Affordances and limitations of autoethnography in Applied Linguistics

Abstract

This chapter explores the affordances and limitations of autoethnography as a research method in Applied Linguistics (AL) and assesses if current literature within the fields of ELT/TESOL and of academic literacies enhances or questions autoethnography as a research method. It first reviews the main approaches to autoethnography and then moves on to consider the ways autoethnographic-oriented studies from major AL publications meet the goals of these approaches. At this stage, the contribution of autoethnography to current AL research is examined through close analysis of 40 studies published in relevant journals and books. In particular, this chapter explores the affordances and limitations of autoethnography as a research method that are revealed in these studies. Lastly, the ethical dilemmas faced by autoethnographers in the studies under review when conducting their research and writing their narratives are also addressed.