Innovative Research on Ethnographic Methods in Cross-Border Ethnic Social Work Practice: A Case Study of Social Work Stations in Yunnan Border Areas_Vol. 2 No. 1 (JMSD 2025)_Journal of Management and Social Development (ISSN: 3005-5741)

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Innovative Research on Ethnographic Methods in Cross-Border Ethnic Social Work Practice: A Case Study of Social Work Stations in Yunnan Border Areas

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.62517/jmsd.202512123

Author(s)

Kailiang Yang

Affiliation(s)

School of Sociology, Yunnan Minzu University, Kunming, Yunnan, China

Abstract

With the acceleration of globalization and the advancement of modernization in ethnic region governance, cross-border ethnic social work practice has increasingly become a crucial domain in social governance. This study focuses on methodological innovation in cross-border ethnic social work practice, utilizing the Yunnan border areas as the research field to explore the applicability and innovative application of ethnographic methods in transnational social work. By analyzing challenges including cultural differences and social structural complexity in cross-border ethnic social work, the research proposes a culturally sensitive framework for social work practice and develops the "dual cultural broker" role theory, emphasizing the dual identity and mediating function of social workers in cross-cultural contexts. Additionally, the study creates a cultural competence assessment tool for cross-border social work, providing operational guidelines to enhance practitioners' cultural sensitivity and intercultural communication capabilities. Findings demonstrate that innovative application of ethnographic methods can effectively mitigate cultural misinterpretation and conflict in cross-border social services, offering new practical pathways for improving governance effectiveness in border regions.

Keywords

Cross-Border Ethnic Social Work; Ethnographic Methods; Dual Cultural Broker; Cultural Competence Assessment Tool; Yunnan Border Areas

References

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