Purpose

This study aims to critically expose and explore “taking sides” in the context of a covert ethnography of bouncers in the night-time economy of Manchester, UK.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology adopted is covert ethnography. The author reflects on the application and use of situated deception within an embedded and insider ethnography of bouncers, alongside other relevant covert ethnographies. Fieldwork vignettes are drawn upon to articulate the management of situated ethics and moral dilemmas.

Findings

The findings argue that bouncers are a deeply maligned occupational group, who perform a valuable regulatory role in the night-time economy. Moreover, a covert role ethnographic presents an interesting liminal stance of being on both sides, rather than a reductionist choosing of a single sides. Theoretically, phenomenological bracketing and ethnomethodological indifference are used to justify the position taken in the paper.

Research limitations/implications

Covert research has limitations around fieldwork time consumption, instigation tactics and “going native” distortion, alongside common fears of ethical belligerence and cavalier morals.

Practical implications

The lessons learnt, particularly for early career researchers, are about pursuing creative ethnographic methods.

Social implications

Occupationally, bouncers should be less demonized and more accessible to more women. This rather hyper-masculine domain should be disrupted and democratized.

Originality/value

The field is relatively niche, with a purist covert ethnographic approach being an innovative way to unpack it.

中文翻译：

---

“双方：在夜间经济中秘密的人种志和游击队的游击党制”

目的

这项研究的目的是在英国曼彻斯特夜间经济隐蔽的弹跳人种学背景下，批判性地揭示和探索“当事方”。

设计/方法/方法

所采用的方法是秘密人种志。作者回顾了在欺骗者的嵌入和内部人种志中以及其他相关隐蔽人种志中的情境欺骗的应用和使用。野外工作的小插曲被用来表达对情境伦理和道德困境的管理。

发现

调查结果表明，保镖是一个极为残酷的职业群体，他们在夜间经济中起着重要的调节作用。此外，人种学的隐秘角色提出了一种有趣的立场，即站在两边，而不是简化主义者选择单边。从理论上讲，现象学的包围和民族方法的冷漠被用来证明本文所采取的立场是正确的。

研究局限/意义

隐蔽的研究在田野工作的时间消耗，鼓动策略和“本土化”扭曲以及对道德交战和骑兵道德的普遍恐惧方面存在局限性。

实际影响

所汲取的教训，尤其是对于早期职业研究人员而言，是关于追求创造性民族志方法的。

社会影响

从职业上讲，保镖应减少妖魔化，更多妇女应更容易获得。这个相当男性化的领域应该被破坏和民主化。

创意/价值

这个领域是相对利基的，纯粹的隐秘人种学方法是一种解开它的创新方式。