Page 279. ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS Jenny Blain is a senior lecturer in the School of Social Science... more Page 279. ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS Jenny Blain is a senior lecturer in the School of Social Science and Law at Sheffield Hallam University, UK, where she leads the MA in social science research methods. Much of her ...
‘Religions of practice’ are religions that prioritize ritual practice, with little concern for cr... more ‘Religions of practice’ are religions that prioritize ritual practice, with little concern for creeds and belief. In these religions, ethical obligations are communicated through ritual practices and aesthetic responses to symbols. Some theories of religion characterize ritual practice and religious aesthetics as secondary outcomes of religious belief. Such characterizations misunderstand the significance of religious ritual practice. A neo-Durkheimian theory of religion that examines ritual practice alongside belief provides a more sophisticated understanding of religious experience. A range of ethnographies of Japanese religions are reviewed to illustrate the argument. Aesthetics and ritual performance are central to many Japanese religions. These generate a strong sense of relational and communal entwinement and are associated with an ambivalent or pluralistic moral ontology.
Religious symbols are primarily significant because they draw people into relationships. Drawing ... more Religious symbols are primarily significant because they draw people into relationships. Drawing on actor-network theory the paper demonstrates that symbols are hybrids of beliefs, cognitive interpretations, ritual performances and relational networks. The significance of symbols is located in this middle ground, as they mediate between thought and action, as well as between interpretative meaning and relational practice. Aesthetic experiences and ritual performance are interwoven with cognitive meaning and representation to generate the impact of religious symbols. This understanding of symbols is illustrated through an ethnographic account of a Pagan ritual involving the deity Baphomet. One of the participants describes this ritual succinctly: ‘Baphomet is a recreation of the Witches’ sabbat, an invocation of archetypal Witchcraft. It's R-rated, it contains adult themes, nudity and sex references.’ Through ritual experiences, religious symbols change the way people feel about themselves, the world and the people around them.
Life threatening illness, such as HIV/AIDS, also threaten people's sense of identity and taken-fo... more Life threatening illness, such as HIV/AIDS, also threaten people's sense of identity and taken-for-granted assumptions about the temporal framing of their lives. In response, people often experience transformations in values, spirituality and life priorities. Drawing on a combined quantitative and qualitative study of people living with HIV/AIDS in Australia, three different narratives that people use to make sense of their illness experience are identified: linear restitution narratives, linear chaotic narratives and polyphonic narratives. Linear illness narratives colonise the future, assuming that the future can be controlled through human action. They emphasise a faith in medical science, tend to be secular and self-centred and assume the end of life to be in the distant future. Hope is focused on concrete outcomes such as improved health or material possessions. Linear narratives can be either restitutive or chaotic. Restitutive linear narratives anticipate a life that will mirror the narrative. Chaotic linear narratives anticipate a life that will fail to meet the linear ideal resulting in despair and depression. In contrast, polyphonic illness narratives are oriented toward the present, emphasising the unpredictability of the future. These narratives tend to include spiritual experiences, a communally oriented value system, and to recount increased self-understanding and the gaining of new insights as a consequence of their illness. Hope in polyphonic narratives is more abstract and focused on a celebration of mystery, surprise and creativity.
Abstract The article argues that the emotional framing of interviews plays a major role in shapin... more Abstract The article argues that the emotional framing of interviews plays a major role in shaping the content of interviews. Drawing on the psychoanalytic theory of Jessica Benjamin and Luce Irigaray, the article describes how interviews can be experienced as either conquest or communion. Qualitative researchers typically focus on the cognitively articulated aspects of the interview and elide the significance of their own and the interviewee's, emotions. A reanalysis of two previous qualitative interview studies is used to illustrate the ...
Surely religion has little to say of significance about the environment? That is a central argume... more Surely religion has little to say of significance about the environment? That is a central argument of this chapter. However, it is only half the story, and the opening sentence may not have quite the meaning that you think. It is the Christian tradition and its secularised descendant 'consumerist capitalism'that are the religious traditions that have typically devalued the natural world by ignoring it.
Ritual provides an etiquette of relating to, thinking through, and emotionally responding to even... more Ritual provides an etiquette of relating to, thinking through, and emotionally responding to events and experiences that are otherwise difficult to deal with. Rituals work through embodied performances that are bound up with cultures of cognitive and somatic knowing. Ritual experiences allow participants to develop life-enhancing responses to some of the central challenges of contemporary life.
