KWALON - Volume 26, Issue 1, 2021

Abstract Studying societal trends through analyzing media contentfn1 Digital media, social media and public media reflect many aspects of our everyday life and of social and cultural developments in our societies. However, one finds relatively few studies based on media data to describe and analyze these developments. This paper is an appeal and helping hand for those who hesitate and wonder how to design and condu Read More

Abstract Visuals in qualitative social science research The visual is omnipresent in daily life. Though research is still mainly verbal by nature, visual studies and visual methods have become part of academic social research. This contribution intends to introduce visual methods to students and researchers who are not familiar with the possibilities. First, the reasons why researchers work with visuals are described. Next, followin Read More

Abstract Navigating the research and researchers’ field: Reflections on positionality in (assumed) insider research To challenge rigid ideas about objectivity in social science research, qualitative researchers question their own subjectivity in the research process. In such endeavors, the focus is mainly on the positionality of the researcher vis-à-vis their respondents in the research field. In this contribution, I argue that the positio Read More

Abstract Studying the life courses of older people: The McAdams life-story interview Research among older people often focuses on the present. Nevertheless, life course research can help to understand how certain behavior and feelings take shape and evolve throughout the course of life, and how life events at a younger age can influence conditions, behaviors and feelings in later life. In this article, we focus on the McAda Read More