Methodology Lab

Empirical Research Methods in the Study of Culture (Methodology Laboratory)

In the Study of Culture scholars and students face the problem, that the object of their research is notoriously hard to define: If they understand culture as a form of symbolic meaning, they analyse speeches, close-read texts or interpret images. If they consider culture to be the material life world that surrounds them, they follow the path of one “thing” from production to consumption. If they deem culture to be a performance, they observe everyday acts and immediate understandings. This variety of possible objects calls for a wide array of methods that can be applied in the Study of Culture, such as interviewing, text-analysis or participant observation. 

The Methodology Laboratory tries to reflect on these different methods and their application. It thus pursues three goals:

(1)    It works out common challenges and possibilities for empirical research in the Study of Culture. Therefore, the group looks at the access to the field of research, it asks questions of research ethics and personal involvement/positioning of the researcher.

(2)    It explores the variety of methodological frameworks of the Study of Culture. On a hands-on level, PhD students present and discuss their methodological frameworks and share their experiences from the field.

(3)    It builds a platform for sharing knowledge concerning specific methods. In addition, it aims at fostering the shared interpretation of data and a discussion of preliminary findings.