Abstract Cities inscribe on the earth a text of human being-in-the world. They contain, repress, ... more Abstract Cities inscribe on the earth a text of human being-in-the world. They contain, repress, facilitate, control and decimate nature. Put another way, the geography of our being-in-the world profoundly shapes human experience of nature. This article proceeds through a dialogue between my own mystical experiences in nature. and a rereading of Levinas. s account of face-to-face relations with the Other through which I argue that nature can be understood as Other. However, beyond a romanticised conception of nature as ...
Journal for The Scientific Study of Religion, Jan 1, 2009
Drawing on interviews with 90 young people who have become Witches, we explore the visual media's... more Drawing on interviews with 90 young people who have become Witches, we explore the visual media's influence on identity formation and maintenance. Witchcraft is a late modern religion that is highly individualistic and many young people report they have become a Witch without any interaction with other Witches. The rapid growth of interest in this religion among the young since The Craft was first shown provides an important example of the mass media's role in formation of contemporary religious identity. We argue that representations of Witchcraft in the visual mass media (along with other cultural trends such as environmentalism, feminism, and individualism) and cultural resources such as books, Internet sites, and magazines provide a mediated form of social interaction that sustains the plausibility of Witchcraft as a religion. It also helps the young to develop and legitimate their beliefs and practices and develop their Witchcraft persona.
In Teenage Witches, Helen Berger and Douglas Ezzy examine the social organization of young Witche... more In Teenage Witches, Helen Berger and Douglas Ezzy examine the social organization of young Witches in the United States, England and Australia and explore how they define themselves and their religion. Using personal interviews conducted by the two authors, the book provides an overview of the Witches' beliefs, practices, and how they form connections with other Witches and Pagans both near and far.
Narrative analysis builds on the strengths of qualitative research by examining the construction ... more Narrative analysis builds on the strengths of qualitative research by examining the construction of meaning and symbolic systems in a framework that is explicitly temporal and that links research in the humanities with that in the social sciences. Qualitative methodologies often assume reported data accurately reflects the realities of lived experience. On the other hand some research drawing on cultural studies argues that the “facts” of a person's life are irrelevant. This paper argues for a middle way based on ...
This is, to quote the sub-sub-title: 'A Collection to Mark the 50th Anniversary of the British As... more This is, to quote the sub-sub-title: 'A Collection to Mark the 50th Anniversary of the British Association for the Study of Religions'. It is drawn from occasional papers published by the Association since 1991 and provides a good indicator of the high-quality research conducted by members of the Association. The book is split into two sections. Chapters 1–7 cover 'Category and Method', Chapters 8–15 are empirical case studies. Although predominantly focusing on the UK, one third of the authors are from Europe and Africa.
Ezzy review continued: identities are structured through a psycho-spiritual interaction with the ... more Ezzy review continued: identities are structured through a psycho-spiritual interaction with the otherworld, rather than constructed from social discourses of the ordinary world”(p. 118).“I suggest that most people become involved with magic because it is associated with the acquisition of power”(p. 135).“Only feminist witchcraft offers a practical political model for women's empowerment in the socio-economic world”(p. 177).
This book is a good general introduction to the logic of survey research in the social sciences. ... more This book is a good general introduction to the logic of survey research in the social sciences. However, the title is somewhat deceptive, as the main focus of the book is quantitative research with one chapter providing a very brief introduction to qualitative research. The book is divided into three main sections: research design, data collection, and analysis and interpretation.
1 Executive Summary The HIV Futures Survey draws together the largest sample of people with HIV/A... more 1 Executive Summary The HIV Futures Survey draws together the largest sample of people with HIV/AIDS to have been surveyed in Australia. The survey was conducted from 1 July 1997 to 5 September 1997. The 925 respondents represents over eight percent of the current population of PLWHA in Australia. While a substantial number of the participants are gay men living in Sydney, the survey includes significant numbers of PLWHA from smaller sub-populations such as women, and people living outside NSW and Victoria.
(311). It is Conner's admittedly naive presumption of a queer “community” within African Diaspori... more (311). It is Conner's admittedly naive presumption of a queer “community” within African Diasporic traditions and his in-text admission of being frequently “disheartened” and “surprised” when matters on the ground did not match his hypothesis that weaken a potentially very important and necessary study.
Page 279. ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS Jenny Blain is a senior lecturer in the School of Social Science... more Page 279. ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS Jenny Blain is a senior lecturer in the School of Social Science and Law at Sheffield Hallam University, UK, where she leads the MA in social science research methods. Much of her ...
