Secondary Analysis of Biographical Narratives: Challenges and Prospects Based on an Ongoing Project in Greece

The establishment of Research Infrastructures for the Social Sciences in many countries, including Greece, which incorporate, among other data, life stories produced within the framework of biographical narrative interviews, intensifies the discussion around the prospect of secondary analysis of narratives in Biographical Research. This presentation will introduce the collection of biographical narratives included in the Greek research infrastructure for social data (SoDaNet), specifically in the repository of the University of Crete. The results of a study conducted on the emerging documentation needs for such data, which arise precisely in light of the prospect of their secondary analysis, will be presented. Additionally, aspects of the dominant research culture that the scientific community is called upon to reconsider in order to support the prospect of secondary analysis of qualitative data—particularly biographical narratives and life stories—will be highlighted.