Analysing qualitative data: how do we keep the vibrancy of data in our analysis and writing?
Speaker(s):
Bio: Sophie Woodward carries out research into materiality, fashion, consumption, feminist theory and everyday life. She is the author of five books, including recently Material Methods (2019), and Birth and Death (2019 with Kath Woodward). With an ongoing interest in creative methods and material methods she is currently carrying out research into Dormant Things ? things in the home people keep but are no longer using, which she is currently developing into publications into the hidden spaces and materialities of the home.
Abstract:
This session focuses upon the analysis of qualitative data. Being mindful of critiques of data analysis and sociological writing that renders social worlds and experiences as 'dead' (see Back and Puwar, 2012), this session explores how we can maintain the vibrancy of qualitative research (including interviews) throughout our analysis and writing. Qualitative interviews often offer nuanced accounts of people's everyday experiences and yet current work on how we analyse data often fails to address this question of the vibrancy of social worlds. By taking the example of my own research into dormant things, that seeks to understand the vibrancy of everyday objects, as well as the role these objects have in our lives, I outline ways to reinvigorate our data, as well as how to attune ourselves to the vibrancy of data.