Rapid ethnographies are used in a wide range of fields to speed up research quickly and effectively. This book is the first practical guide to rapid ethnographies, helping readers to improve skills in the design, implementation, dissemination and use of findings generated through rapid ethnographic research. It gives advice and guidelines for carrying out rapid and rigorous research and provides details of tools used in the field. Vignettes reflecting on the author's research are included throughout, including observations on research carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic, to highlight how challenges of conducting rapid ethnographies can be overcome. Case studies across a range of subjects are also included, to demonstrate how rapid ethnographies can be applied in practice. With its useful tools and easy-to-read format, it will be used by teachers and students, as well as researchers wanting to successfully implement rapid ethnographies in their own work.

Cecilia Vindrola-Padros is a medical anthropologist who co-directs the Rapid Research Evaluation and Appraisal Lab (RREAL) at University College London, UK. She works across various interdisciplinary teams, using rapid ethnographies, rapid appraisals and rapid evaluations to study and improve healthcare delivery in the UK and abroad.