The integration of ethnoscience and technology: A review

• Main Authors: Norazmie Yusof, Lalu Nurul Yaqin, Pg Mohd Rahiman Pg Aliudin, Saidatul Nornis Mahali
• Format: Article
• Language: English; English
• Published: International Journal of Ethnoscience and Technology in Education 2024
• Subjects: GN301-674 Ethnology. Social and cultural anthropology; GN397-397.7 Applied anthropology
• Online Access: https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/41528/1/ABSTRACT.pdf; https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/41528/2/FULL%20TEXT.pdf; https://eprints.ums.edu.my/id/eprint/41528/; https://doi.org/10.33394/ijete.v1i2.11334
• Institution: Universiti Malaysia Sabah

This literature review critically examines the integration of ethnoscience and technology, highlighting this amalgamation's transformative impact on the social sciences field. Ethnoscience, with its focus on understanding the diverse ways human communities perceive and interact with their world, and ethnography, a methodology for the immersive study of cultures and social interactions, provide a robust framework for exploring human cognition, behavior, and societal constructs. The review delves into the key principles of ethnoscience, emphasizing the development and significance of ethnography in anthropological research and the methodological flexibility required to address contemporary challenges. This study further explores integrating technological innovations such as wearables, digital traces, and information and communication technology (ICT) into ethnographic studies, underscoring the opportunities and challenges presented by the digital era. The paper argues that incorporating technology expands the methodological toolkit available to researchers and enhances the depth and breadth of ethnographic insights into socio-economic, policy, and environmental factors influencing technology adoption across various sectors. Despite the methodological, socioeconomic, and infrastructural hurdles, the integration offers unprecedented opportunities for understanding complex social phenomena, contributing significantly to policy-making, community development, and technological innovation. This review underscores the necessity of evolving ethnographic practices to keep pace with technological advancements, fostering a deeper and more nuanced understanding of the intricacies of human life in the digital age.