world and with the choice of interpretative paradigm. The second is connected with methodological tradition and the research procedures employed. Contextuality, according to the authoress, can be treated as a category consisting of 'places' of the reality explored by the researcher in the circumstances accompanying the ethnography creating process. This procedure enables the perception of phenomena together with their anchoring in the socio-cultural world. The role of contextuality can be defined as determining the direction of interpretation. Through its multicomplexity and rotation it also reflects the character of the interpretative paradigm. It, too, seems to be an expression of dynamics of the research process in ethnography and its moderator and at the same time, the source of researcher's disturbance stimulated by the necessity of to make constant choices on different stages of the research process. Additionally, it forces the researcher to assume a certain attitude connected with reflexivity, flexibility, adaptation to change, ability to make a quick decision. It also creates the feeling of chaos, disorganization, uncertainty and, undoubtedly, experiencing the adventure of discovery and research.