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Celebrating Classic Sociology:Pioneers of Contemporary British Qualitative
Research
A two day symposium organised by
The ESRC Qualitative Data Archival Resource Centre (Qualidata) and
Department of Sociology,
at
Colchester and University of Essex
on
Thursday 5th - Friday 6th July 2001
Introduction
For British sociological research the decades since 1950 have witnessed an
unprecedented flowering: in the growth of its influence, in the spread of
its themes, and in the development of its methods, both quantitative and
qualitative. From the 1960s into the 1970s sociology was not only an
exceptionally popular subject with students, but was also give more national
research resources than at any time before or since, enabling social
researchers to carry out studies - such as Peter Townsend's in-depth
national survey of institutional homes for the aged, The Last Refuge - of a
thoroughness which is unlikely ever to be equalled.
This great wave of research activity has left us with a triple heritage. The
first is the development of crucial ideas - such as the role of the extended
family in the cities, or the `moral panic' - which remain part of the
mainstream of current sociological thinking. The second is the uneven
residue of the original research data, which it has been Qualidata's
challenge to rescue, so that much of it is now permanently archived as a
resource for social researchers in the future. The third is the survivors of
that pioneering generation of researchers themselves: for despite some major
losses, most of them are still with us, and a good many of them still
actively researching.
In the summer of 2001 Qualidata will be in its seventh year of work, and our
rescue mission for the data from classic early sociological studies is
almost completed. We have confirmed some grave losses, including all the
data from Young and Willmott's researches on family and kinship in East
London, all of the uniquely sustained research of John and Elizabeth Newson
on childrearing, and all of the Banbury studies. But more positively, we
have rescued the surviving data from many other researchers, including
outstandingly well-known single projects such as The Affluent Worker and
Mods and Rockers, and the entire life's work of pioneering researchers such
as George Brown and Peter Townsend.
We see this 2 day conference as a unique moment, in which we shall be able
both to celebrate the saving of a crucial part of the heritage of British
sociology for future generations, and at the same time to enable younger
researchers interested in that research data to come together with the
pioneers who generated the research, and to reflect both upon that past
achievement and upon the relevance of classic British sociology for
understanding the social issues of the 21st century. Essex is the natural
place to base this, as so many of those participating have at some time
worked here or had close connections with the University.
We have around 25 prominent speakers and discussion group leaders and
anticipate 90 participants to attend.
See Web site: http://www.essex.ac.uk/qualidata/workshop/classicsocintro.htm
for further details of the programme and how to book
Louise Corti
Director, User Services, Data Archive
& Deputy Director, Qualidata
University of Essex
Colchester CO4 3SQ
UK
Tel: + 44 1206 872145
email: [log in to unmask]
DATA ARCHIVE: http://www.data-archive.ac.uk/
QUALIDATA: http://www.essex.ac.uk/qualidata/
PLEASE NOTE: From 15 Jan - 30 September 2001 I will be contracted on a
part-time basis for Qualidata.
For enquiries about ESRC applications and data submission, please contact
Gill BACKHOUSE [log in to unmask]
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