‘Religions of practice’ are religions that prioritize ritual practice, with little concern for cr... more ‘Religions of practice’ are religions that prioritize ritual practice, with little concern for creeds and belief. In these religions, ethical obligations are communicated through ritual practices and aesthetic responses to symbols. Some theories of religion characterize ritual practice and religious aesthetics as secondary outcomes of religious belief. Such characterizations misunderstand the significance of religious ritual practice. A neo-Durkheimian theory of religion that examines ritual practice alongside belief provides a more sophisticated understanding of religious experience. A range of ethnographies of Japanese religions are reviewed to illustrate the argument. Aesthetics and ritual performance are central to many Japanese religions. These generate a strong sense of relational and communal entwinement and are associated with an ambivalent or pluralistic moral ontology.
Religious symbols are primarily significant because they draw people into relationships. Drawing ... more Religious symbols are primarily significant because they draw people into relationships. Drawing on actor-network theory the paper demonstrates that symbols are hybrids of beliefs, cognitive interpretations, ritual performances and relational networks. The significance of symbols is located in this middle ground, as they mediate between thought and action, as well as between interpretative meaning and relational practice. Aesthetic experiences and ritual performance are interwoven with cognitive meaning and representation to generate the impact of religious symbols. This understanding of symbols is illustrated through an ethnographic account of a Pagan ritual involving the deity Baphomet. One of the participants describes this ritual succinctly: ‘Baphomet is a recreation of the Witches’ sabbat, an invocation of archetypal Witchcraft. It's R-rated, it contains adult themes, nudity and sex references.’ Through ritual experiences, religious symbols change the way people feel about themselves, the world and the people around them.
Life threatening illness, such as HIV/AIDS, also threaten people's sense of identity and taken-fo... more Life threatening illness, such as HIV/AIDS, also threaten people's sense of identity and taken-for-granted assumptions about the temporal framing of their lives. In response, people often experience transformations in values, spirituality and life priorities. Drawing on a combined quantitative and qualitative study of people living with HIV/AIDS in Australia, three different narratives that people use to make sense of their illness experience are identified: linear restitution narratives, linear chaotic narratives and polyphonic narratives. Linear illness narratives colonise the future, assuming that the future can be controlled through human action. They emphasise a faith in medical science, tend to be secular and self-centred and assume the end of life to be in the distant future. Hope is focused on concrete outcomes such as improved health or material possessions. Linear narratives can be either restitutive or chaotic. Restitutive linear narratives anticipate a life that will mirror the narrative. Chaotic linear narratives anticipate a life that will fail to meet the linear ideal resulting in despair and depression. In contrast, polyphonic illness narratives are oriented toward the present, emphasising the unpredictability of the future. These narratives tend to include spiritual experiences, a communally oriented value system, and to recount increased self-understanding and the gaining of new insights as a consequence of their illness. Hope in polyphonic narratives is more abstract and focused on a celebration of mystery, surprise and creativity.
Abstract The article argues that the emotional framing of interviews plays a major role in shapin... more Abstract The article argues that the emotional framing of interviews plays a major role in shaping the content of interviews. Drawing on the psychoanalytic theory of Jessica Benjamin and Luce Irigaray, the article describes how interviews can be experienced as either conquest or communion. Qualitative researchers typically focus on the cognitively articulated aspects of the interview and elide the significance of their own and the interviewee's, emotions. A reanalysis of two previous qualitative interview studies is used to illustrate the ...
Surely religion has little to say of significance about the environment? That is a central argume... more Surely religion has little to say of significance about the environment? That is a central argument of this chapter. However, it is only half the story, and the opening sentence may not have quite the meaning that you think. It is the Christian tradition and its secularised descendant 'consumerist capitalism'that are the religious traditions that have typically devalued the natural world by ignoring it.
Ritual provides an etiquette of relating to, thinking through, and emotionally responding to even... more Ritual provides an etiquette of relating to, thinking through, and emotionally responding to events and experiences that are otherwise difficult to deal with. Rituals work through embodied performances that are bound up with cultures of cognitive and somatic knowing. Ritual experiences allow participants to develop life-enhancing responses to some of the central challenges of contemporary life.
Abstract Cities inscribe on the earth a text of human being-in-the world. They contain, repress, ... more Abstract Cities inscribe on the earth a text of human being-in-the world. They contain, repress, facilitate, control and decimate nature. Put another way, the geography of our being-in-the world profoundly shapes human experience of nature. This article proceeds through a dialogue between my own mystical experiences in nature. and a rereading of Levinas. s account of face-to-face relations with the Other through which I argue that nature can be understood as Other. However, beyond a romanticised conception of nature as ...
