In sidewalk, the sociologist mitch duneier spent a great deal of time interviewing and hanging out with street vendors in new york city. he was especially interested in how power associated with race and class was produced and reproduced in this setting. what sort of sociology was duneier doing?

In his work "Sidewalk," sociologist Mitch Duneier was conducting ethnography, which is a qualitative research method. Ethnography involves immersive observation and detailed interviews within a particular community or setting. By spending significant time with street vendors in New York City, Duneier was practicing participant observation, where the researcher becomes part of the community being studied to better understand their practices, behaviors, and interactions from an insider perspective.

Duneier's focus on how power dynamics associated with race and class are produced and reproduced among street vendors is a hallmark of interpretive sociology, which seeks to understand the meanings individuals ascribe to their actions and social roles. In particular, he was examining how these vendors navigate and negotiate their social positions in the informal economy of the streets, how their identity factors into their livelihood, and how social structures influence their everyday lives.

Extra: Ethnography is a key methodology in sociology and anthropology. Researchers like Duneier use ethnographic methods to collect rich, detailed data that allows them to see the world from the perspective of their subjects. This often involves not only watching and interviewing but also participating in the day-to-day activities of those being studied. It is a method well-suited to understanding complex social phenomena, such as social inequalities, because it allows for in-depth study of how these phenomena are experienced on the ground.

The insights gained from ethnographic research can help explain larger social patterns and structures. By looking at the specific context of street vendors in New York City, Duneier could explore broader issues of race, class, and the informal economy. This may include examining how social hierarchies and power imbalances affect individual and group interactions, the strategies people use to navigate systemic inequalities, and the ways in which marginalized communities build their own social networks and support systems.