Meeting June 28th (PHaR #2)

At PHaR #2, 28th June, we considered the relationship between phenomenological and discursive approaches to analysis. Our discussions were framed by a paper “in progress” which deployed both discursive and phenomenological strategies to examine group understandings of gender roles and sexual conduct within the context of youth “street gangs”. The successful methods of using researcher designed vignettes to stimulate focus group discussions were commended. We explored ways in which discursive structures around hypermasculinity could be made more explicit, in addition to the implicit theme of “alienation”. Debating the “balancing act” that a pluralistic approach may entail, we wondered if analytic coherence should take precedence over maintaining a distinct methodological dichotomy. Touching upon potential epistemology and ontology concerns, and guided by Willig’s 2016 paper, we concluded that in our research fields, debates around realism/relativist can only take place in relation to epistemology.