Journal for The Scientific Study of Religion, Jan 1, 2009
Drawing on interviews with 90 young people who have become Witches, we explore the visual media's... more Drawing on interviews with 90 young people who have become Witches, we explore the visual media's influence on identity formation and maintenance. Witchcraft is a late modern religion that is highly individualistic and many young people report they have become a Witch without any interaction with other Witches. The rapid growth of interest in this religion among the young since The Craft was first shown provides an important example of the mass media's role in formation of contemporary religious identity. We argue that representations of Witchcraft in the visual mass media (along with other cultural trends such as environmentalism, feminism, and individualism) and cultural resources such as books, Internet sites, and magazines provide a mediated form of social interaction that sustains the plausibility of Witchcraft as a religion. It also helps the young to develop and legitimate their beliefs and practices and develop their Witchcraft persona.
In Teenage Witches, Helen Berger and Douglas Ezzy examine the social organization of young Witche... more In Teenage Witches, Helen Berger and Douglas Ezzy examine the social organization of young Witches in the United States, England and Australia and explore how they define themselves and their religion. Using personal interviews conducted by the two authors, the book provides an overview of the Witches' beliefs, practices, and how they form connections with other Witches and Pagans both near and far.
Narrative analysis builds on the strengths of qualitative research by examining the construction ... more Narrative analysis builds on the strengths of qualitative research by examining the construction of meaning and symbolic systems in a framework that is explicitly temporal and that links research in the humanities with that in the social sciences. Qualitative methodologies often assume reported data accurately reflects the realities of lived experience. On the other hand some research drawing on cultural studies argues that the “facts” of a person's life are irrelevant. This paper argues for a middle way based on ...
This is, to quote the sub-sub-title: 'A Collection to Mark the 50th Anniversary of the British As... more This is, to quote the sub-sub-title: 'A Collection to Mark the 50th Anniversary of the British Association for the Study of Religions'. It is drawn from occasional papers published by the Association since 1991 and provides a good indicator of the high-quality research conducted by members of the Association. The book is split into two sections. Chapters 1–7 cover 'Category and Method', Chapters 8–15 are empirical case studies. Although predominantly focusing on the UK, one third of the authors are from Europe and Africa.
Ezzy review continued: identities are structured through a psycho-spiritual interaction with the ... more Ezzy review continued: identities are structured through a psycho-spiritual interaction with the otherworld, rather than constructed from social discourses of the ordinary world”(p. 118).“I suggest that most people become involved with magic because it is associated with the acquisition of power”(p. 135).“Only feminist witchcraft offers a practical political model for women's empowerment in the socio-economic world”(p. 177).
This book is a good general introduction to the logic of survey research in the social sciences. ... more This book is a good general introduction to the logic of survey research in the social sciences. However, the title is somewhat deceptive, as the main focus of the book is quantitative research with one chapter providing a very brief introduction to qualitative research. The book is divided into three main sections: research design, data collection, and analysis and interpretation.
1 Executive Summary The HIV Futures Survey draws together the largest sample of people with HIV/A... more 1 Executive Summary The HIV Futures Survey draws together the largest sample of people with HIV/AIDS to have been surveyed in Australia. The survey was conducted from 1 July 1997 to 5 September 1997. The 925 respondents represents over eight percent of the current population of PLWHA in Australia. While a substantial number of the participants are gay men living in Sydney, the survey includes significant numbers of PLWHA from smaller sub-populations such as women, and people living outside NSW and Victoria.
(311). It is Conner's admittedly naive presumption of a queer “community” within African Diaspori... more (311). It is Conner's admittedly naive presumption of a queer “community” within African Diasporic traditions and his in-text admission of being frequently “disheartened” and “surprised” when matters on the ground did not match his hypothesis that weaken a potentially very important and necessary study.
Table of contents (PDF) of a double issue of The Pomegranate: The International Journal of Pagan... more Table of contents (PDF) of a double issue of The Pomegranate: The International Journal of Pagan Studies, vol. 17 (2015), including a special section, "Paths into Pagan Studies: Autobiographical Reflections," guest-edited by Doug Ezzy.
The complete text of the Contemporary Pagan Studies Group's CFP for the November 2016 meeting of ... more The complete text of the Contemporary Pagan Studies Group's CFP for the November 2016 meeting of the American Academy of Religion.
Reinventing Church is a story of hope in the context of change, loss, and sadness. Four Anglican ... more Reinventing Church is a story of hope in the context of change, loss, and sadness. Four Anglican communities of faith in Tasmania, Australia (New Norfolk, Channel/Cygnet, St Helens, and Hamilton) faced long-standing decline and the possibility of closure. Instead, they chose to adopt a new type of ministry called “Enabler Supported Ministry” where local Christians voluntarily take on the work of parish ministry. In so doing, they forged a new future for themselves. This study is unique in revealing a hopeful alternative to the story of decline common to many Christian parishes in Australia, both rural and urban, and from all denominations. Something different, positive and healthy can be created for both the parish and the wider community. This is a story of how choosing and implementing a different model of being church produced hope.
