Biographical research uses individual life histories as material for answering social science questions. This course will teach and train participants in doing biographical research, from conducting a biographical interview, analyzing it, and making sense of it using sociological theories.
FSS - Doing Biographical Research
Prof. Kathy Davis (k.e.davis@vu.nl)
Course Description
Course objectives
This course will teach and train participants in doing biographical research.
Course content
Biographical research uses individual life histories as material for answering social science questions. There are many different sources of biographies (life stories, accounts of personal experiences, oral histories, (auto)biographies, diaries) as well as different perspectives (realist, constructivist, psychoanalytic) and methods for analyzing them. Drawing upon texts on biographical analysis, we will discuss what is at stake in doing biographical research, when and where it makes sense to do it, and how to do it. We will take a closer look at some (good) examples of sociologists who have used biographical analysis as research method. Through in-class assignments participants we will work with the (examples) of data from biographical interviews conducted by the participants themselves in order to put the theory into practice. The course will conclude with a session in which the participants present to each other how they have incorporated the knowledge obtained in the course in their research.
Study Characteristics
- Discipline: Qualitative Methods
- Type of education: In class
- Language: English
- ECTS: 3-4
- Academic skill: Research
- Graduate School: Graduate School of Social Sciences
- Start date: 19 March 2024
- End date: 30 April 2024
- Minimum number of students: 5
- Maximum number of students: 15
- Admission criteria: The course is appropriate for all PhD candidates working with qualitative data that has a biographical component. This includes life stories, accounts of personal experiences, oral histories, (auto)biographies, and diaries. The course is therefore also of relevance for PhD candidates that work with interview data.
- Concluding assessment: Yes
- Assessment type: Participants will write a short essay based on the work they have done in class and do an oral presentation in the final session.
- With Certificate: Yes
- Roster/schedule info:
7-8 sessions
Tuesdays, 09.30-12.30
19 March
26 March
2 April
9 April
16 April
23 April
26 April
(30 April)
- Registration deadline: 20 February 2024
- Available to: PhD students VU and AISSR. Fee for non VU-GSSS/AISSR PhD candidates: € 600,- (You will be placed on a waiting list until the registration deadline)
-
Course Description & Study Characteristics
Course Description
Course objectives
This course will teach and train participants in doing biographical research.
Course content
Biographical research uses individual life histories as material for answering social science questions. There are many different sources of biographies (life stories, accounts of personal experiences, oral histories, (auto)biographies, diaries) as well as different perspectives (realist, constructivist, psychoanalytic) and methods for analyzing them. Drawing upon texts on biographical analysis, we will discuss what is at stake in doing biographical research, when and where it makes sense to do it, and how to do it. We will take a closer look at some (good) examples of sociologists who have used biographical analysis as research method. Through in-class assignments participants we will work with the (examples) of data from biographical interviews conducted by the participants themselves in order to put the theory into practice. The course will conclude with a session in which the participants present to each other how they have incorporated the knowledge obtained in the course in their research.
Study Characteristics
- Discipline: Qualitative Methods
- Type of education: In class
- Language: English
- ECTS: 3-4
- Academic skill: Research
- Graduate School: Graduate School of Social Sciences
- Start date: 19 March 2024
- End date: 30 April 2024
- Minimum number of students: 5
- Maximum number of students: 15
- Admission criteria: The course is appropriate for all PhD candidates working with qualitative data that has a biographical component. This includes life stories, accounts of personal experiences, oral histories, (auto)biographies, and diaries. The course is therefore also of relevance for PhD candidates that work with interview data.
- Concluding assessment: Yes
- Assessment type: Participants will write a short essay based on the work they have done in class and do an oral presentation in the final session.
- With Certificate: Yes
- Roster/schedule info:
7-8 sessions
Tuesdays, 09.30-12.30
19 March
26 March
2 April
9 April
16 April
23 April
26 April
(30 April)
- Registration deadline: 20 February 2024
- Available to: PhD students VU and AISSR. Fee for non VU-GSSS/AISSR PhD candidates: € 600,- (You will be placed on a waiting list until the registration deadline)