Description
Researching Life Stories critically and pragmatically reflects upon the use of life stories in social and educational research. Using four life stories as examples, the authors apply four different, practical approaches to demonstrate effective research and analysis.
As well as examining in detail the four life stories around which the book is written, areas covered include:
* Method and methodology in life story research
* Analysis
* Reflections on analyses
* Craft and ethics in researching life
* Policy, practice and theory in life story research.
Throughout the book the authors demystify the issues surrounding life story research and demonstrate the significance of this approach to understanding individual and social worlds.
This unique approach to life story research will be a valuable resource for all social science and education researchers at undergraduate and postgraduate level.
Table of Contents
Part 1: Four Life Stories: 1. Gerry O' Toole: A Design for Life 2. ' I'd never met a vegetarian, never mind a lesbian': Colleen's story 3. Research and Narrative and the Death Story of David Hope 4. 'Frank' Part 2: Doing Life Story Research 5. Approaching: Methodology in Life Story Research 6. Doing: Method in Life Story Research 7. Informing: Epistemology in Life Story Research Part 3: Making Sense of Life Stories 8. Frameworks: Analysis in Life Story Research 9. Findings: Four Analyses of Life Stories 10. Reflexivity: Reflections on Analyses Part 4: The Age of Biography: Personal and Political Considerations 11. Teaching: Craft and Ethics in Researching Life 12. A/Effecting: Audience and Effects in Researching Life Stories 13. Applying: Policy, Practice and Theory in Life Story Research
