建制民族誌「為何」書寫？探索建制民族誌的系譜、方法特質與挑戰

Revisiting Institutional Ethnography: Conceptual Roots/Routes, Methodological Characteristics and Analytical Challenges

本文試圖從經驗研究操作的角度爬梳建制民族誌的特色，並說明建制民族誌的可能限制。首先，從理論系譜的角度切入，揭示建制民族誌在發展系譜上所傳承的內涵，說明它如何傳承及調整馬克思理論傳統、俗民方法學以及傅柯的論述理論。同時從研究對象設定及方法特質，說明建制民族誌這研究取徑的特色。接著本文從經驗研究的實際操作面切入，指出台灣相關經驗研究所透露出的建制民族誌的可能限制。具體指出在反抗議題和文化議題上，現有的建制民族誌研究並未能對此有所回應，藉此說明運用建制民族制所可能面臨的限制與挑戰。

This article sets up to capture the analytical features of institutional ethnography (IE), while illustrating the potential conceptual limitations encountered. First, I begin with the theoretical tracing of IE and its conceptual roots/routes, including how IE works with and against Marxist tradition, ethnomethodology and Foucauldian discourse. Meanwhile, I characterize the methodology of IE by explaining how and what IE is implemented. Next, I culturally contextualize IE and its practices within the Taiwanese context and show the potential methodological challenges encountered. In particular, I argue that the notion of resistance and the concept of culture are under-theocratized in the analytical landscape of IE and needs to be better accommodated. This shows the methodological limitations and challenges while practicing institutional ethnography.