Ethnography and autoethnography in researching a Masters swimming community

This chapter outlines the use of both ethnographic and autoethnographic approaches, specifically in terms of researching ‘difference’, and focuses upon their use in the study of a masters’ swimming community within the United Kingdom (masters being defined as those at least twenty-five years of age, although generally older). The chapter outlines the key characteristics of each approach, how such approaches may be used together, and illustrates their use with reference to an ethnographic study carried out with a period of immersion lasting two years with a group of thirteen competitive masters swimmers. As well as illustrating the richness of data that can be created through such an approach, a number of key issues and potential hurdles to successfully undertaking such a research design are outlined. A key aspect highlighted is that of the role of the researcher, and the need to acknowledge such a role within data collection, specifically in terms of power relationships between the researcher and those being researched.