Bridging the Gap between Theory and Practice with Alvin Gouldner's Reflexi

15 Pages·2015·0.63 MB·English

by  Simburgüer, Elisabeth

Magis. Revista Internacional de Investigación
en Educación
ISSN: 2027-1174
[email protected]
Pontificia Universidad Javeriana
Colombia
Simburgüer, Elisabeth
Reflexivity in Qualitative Social Research: Bridging the Gap between Theory and Practice with Alvin
Gouldner’s Reflexive Sociology
Magis. Revista Internacional de Investigación en Educación, vol. 7, núm. 14, julio-diciembre, 2014, pp.
55-68
Pontificia Universidad Javeriana
Bogotá, Colombia
Available in: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=281032883005
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Reflexivity in Qualitative Social Research:
Bridging the Gap between
Theory and Practice with Alvin
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contexts. I argue that one of the dilemmas of a lot of literature MER
on reflexivity in the social sciences is the frequent absence of NÚ
a discussion of how academics’ aspirations to be reflexive in N 7 /
their research can be made accountable in academic practice. ME
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Based on the work of Alvin Gouldner I point to a different way OL
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of framing reflexivity in educational qualitative research that
bridges the gap between theorising and practising reflexivity
in the university and raises important questions about the im-
Transference to practice
plications of reflexivity or, of its lack. I thereby draw on exten-
Based on the work of Alvin Gouldner I point to a different way
sive research on academic work and identity which I carried
of framing reflexivity in educational qualitative research that
out in the UK and Chile based on qualitative interviews with
bridges the gap between theorising and practising reflexivity
academics. To conclude with, I suggest that discussions upon
in the university and raises important questions about the im-
how to practise one’s aspirations to be a reflexive academic
plications of reflexivity or, of its lack. I thereby draw on exten-
should depart from a collective analysis of the current struc-
sive research on academic work and identity which I carried
tures of marketisation in higher education and how they may
out in the UK and Chile based on qualitative interviews with
constrain reflexive academic practice in the university.
academics. To conclude with, I suggest that discussions upon
how to practise one’s aspirations to be a reflexive academic
Key words plus should depart from a collective analysis of the current struc-
Social Science, Scientific Methods, Interviews, tures of marketisation in higher education and how they may
Politics, University. constrain reflexive academic practice in the university.
To cite this article / Para citar este artículo / Pour citer cet article / Para citar este artigo
Simbürger, E. (2014). Reflexivity in Qualitative Social Research: Bridging the Gap between Theory and Practice with Alvin Gouldner’s Reflexive
Sociology. magis, Revista Internacional de Investigación en Educación, 7(14), 55-68.
Palabras clave Resumen Transferencia a la práctica
descriptor La reflexividad se ha puesto de moda en las Ciencias Sociales. En Con base en lo expuesto por Alvin
Ciencias sociales, este artículo ofrezco una discusión crítica del concepto de reflexi- Gouldner, el artículo propone una ma-
métodos científicos, vidad y su uso en la investigación social cualitativa en contextos nera diferente de enmarcar la reflexivi-
entrevistas, política, educativos. Argumento que uno de los dilemas en una gran canti- dad en la investigación cualitativa, para
universidad. dad de literatura sobre la materia radica en la frecuente ausencia que sirva de puente entre la teoría y la