A popular new image of Witches has arisen in recent years, due largely to movies like The Craft, ... more A popular new image of Witches has arisen in recent years, due largely to movies like The Craft, Practical Magic, and Simply Irresistible and television shows such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Charmed. Here, young sexy Witches use magic and Witchcraft to gain control over their lives and fight evil. Then there is the depiction in the Harry Potter books: Witchcraft is a gift that unenlightened Muggles (everyday people) lack. In both types of portrayals, being a Witch is akin to being a superhero.
Qualitative Analysis offers a detailed introduction to the practice of data analysis that is both... more Qualitative Analysis offers a detailed introduction to the practice of data analysis that is both user-friendly and theoretically grounded.
Drawing on his extensive experience of qualitative research, Douglas Ezzy reviews approaches to data analysis in established research traditions including ethnography, phenomenology and symbolic interactionism, alongside the newer approaches informed by cultural studies and feminism. He explains the difference between inductive, deductive and abductive theory building, provides a guide to computer-assisted analysis and outlines techniques such as journal writing, team meetings and participant reviews.
At the heart of insightful qualitative research is a dialogue between tradition and innovation, ideas and observations, theory and data, and interpretation and action. Ezzy explains how to engage in this dialogue by choosing methods of data analysis to suit the research project, adapting these methods as needed.
Qualitative Analysis is a valuable reference for research students and for professional researchers in the social sciences and health.
Should researchers of spirituality and religion be distantly "objective," or engaged and active p... more Should researchers of spirituality and religion be distantly "objective," or engaged and active participants? The traditional paradigm of 'methodological agnosticism' is increasingly challenged as researchers emphasize the benefits of direct participation for understanding beliefs and practices. Should academic researchers "go native," participating as "insiders" in engagements with the "supernatural," experiencing altered states of of consciousness? How do academics negotiate the fluid boundaries between worlds and meanings which may change their own beliefs? Should their own experiences be part of academic reports? Researching Paganisms presents reflective and engaging accounts of issues in the academic study of religion confronted by anthropologists, psychologists, sociologists, historians and religious studies scholars—as researchers and as humans—as they study contemporary Pagan religions. The insights that contributors gain, with resultant changes to their own lives, will fascinate not only other scholars of Pagan religions, but scholars of any religion and indeed anyone who grapples with issues of reflexive research
Responses to unemployment vary from depression, through stoic acceptance to celebration. The prim... more Responses to unemployment vary from depression, through stoic acceptance to celebration. The primary aim and original contribution of this book is to provide a sociological explanation for these variations. This study focuses on the experience of unemployment as a consequence of losing a job. The different effects of unemployment are analyzed as a product of the different types of stories people tell. Drawing on the traditions of symbolic interactionism and hermeneutics, this text uses a narrative conception of self-identity to analyze people's stories about unemployment. This book examines the processes that allow some people to tell stories of hope and confidence about their unemployment, and lead others to tell stories of pain, loss and despair.
Qualitative Research Methods: A Health Focus is a practical guide to conducting qualitative resea... more Qualitative Research Methods: A Health Focus is a practical guide to conducting qualitative research, with an emphasis on health-related examples. Methodological issues confronting qualitative researchers are dealt with in general chapters on sampling and rigour, the use of theory, data analysis, and writing research proposals and reports. Established qualitative methods such as in-depth interviewing, focus groups, and ethnography are reviewed alongside chapters on more innovative and complex methods such as narrative methods, memory work, and participatory-action research. Detailed examples of each method are provided to illustrate the research process. It is increasingly being accepted that qualitative methods play an important role in health-related research. This book is a comprehensive and accessible guide to qualitative methods for health care students and health professionals.
Uploads
Papers by Douglas Ezzy
Drawing on his extensive experience of qualitative research, Douglas Ezzy reviews approaches to data analysis in established research traditions including ethnography, phenomenology and symbolic interactionism, alongside the newer approaches informed by cultural studies and feminism. He explains the difference between inductive, deductive and abductive theory building, provides a guide to computer-assisted analysis and outlines techniques such as journal writing, team meetings and participant reviews.
At the heart of insightful qualitative research is a dialogue between tradition and innovation, ideas and observations, theory and data, and interpretation and action. Ezzy explains how to engage in this dialogue by choosing methods of data analysis to suit the research project, adapting these methods as needed.
Qualitative Analysis is a valuable reference for research students and for professional researchers in the social sciences and health.