This paper explores the methods and significance of multimodalizing ethnography, drawing on my own attempts, as presented in my book published in 2023. It begins by reviewing trends in visual anthropology that provide a background for multimodalizing ethnography. The discussion then argues that the initiatives undertaken in my book transcend merely increasing the modalities of expression. Instead, they seek to explore how ethnography can be presented in ways that uphold the visual anthropological assertion of film and photography as autonomous forms of knowledge. The paper further elucidates how affect theory, as discussed in academic texts, is closely linked to the methods employed for multimodalizing ethnography. Following this, I detail the specific efforts undertaken in my book, namely, the inclusion of photographs and essays, as well as the creation of a website, clarifying the intentions underlying these endeavors and the strategies employed to ensure that these modalities function autonomously from academic texts. Additionally, I highlight the challenges and limitations encountered during the production process. In the conclusion section, I discuss the potential impacts of multimodalizing ethnography, arguing that such approaches enable ethnography to engage readers not only through academic texts but also via diverse modalities. This engagement allows ethnography to transcend its individual components, forming a gestalt with holistic and organic qualities that cannot be reduced to its constituent parts. Finally, I conclude by considering the possibilities of multimodalizing ethnography within the context of “shared anthropology,” a concept proposed by Jean Rouch, which emphasizes collaboration and shared experiences between researchers and the people they study.
Ran Muratsu (Fri,) studied this question.