de discusión que permita entender en qué medida las aspiracio- reflexividad en la universidad. Además,
nes reflexivas de los académicos en sus investigaciones pueden formula preguntas importantes sobre las
llevarse a cabo en la práctica académica. Con base en lo expuesto implicaciones de la reflexividad o de su
por Alvin Gouldner, el artículo plantea una manera diferente de ausencia. Fundamentado en entrevistas
enmarcar la reflexividad en la investigación cualitativa, de modo cualitativas a académicos, efectuadas
que sirva de puente entre la teoría y la reflexividad en la univer- en el Reino Unido y Chile, señalo una
sidad; asimismo, formula preguntas importantes sobre las impli- amplia investigación acerca de la labor
caciones de la reflexividad o de su ausencia. Con fundamento académica y la identidad. Para concluir,
en entrevistas cualitativas a académicos, efectuadas en el Reino sugiero que las discusiones referentes a
s
gi Unido y Chile, señalo una amplia investigación acerca de la labor la puesta en práctica de las aspiraciones
a
m académica y la identidad. Para concluir, sugiero que las discusio- para ser un(a) académico(a) reflexivo(a)
PÁGINA 56 nes sobre la puesta en práctica de las aspiraciones para ser un(a) deben partir del análisis colectivo de las
D . a ilemasyDesafíoseninvestigacióncualitativaeneDucaciónlgunasrespuestasDesDelainvestigación DICIÓN ESPECIAL / JULIO-DICIEMBRE DE 2014 / ISSN 2027-1174 / BOGOTÁ-COLOMBIA / Página 55-68 MdSmeuncnéeitieotvrshneettocrcissederistn ei écsssp. o,ls étpccieoiasellnui et tsirqi,f uiqeu, es, RLcvdgsqtiAldmdtUtaerrmarieiaceiacsruoeeoolnat aéftiavtt raé peimnrvliir plén inev, d arnnsuaasna yfoeéiexda é ieè cclc ruorlifsetGnlirem tettvrétanl auéxi eetu aasmofsc deqc iafis flx ro vevcluleosa oaeuuesaieeionnp vxldntonn rés axdcéiét( ime oC écts inva rnaud evlér diedmniha)taaclmeetxsu a ie aiért atllpsrulice eaeeseu,énei q gpo, aon s sfn xdt alsuatedlr’ tts uipo healeavc ies ledqeef anoxréeeasdt d ess euet iil s rold.ar qvneie ite assdtecetrocné s u riiO ctll isecdgo eom’e(eséevqauoih an ans md ulr odmunen)alietaa daaqe vgaté p e dract.le mnoa ucsuedum slrraer ba thnege teerédpdbei iiusestetn ucborqréuaerée, n échdmd neapuqmnne.nqfa er taseuas dlEacueenu epir nsrqnaeeimc ncntxil ma s adl.funrhiriteido lr iapvi teiSa enept tzanafilplml iiun. ite roeaqrntm toqépsé rssAi craudsov n ué oqrtiàli nyqeeetaóecat ’ruS lcaaué il ueilctnnpèc ae’obnr d nahuUe tàir rolnnatdeulne eeéerl a nltussndsl es dáaerea edie r qc ccpe vlle s l riiiihmoeuqraedssaslur feléb áeiséf nraueb’rcseeéfe ds c ae lc h’sllqdiisrpcenteiSssetteeleeuiouulé aeaetxoscpnlnrarre,l t iecrmacceteec viluti adm’ h vipee ilctrea matecdeleiaeR tuxéeelpcdis ideepsóoep vilsn adles adlseip sonyoodsceo ar. a aao c m éasn éndqnddssnsuaérfDtmgpuséeute’êsltidm u e ou api bpr mairrllluanxvcnneeeaeeaaaeliiinuaeessssss-t----rrr eccmTAnfrevltSdUrlgddle’yéeeieoinusiueeeéoyrnóssdricctrmrtrmssace eneainrhhse,q r an usnisleaa neeoiutaen dtqcc tsclérrrtd d t’eeopleteccuaiab,pd saetsi u hh flidrseéaa eut lrdlfldrtceeeal ie.aéts uaieaore euehc cb etxméE s d enq iltt ésira fnoerlCviidedésuuicalooavs qfneat hnaf’u raeeiicrne xulmnms m idi clee tln seiiálel,liuvaptrxni ’de, po êtmesea eoiacs or eevonm,xrtl ueoliln atduti iióseptrratttv rrn e rétrolaésni aocleuaee a a as lridov sn amvnpnod st slàaéneirer liiurstuuseag viué avémresn lémp n p e qnfneecfsdatelpleerlaia an tiaueiaseesslspèrr urcc lleixa nuxi áie erraadamrosmi lAit eirc veirvouuèdeaq rt tiitlleusia ra tnnndéeviotiuqy Recrérnnétims ./ nc en aai oau d eilpvuad ièa càdbiym nleereqGnar eet aaaesa fseexucu stlploeou nt’m ’ ipp aaaeeiaUllnlumrsqiioododnv lmzccp cllnuendeisnéaeaaaeellfiaaeeecst----------t.
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N 7 / N fraéçfloenxi vdeo nà tl ’cUens isvterruscittéu.r es peuvent limiter la pratique académique à l’Université.
