The positions of Pierre Bourdieu and Alain Touraine respecting qualitative methods

Journal/Book: Brit J Sociol. 1998; 49: 11 New Fetter Lane, London, England EC4P 4EE. Routledge. 1-19.

Abstract: This article exposes the developments of qualitative methodology in French sociology with respect to methods proposed by Pierre Bourdieu and Alain Touraine: 'provoked and accompanied' self-analysis and the sociological intervention. In addition to the presentation of these two methods, the propose of this article is to describe and discuss the position of these two authors on certain problems such as representativeness, objectivity, status of data, epistemological rupture and lastly on the question of the writing by which sociological knowledge is formed from common sense knowledge contained in the data. This brings to a broader discussion on these questions. The strengths and weaknesses of these two methods are finally examined.

Note: Article Hamel J, Univ Montreal, Dept Sociol, Montreal, PQ H3C 3J7, CANADA

Keyword(s): qualitative methodology; common sense; explanation; Bourdieu; Touraine

Zurück | Weiter