New Developments in Biographical Research

In recent years, sociologists and other social scientists have begun to look for creative, innovative ways to do biographical research. Biographical interviews using traditional methodologies of interviewing and analysis often fall short in contexts where interview partners are – for whatever reason – unable to put their experiences into words or develop a narrative about their lives. Walking tours, performances, and research using photographs, visual art or music, often provide interesting ways to do biographical research. In a similar vein, biographical researchers are combining biographical interviews and analysis with other research methodologies (ethnography, performance and visual analysis). This session explores some of these methodological advances with an eye toward expanding the terrain of biographical research.