The ethnographic turn in regenerative studies: co-creation as a collaborative learning process

What the paper says

Purpose This study aims to establish that (1) an ethnographic turn in researching regenerative practices and processes is underway and (2) in engaging with regenerative practices and processes, ethnography itself is undergoing a regenerative turn. Design/methodology/approach To demonstrate how the paradigm shift toward regenerative practices across fields may translate into an equally regenerative approach in ethnographic research, this article discusses and critically reflects upon the authors' co-created ethnographic case study featuring nascent regenerative practices in a hospitality business, situated in Tasmania. Findings As regenerative thinking is intensifying across economic sectors and industries, researching regenerative practices and processes requires a methodology sensitive to local wisdoms. Resonating with this imperative is the ethnographic turn across disciplines. Ethnographic fieldwork, designed to capture stories, in particular stories of place, addresses the relational, collaborative, co-creational and place-specific dimensions of living systems. Engaging in ongoing dialogue and practicing co-creation of knowledge, ethnography itself is undergoing a regenerative turn. Pushing for transformational change by way of a coevolutionary learning process, ethnography has come to contribute to regenerative practices and processes both in academia and beyond. Originality/value At an empirical level, this narrow but deep study contributes to the emerging body of knowledge of regenerative initiatives in agricultural regions, in particular from the perspective of local stakeholders, such as small business owners and entrepreneurs, their employees and patrons. On a methodological level, this study reflects on ways in which regenerative thinking accomplishes a paradigm shift in conventional ways of conducting ethnographic fieldwork.