On examining today's research practices in the area of social sciences, one can perceive a distinct interest in biography. Observation of the lives of individuals, (re)cognising social micro worlds from the perspective of individual biographies, and analysis of -- and searching for -- meanings of individual life experiences are subjects of great…

This case study is in process, begun in 2008, in which I am currently collecting data for an authorized biography. It outlines what has recently been a shift in the role of researchers, especially during interviews, from one of structured questioner to a more collaborative role, that of conversational partner. Data collection methods are varied…

At the time I began work in university, I entered a world which was leisured, privileged and patriarchal, in the United Kingdom at least...I came from a world in which only 3% of the population aspired to university. I belonged to a world in which, having got where I was through the eleven-plus and "A" levels, there was almost a sense…

This paper outlines a narrative method for the study of teaching which has as its principle feature the reconstruction of classroom meaning in terms of narrative unities in the lives of classroom participants. This purpose is achieved by comparatively outlining similarities and differences with closely associated lines of work. This study of…

Analyses of Polish workers' diaries, oral histories and other primary sources illustrate problems of obtaining objective information. The author proposes a new system for reaching valid historical conclusions when using these kinds of materials. (AM)

The aim of this book is to support, inform and guide students (and by implication their supervisors) through a doctoral programme. The book is intended for students working towards either a "taught" doctorate (such as an EdD) or a course of study leading to a PhD. The authors recognize that doctoral programmes have changed and these changes are…

Discusses a new approach to studying the principalship that embodies a dialectic of biography and autobiography. The head (or principal) is not regarded as merely the subject of another's research but rather as a full partner within the research process. The article discusses the full partnership idea against the backdrop of Great Barr Grant…

This article discusses the relation between narrating a story and experiencing a learning process--for both the research subjects and the researcher--as an inherent feature of narrative biographical research. It is argued that in order to do justice to the particularity, the interpretation and the agency of the research subjects and thus to the…

Biography and other forms of life writing were once considered vital sources of information on leadership. However, early in the establishment of the pursuit of a "science of leadership" in the first quarter of the last century, they were abandoned as too subjective and hence unreliable. Recently, however, as scholarship regarding leadership has…

This collection examines many influences of biographical inquiry in education and discusses methodological issues from the perspectives of veteran and novice biographers. The section on qualitative research and educational biography contains the following chapters: "Musings on Life Writing: Biography and Case Studies in Teacher Education" (Robert…

Examines the use of life histories as a method for explaining successful aging patterns. Describes a life-history research project in which undergraduates personalize material learned in social gerontology courses, integrating the life experience and theories. Sensitizes students to the impact of social forces on successful aging. Argues this…