Reflexive videography

During the last decades videography has become a well established method for studying social interaction in a variety of contexts. Based on conversation analysis and ethnomethodology it has mainly been used to study workplace interation, but recently also applied to other fields such as religious phenomena or everyday communication. First introductury texts have been published and the methodological basis is set. However, for novices learning videography still a very complex endeavour, because this form of analysis is based on what one can call tacit knowledge.

This paper explains how especially collaborative data-sessions, which are at the heart of the process of video analysis are a complex social interacion on their own.The talks aims at reflecting the researchers practices of interpreting visual material, analysing and generating knowledge. To be able to study those processes in detail, sequences of analysis are themselves filmed and taken to scrutiny. By this, the observer is able to reconstruct not only the methodical steps, but also other practices such as highlighting certain elements, working with guesture and reenactment of percieved visual forms as well as the use of technology in detail. The aim of this complex analysis is to take self reflection of the researcher and the production of knowledge serious, and by this to generate what can be called reflexive methodolgy development. By this, methods can not only be developed, but also be understood and taught in a new way.