Based both on historical work and on ethnographic fieldwork in Brazil, this paper reflects on the tension between the involvement in personal relationships and the production of a knowledge recognized as valid.
Paper long abstract
In Brazil, experienced ethnographers, when studying land reform often use survey methods, which give more weight to their findings in a politically sensitive field. How can we sustain claims as to the validity of ethnographic knowlege, which is acquired through personal relationships? Using both personal experience in Northeast Brazil and a study of British anthropologists in the 1930's, I will try to reflect upon the distinctive contribution of ethnography and the ways it can gain recognition.