Practice oriented-document analysis

STS researchers at TIK develop tools for activating documents in novel ways in the research process

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Engaging with documents is key to the study of politics, democracy, the environment, and societal transformations. In recent years, STS researchers at TIK have experimented with interdisciplinary ways of doing so by combining resources from ethnographic traditions in STS with archive studies and text-oriented approaches from the humanities.

Coined by TIK professor Kristin Asdal as ‘practice-oriented document analysis’ (Asdal 2015), Asdal together with TIK researcher Hilde Reinertsen have developed this novel approach into a coherent methodology and analytical framework.

Kristin and Hilde have recently published two textbooks about this method, one in Norwegian (Cappelen Damm, 2020) and one in English (SAGE Publications, 2022).

The English version is an expansion of the Norwegian. It includes new chapters on analysing the textual dimension of documents and on the theoretical approaches underpinning the turn to practise in analysing documents. It also contains a series of new case examples and literature references that give the book a global scope.

Uniting methods from disciplines across the social sciences and humanities, this hands-on guide develops a novel approach of doing document analysis. The authors present a framework for studying documents that enables you to conduct a rich and systematic analysis of documents in all their diversity.

Focussing on document analysis both in practise and as practise, the book provides you with an innovative and versatile toolkit for analysing print and digital documents. It also:

  • Highlights the impacts of digitalisation on documents themselves and the methods used to study them
  • Has a strong focus on research ethics and critical engagement with digital resources
  • Offers practical guidance on preparing and doing a document analysis research project

The book offers insightful perspectives both on the indispensable role of documents in society and practical advice on how you can best analyse documents and their significance.

A PhD course based on the books is planned for November 2022.

 

 

Published Feb. 3, 2021 4:36 PM - Last modified Feb. 1, 2022 3:35 PM