Ethnography and the senses: challenges and possibilities

Abstract

Three personalised vignettes are offered to illustrate the senses in action within different sports‐related contexts. Questions are then raised regarding the historical elevation of sight over the other senses in ethnography and the impact this has had on how we understand the social world. The case is made for a more balanced consideration with regard to embodiment that includes the senses of sound, smell, touch and taste. How these senses are engaged in sport and exercise sciences is then focused on in detail. Finally, the implications of producing multi‐sensory ethnographies are considered and the problem of representing the senses is discussed.