Archiv für September 2013

Qualitative Methods at the Crossroads: Recent Developments in Interpretive Social Research

Looking at the development of qualitative methods in the long run one can see their successful dissemination across a variety of disciplines. As a consequence of this dissemination, qualitative methods have been institutionalized within the social sciences and beyond. This institutionalization led to an increasing tendency to standardization. Standardization, however, stands in  strong contrast to the original idées diréctrices of qualitative methods which have been based on the interpretive paradigm in the social sciences. This contrast constitutes the crossroads at which qualitative methods are required to focus on the role of interpretation, subjectivity, and methodological creativity which constitute their identity.

URN: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs1303128

Whither Governmentality Research? A Case Study of the Governmentalization of the Entrepreneur in the French Epistemological Tradition

FOUCAULTian governmentality research has turned out a very powerful tool for analyzing social processes and logics involved in recent appreciation of the entrepreneur as the role model for the conduct of states, organizations and private businesses. Ho…

Teachers‘ Comments on Questionnaires—How Quantitative Research Can Learn from Qualitative Research

Teachers quite often are reluctant to engage in filling out questionnaires for research purposes, often citing working load as the reason. However, in an ongoing research project about teachers‘ health („LeguPan—Teachers‘ Health: Prevention at the School“) we are confronted with a large number of questionnaires providing us with comments, annotations and iconografic signs. The research presented here argues that this behavior is a communicative act asking for response from the researchers. With this in mind, all questionnaires were screened for comments, annotations, and iconographic signs. The evaluation of those communicative acts was based on qualitative content analysis. All comments and iconographic signs were assigned to categories: denying item-fit and instrument-fit; limiting the validity of the given answer possibilities; defending and justifying an answer; comprehension questions; non-specific statements on individual mental states. By looking at these communicative acts and by categorizing them we arrived at a number of conclusions about teachers as a target group for research. Further conclusions are drawn with respect to the planning, execution, and evaluation of questionnaire-based projects. The conclusions center on clearer linguistic processing and instructions for questionnaires and strategies for dealing with sensitive topics. Qualitative research can help towards quantitative research methods: Qualitative methods, such as group discussions and interviews, could complement or replace quantitative instruments.

URN: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs130389

Europeanizing Reproduction: Reproductive Technologies in Europe and Scandinavia

NORA – Nordic Journal of Feminist and Gender Research, Volume 21, Issue 3, Page 236-242, September 2013.

Editorial

NORA – Nordic Journal of Feminist and Gender Research, Volume 21, Issue 3, Page 169-171, September 2013.

Tracing Diversity: Circulation and Blockage

NORA – Nordic Journal of Feminist and Gender Research, Volume 21, Issue 3, Page 232-235, September 2013.

News from Nordic Journals

NORA – Nordic Journal of Feminist and Gender Research, Volume 21, Issue 3, Page 243, September 2013.

“This is a Book about Choices”: Gender, Genre and (Auto)Biographical Prison Narratives

NORA – Nordic Journal of Feminist and Gender Research, Volume 21, Issue 3, Page 187-200, September 2013.

Intersectionality, the Production of Difference and Norwegian Transnational Adoptees‘ Identity Work

NORA – Nordic Journal of Feminist and Gender Research, Volume 21, Issue 3, Page 201-217, September 2013.

Gender Categorization of Perfumes: The Difference between Odour Perception and Commercial Classification

NORA – Nordic Journal of Feminist and Gender Research, Volume 21, Issue 3, Page 218-231, September 2013.