ME
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Palavras-chave Resumo Transferência à prática
descritor A reflexividade está de moda nas Ciências Sociais. Neste artigo Com base ao exposto por Alvin Gould-
Ciências sociais, ofereço uma discussão crítica do conceito de reflexividade e ner, o artigo propõe uma maneira di-
métodos científicos, seu uso na pesquisa social qualitativa em contextos educativos. ferente de enfocar a reflexividade na
entrevistas, política, Argumento que um dos dilemas de uma grande quantidade de investigação qualitativa de maneira que
universidade. literatura sobre a reflexividade nas ciências sociais está radica- sirva de ponte entre a teoria e a reflexivi-
do na frequente ausência de discussão que permita entender dade na Universidade. Da mesma forma
em que medida as aspirações reflexivas dos acadêmicos em suas propõe perguntas importantes sobre os
pesquisas podem ser realizadas na prática acadêmica. Com base envolvimentos da reflexividade ou, da
ao exposto por Alvin Gouldner, o artigo propõe uma maneira ausência da mesma. Sobre a base de
diferente de estabelecer a reflexividade na pesquisa qualitativa entrevistas qualitativas com acadêmi-
de maneira que sirva de ponte entre a teoria e a reflexividade cos, efetuadas no Reino Unido e no Chi-
na Universidade. Por outro lado propõe perguntas importantes le, assinalo uma ampla pesquisa sobre
sobre os envolvimentos da reflexividade ou, da ausência da mes- o trabalho acadêmico e a identidade.
ma. Sobre a base de entrevistas qualitativas com acadêmicos, Para concluir, sugiro que as discussões
efetuadas no Reino Unido e no Chile, assinalo uma ampla pes- a respeito das aspirações para ser um(a)
quisa sobre o trabalho acadêmico e a identidade. Para concluir, acadêmico(a) reflexivo(a) deveriam partir
sugiro que as discussões a respeito das aspirações para ser um(a) da análise coletiva das estruturas atuais
acadêmico(a) reflexivo(a) deveriam partir da análise coletiva das da mercantilização da educação supe-
estruturas atuais da mercantilização da educação superior e da rior e da forma em que estas podem
forma em que estas podem limitar a prática acadêmica reflexiva limitar a prática acadêmica reflexiva na
na universidade. universidade.
Introduction
Over the last few years, reflexivity has turned into a fashionable con-
cept in the Social Sciences and Humanities. However, what comes under
the banner of reflexivity is of varied nature. With reflexivity having been
used in a rather inflationary way in the Social Sciences and Humanities,
Martin O’Brien (1999) stated that the notion of reflexivity is used in an
almost equally confusing manner as the concept of lifestyle, covering the
areas of social theory, research ethics and qualitative social research more
generally. The notion of reflexivity with regard to academic work and the
research process can have meanings as diverse as: 1) A meta-analysis of the
research process by both, the researcher and the researched with regard gis
a
to how their socioeconomic status, gender, and general values in life may m
impinge on the research process and in particular on the interpretation; 2) PÁGINA 57
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1 Liz Stanley summarised different forms of reflexivity: “Steve Woolgar (1988) has termed to a different way of framing reflexivity in
‘constitutive reflexivity’ and ‘benign introspection’. Bruno Latour (1988) has referred to a educational qualitative research that brid-
ges the gap between theorising and prac-
‘meta-reflexivity’ and ‘infra-reflexivity’. Stanley (1990) has dubbed ‘descriptive reflexivity’ and
tising reflexivity in the university and raises
‘analytical reflexivity’. Pierre Bourdieu (1992) has discussed it as ‘participant objectification’
important questions about the implications
and ‘biography’. Tim May (1999) has called it ‘endogamous reflexivity’ and ‘referential reflex-
of reflexivity or, of its lack. Work on this ar-
ivity’. Scott Lash (1994) has referred to it as ‘cognitive reflexivity’, ‘aesthetic reflexivity’ and
ticle was supported by the Chilean National
‘hermeneutic reflexivity” (Stanley, 2000, p. 71). In line with Stanley, it is important to note
Funding Agency Conicyt and the research
that these forms of reflexivity are not entirely distinct from each other. grants Fondecyt Iniciacion 11110528 and
2 MMyy ddooccttoorraall rreesseeaarrcchh wwaass aa tthheeoorreettiiccaall aanndd eemmppiirriiccaall iinnvveessttiiggaattiioonn ooff ssoocciioollooggiissttss aanndd ssoo-- Fondecyt Regular 1141271.
