Hybrid ethnography: rethinking presence, power, and solidarity in contemporary ethnographic research

This article examines how the disruptions of COVID-19 reshaped the methodological trajectory of my doctoral fieldwork among contemporary oríkì performers in Southwest Nigeria. Confronted with travel restrictions and the ethical dilemmas of remote research, I turned to hybrid ethnography as a framework that integrates online and offline engagement in mutually reinforcing ways. Drawing on extended interviews, ‘step-in-step-out’ participant observation, and sustained interaction across social media platforms, I show how hybrid ethnography enabled the research to remain grounded in relational presence and an ethic of solidarity while navigating uneven technological access and shifting field conditions. Rather than treating digitality as a substitute for in-person immersion, I argue that hybrid ethnography offers a flexible, ethically responsive mode of field practice that reflects the interwoven realities of contemporary life. The article contributes to debates on presence, power, and methodological adaptability in a world increasingly shaped by digital mediation and unpredictable forms of disruption.