(What is wrong with) Biographical Theory

Sociological biographical research has seen a remarkable expansion in its methodological repertoire and in the range of the disciplinary and geographical contexts in which it is practiced. We take this observation as a starting point to invite papers that specifically address the question of what this development entails for biographical theory-building in light of global social transformations and contemporary sociological challenges. The aim is to use the broadening horizon within biographical research as an opportunity to revisit and critically engage with the theoretical foundations of this sociological field. We particularly welcome papers that address the following questions, drawing on but not limited to the author’s own empirical research:

• What defines biography today as a social and sociological construct?
• Which concepts of spatiality and temporality are relevant for our understanding of biographies today?
• What implications do developments in social theory, for example in the fields of phenomenology, sociology of knowledge, Science and Technology Studies, or indigenous studies, have for our understanding of biography and biographical research?
• How can we reassess the background of Western European biographical theory in the light of modernization theories and in the context of global sociologies and postcolonial theories?
• Which social developments challenge established biographical theories (for example digitalization, globalization, authoritarian movements, climate change)?