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Tom brings up some interesting points that I think are open for discussion. I would like to keep the newsgroup just that, a forum for discussion because most of us are moving into 'unknown' territory by thinking about uses of the performative in our work. The ethics of such work ideally will develop out of trial and error, reaching consensus, modifying existing protocols, etc. and coming up with something that is workable for both the researcher and researched as well as any potential audiences. I find that most qualitative researchers, left to their own devices, are both sensitive to the needs and rights of others and curious for understanding of other human beings. Is this not a starting point for ethical deliberations in our work? It is when we start thinking about Ethics Committees and such, that we freeze up and stop using our natural sensitivities as human beings. The word 'performative' is, in my mind, used in its widest sense. When we present at conferences and workshops, we perform. When we hold trainings we > perform. Even when we write for journals and books, we are utilising performative techniques if we expect to engage the reader. (My personal interest in the performative grew out of my own desire not be bored/or bore at conferences!) On a personal note and the 'performative', one of the magical moments of my nine days of training spread over three months with you and Prue (Biographic Narrative Interpretive Method) was the moment deep into some discussion when you began reciting poetry to each other across the classroom (I believe it was from Tristan and Isolda, if memory serves). What a performative and informative moment! Cheers, Kip -----Original Message----- > From: Tom Wengraf (Tom3) [mailto:[log in to unmask]] > Sent: Tue 11/8/2005 9:21 AM > To: [log in to unmask] > Cc: Biographic-Narrative-BNIM; Narrative-health-research > Subject: 'Performance' in social science - Tom Wengraf self-introduction > > My interests are in sociology and history and my focus is on developing > social research methodology in a way which attends to both psycho-dynamics > and societal-dynamics at the same time. With others, I'm developing the > concept of a multiple 'psycho-societal' methodology. My personal > specialisation is in biographic-narrative interviewing as one component of > such a method. > > I'm quite ambivalent about 'performance' but very committed to finding ways > in which the insights developed through group and individual interpretation > work can be conveyed to quite different 'stakeholders'. The processes of > 'group interpretation' that I am most experienced in are 'BNIM panels' in > which the small group interprets a chunk of data (for example, a segment of > an interview transcript), hypothesises about its significance making > hypotheses about what might come next in the interview sequence if this or > that hypothesis were to be right, and then digests the next chunk, doing the > same. This chunk-by-chunk future blind interpretive process is detailed in > my (free) 'Short Guide to BNIM' that I could send to anyone who would like a > copy. (requests to <[log in to unmask]> please, not to the whole PERFORM > list) > > In a way this method of interpretation is one in which the flow of the > interview as it happened is 're-performed' for the panel in a freeze-frame > way putting the panel into a position to develop a collective chunk-by-chunk > discussion of what is going on. > > Our post-panel presentation of findings has so far tended to be rather > conventional. However, there is an exception. Prue and Donovan Chamberlayne > have used two BNIM-style interviews with a homeless person and a hostel > manager as the basis for a short discussion-and-training video in which > critical incidents were 'worked up' into video form. This film 'Connecting > Lives' -- together with notes for guidance and other documentation -- is > available from Pavilion Films at <www.pavpub.com>. The 'Notes for Guidance' > for those using the video for training, sensitisation and issue-focus-group > discussion have very good ideas about 'performing the video' which may also > be of interest to those using this listserve. > > Having said this, I think it is always necessary to consider the > personal-ethical dimension of 'working up and performing' (would the > interviewee feel happy about this?, to take but one example) and the > scientific-ethical dimension (are we staying true to, or playing > fast-and-loose-with, the facts of the case)? At a certain point, performing > can become a 'fact-based fictional creation' which shows its integrity by > acknowledging that it is not just a re-representation of the 'facts' which > helped to inspire it. The notion of 'docu-tainment' suggests the strain and > tensions inherent in re-representation sliding into (unavowed, and therefore > scientifically un-ethical) mis-representation. > > Best wishes > > Tom > > <[log in to unmask]> Dr Kip Jones Reader in Health Related Social Science Centre for Qualitative Research Institute of Health & Community Studies Bournemouth University United Kingdom Website: www.kipworld.net ___________________________________________________________ How much free photo storage do you get? Store your holiday snaps for FREE with Yahoo! Photos http://uk.photos.yahoo.com