Comparative Biographical Research
Date: 24th - 25th November 2005
Venue: Institute of Education, University of London
This workshop aims to discuss the use of biographical methods in comparative and cross-national research. Biographical methods are increasingly popular in the context of rapidly changing societies and the negotiation of changing life courses. They provide a holistic focus upon individuals and the contexts they inhabit, bridging the different contexts of their lives in time and space and integrating the ways in which people act upon their lives and interpret their experiences. The method is highly sensitive to structural and institutional contexts and to historical change and typically involves using contextual material of different kinds. Key issues in comparative analysis to be discussed include: the selection and matching of cases; identifying the most relevant contextual factors for analysis; ensuring comparability of data; enabling the building of theory. The method enriches both the knowledge base and lays foundations for research using other approaches. The Workshop will involve presentations from biographical researchers from a number of European countries and the use of biographical methods in cross-national studies.
Speakers
| Ann Nilsen | University of Bergen, Norway |
| Catherine Delcroix | University of Versailles-St-Quentin, France |
| Janet Holland | South Bank University |
| Prue Chamberlyne | Open University |
| Rachel Thomson | Open University |
Course Outline (Programme)
Thursday 24th November
| 10:30 - 11:00am | Coffee |
| 11:00 - 11:30am |
Julia Brannen (Institute of Education) |
| 11:30 - 12:15pm |
Ann Nilsen (University of Bergen) |
| 12:15 - 1:00pm | Discussion |
| 1:00 - 2:00pm | Lunch |
| 2:00 - 2:45pm | European Comparative Ways of Using Family Histories Catherine Delcroix (University of Versailles-St-Quentin) |
| 2:45 - 3:30pm | Discussion |
| 3:30 - 3:45pm | Tea |
| 3:45 - 4:30pm |
Janet Holland (South Bank University) |
| 4:30 - 5:15pm | Discussion |
Friday 25th November
| 9:30 - 10:15am | Comparative analysis of cases using the biographic-narrative interpretative method Prue Chamberlyne (Open University) |
| 10:15 - 11:00am | Case analysis discussion in small groups |
| 11:00 - 12:30pm | Presentation and discussion of case analysis |
| 12:30 - 1:30pm | Lunch |
| 1:30 - 2:45pm | Cross-national comparative research with biographical methods: Problems and solutions Maria Kontos |
| 2:45 - 3:30pm | Discussion |
| 3:30 - 4:00pm | Using biographical methods in comparative/cross- national research Rachel Thomson (Open University) |
| 4:00 - 4:30pm | Closing discussion |
Location
The workshop will be held at:
Institute of Education
University of London
London
Contact
Michelle Cage
Thomas Coram Research Unit
Institute of Education
University of London
27/28 Woburn Square
London WC1H 0AA
Tel: +44(0)20 7612 6962
Fax: +44(0)20 7612 6927
Email: m.cage@ioe.ac.uk