Crafting Ethnographic Relationships During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany Using Voice-Based Technologies

Area of Science:

• Sociology
• Anthropology
• Communication Studies

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic presented unique challenges for ethnographic research, particularly concerning physical proximity and data collection.
• Voice-based technologies, including smartphones, basic mobile phones, and landline telephones, became increasingly central to daily life and communication.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the utility of voice-based technologies in conducting ethnographic research during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To analyze how these technologies facilitated data collection and the establishment of participant relationships.
• To examine the role of sound and voice in ethnographic engagement amidst physical distancing.

Main Methods:

• A two-year ethnography of care practices in Germany.
• Utilizing voice-based technologies (smartphones, basic mobile phones, landline telephones) for data collection and participant interaction.
• Adapting theories on the performativity of technology to understand its integration into research practices.

Main Results:

• Voice-based technologies enabled researchers to "move with" participants, adapting to their routines and environments.
• Social expectations surrounding phone use eased data collection processes.
• The use of voice technologies shifted research focus to the qualitative aspects of sound and listening.
• These technologies facilitated integration into participants' lives while maintaining necessary physical distance.

Conclusions:

• Voice-based technologies offer significant affordances for ethnographic research, particularly in challenging contexts like a pandemic.
• The performativity of these technologies allowed for deep engagement with participants' everyday lives, balancing connection and distance.
• Researchers can leverage voice technologies to collect rich ethnographic data and build rapport, even when physical presence is limited.