ETHNOMETODOLOGICAL APPROACH: THE CASE OF DEGRADATION PRACTISES

In the first part, besides a basic characterisation of the ethnomethodological approach, this paper deals with four premises concerning peculiarity of ethnomethodology. First, it entails a different object and method of research. By asking the question 'why', researchers investigate the 'practices' or 'labour' involved in producing orderly and coherent social interaction. Second, it focuses on ordinary language / speech, derived from the combined influence of the Wittgenstein and Bar-Hillel phenomenology. The third premise in the article is that 'action' and 'account' are identical. Fourthly, member's common-sense practices and knowledge is examined. The second part of the paper considers various kinds of research, mainly 'ethnographic ethnomethodology'. As an example, one of the 'degradation rituals' from Garfinkel is provided. It is suggested that Garfinkel's concept of degradation ceremonies could be elaborated upon by some Jayyussi's ideas about member's moral categorisation.