methods as critical junctures research logics for interpretive qualitative inquiry annette markham...
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Methods as Critical Junctures
Research Logics
For Interpretive Qualitative Inquiry
Annette Markham
Aarhus University
May 9, 2011
The Saturated Self
Homo NarransInterpretive Sociology
Distributed IdentityEthnography
Individualized RealitiesSymbolic Interactionism
Organizational Studies
Fabrication as Ethical Practice
Annette’s Remix
Erving Goffman
Karl Weick
Michel Foucault
Howard Becker, Norm Denzin
Kenneth Gergen
“we have to decide fairly soon what it is we as humans ought to become, because we’re on the brink of having the power of creating any experience we desire” (Rheingold, 1991)
“ It will deeply change politics, culture, and the fabric of society—if not, indeed, the very metaphysics of human existence” (Wright, 1994)
“Virtuality through computer mediated communication announces the end of the body, the apocalypse of corporeal subjectivity” (Keeps, 1995)
Early 1990s
“Who should I accept as a friend? Everyone I know or just people I like?” (U.S. teen talking about Facebook)
“What role does social media play in protest movements, like Egypt or Wisconsin?” (everyone)
Should I be angry or try to sue people for spreading my photography all over the internet or just be glad I was noticed? (Noam Galai)
“How can musicians engage their fans through social media?” (Nancy Baym)
2011
Ubiquitous Internet
Increased convergence
Always On, Always Connected
Extensive networks of personal connection
Multiple interfaces for experiencing information
Culture21.c
Are methods of sensemaking adequate?
Are our methods still protecting participants?
Why is there (still) a persistent cry for accuracy and truth?
Are we afraid to take risks in methods?
Questions I’ve been asking
Borrow
Interrogate
Move
Play
Generate
Remix or Bricolage
Method is never monolithic. Or static.
Quality is about reflexivity, not universality.
Methods are ethical and political choices. …With consequence.
My Method Mantra
Phenomenon
questions
actions
exploration
collecting
managing
categorizing
interpreting
writing
The Answer
TEXTS…or objects that function as texts, in that they can be “read.”
Phenomenon
questions
actions
exploration
collecting
managing
categorizing
interpreting
writing
The Answer
Phenomenon
Filtered
Through one’s
Situated worldview
whereby meaning is
Framed
Edited, Refined
and
(re) presented
An Impression
Methods = Choices
Hopefully, more like decisions than habits.
methodmethod
method
method
method
method
method
method method
method
decisiondecision
decision
decision
decision
decision
decision
decision decision
decision
actionaction
action
action
action
action
action
action action
action
?
??
Critical Junctures / Decision Points
Decision Points Critical
Junctures
Generating Questions
Determining field boundaries
Accessing Participants
Sorting and filtering ‘data’
Collecting Information
Analyzing ‘texts’
Representing self and other in report
Identifying objects of analysis
Sorting into general themes
Discarding information
Interpreting findings
Framing Knowledge for the audience
.
Object of inquiry
What
Why
How
Where
When
Who
Object of Inquiry
Object of inquiry
What is the phenomenon? What are we choosing as the point of analysis?
Why do it? Whose interests does this study serve? What is our goal?
How are we conceptualizing? How are we approaching?
Where are we located and why does that matter? Where is the study situated?
When are we doing research?
Who are the agents/actants, beyond the obvious? Who are we?
Object of Inquiry
Object of inquiryObject of Analysis?
Semiotics
Symbolic interactionism
Social Constructionism
Performance Theory
Organizational sensemaking
Communication as Ritual
Rhetorical Theory
Actor Network
Where are we coming
from?
Structuration
Grounded TheoryEtc., etc.
Object of inquiryObject of Analysis?
Follow the People
Follow the Plot, Story, or Allegory
Follow the Life or Biography
Follow the Thing
Follow the metaphor
Follow the opposites
Where are we going?
Follow the movement
Follow the intersections
Follow the between
Follow the Conflict
Follow the …etc., etc.
Object of inquiry
Object of Analysis?
MIC
RO
What are we
analyzing?
Naturally occurring discourse
Contrived Discourse(interviews, focus groups)
Actions or evidence of actions. Performances.
Traces of self
Cultural/Social OutcomesStructures,
Meaning, Norms, Institutions
Objects, Technologies
Absence. Silence. Deletions.
MAC
RO
Object of inquiry
Object of Analysis?
Discourse analysis
ConversationAnalysis
Linguistic Analysis
Narrative Analysis
Metaphor Analysis
Visual Analysis
What analytical tools?
Etc., etc.
To DescribeTo UnderstandTo ExplainTo PredictTo ControlTo Critique
To PublishTo Prove YourselfTo get FundingTo get Tenure or Promotion
To provide therapy for cultural members
Social Justice
To create sustainable futures
To fix a problem
Object of inquiry
Object of Analysis?
Why?