ciology in the UK. The research aimed to inquire how sociologists related to the discipline,
what they define as its key elements and how they negotiate these aspirations in the current
contexts of higher education driven by public funding cuts and quality assurance regimes
(Simbürger, 2009). The research was conducted in thirty qualitative interviews with sociolo-
gists in ten Sociology Departments in England following a matrix of age, gender, position,
research interest and type of university. In a related study —“Sociologists Talking”— I carried
out another 25 interviews with sociologists. The results of this research were presented in an
audiovisual exhibition on sociology as a profession together with Cath Lambert (Back, 2008).
3 TThhee sseeccoonndd ccoommpprreehheennssiivvee rreesseeaarrcchh pprroojjeecctt tthhiiss ppaappeerr ddrraawwss oonn iiss aa tthhrreeee yyeeaarr lloonngg pprroojj--
ect on the construction of neoliberal discourse about academic work in Chile (Fondecyt
11110528; 2012-2015). Based on higher education policy discourse analysis between 1990
counter the challenge of being inside and outside at the same time were
fundamental ones. In my research I am interested in how academics per-
ceive themselves and how they practise and try to negotiate academic
identities at universities, considering constraining contexts in global higher
education such as public funding cuts, quality assurance and the pres-
sure to publish (Simbürger, 2009; 2010). I am further interested in how
academics as well as higher education and higher education policy con-
tribute to the construction of neoliberal discourse around academic work.
When speaking to academics about their identities and about their aca-
demic practice, one encounters many contradictions (Guzmán-Valenzuela
& Barnett, 2013). Academics don’t always act according to their aspira-
gis tions. Who comes across as very critical on the page, may be devaluing the
ma importance of teaching and rather focus on higher valued research and
PÁGINA 58 publications in order to make a career (Simbürger, 2010; Smith, 2011). This
D . a ilemasyDesafíoseninvestigacióncualitativaeneDucaciónlgunasrespuestasDesDelainvestigación DICIÓN ESPECIAL / JULIO-DICIEMBRE DE 2014 / ISSN 2027-1174 / BOGOTÁ-COLOMBIA / Página 55-68 itdovwppeDgsatuiatnsohiyinbvntieoee oeogvswwheadaorrdnwuetr islele ueauhkesona cperIw m nrrt aae n teaedI scthrhctttnitechtansoete s,ehaao L tht fed ua henei2ticiloft vmcse l mtoaiodh0detendar hxnhrm ,ne 0v u eia etoLadvuoain3tarhtrc auelnh,pcgsl ses)sae nv .c oah eoaerc ddemtnaead wceMrst hdeeqsaei ssh.leine lmln enesurda,itamHtig b oa eednhreonftiae er ccroihssyrxocctctmvni orte r hehaesihwaioi oddtuno eletatia cf tfeehnnggin d ta ohspnbean eg h m m sargwtixveoat ttoohovlipoa yhi sfoltonguaceeme ceuyin“tern igir tna rnvrhkmac eygaski gstdeh etic es nh naefeesoe naaa (iidens rn tmDtrmfdbntcoiva hs dhtdeiretcotitefe-niaeeh ehesc e mpurmatttrw smse eve ieeatonts,miimi ahrc oersrne efitotvns ye sae hlewdwh pa i engasse.cpep& ec le e ooer lwamTlre actto ce apurobohhhLoad.tkfsyso tvoil eaerif.e,Hievdsnril n sryn diymelemt Yesadgv lg gh meafieentebe cbi lyre etcanettsc at eeeei ha, sc lixjhen oknii nnoa taetti,rtebev netest yye hdtbime iy ga efrh ntsatae, feoricyadoe tetque tcm nk ee2wm a aasunosg bdtre0ritndtaehcifcveca ’e to0 swmtesisfeh”hiiaee i 3nr ntm ooi ticnaowie(n;i stgohLnns wasrm h igi tnuMoce ti dtniceian wsenimscom erhg al at rat scfimoahi ecvueenie osshcncfaine. er ,t ie ooao ihacavh dginOt2wnunrlu di oinedeheea0imnglctne wmade.wfal0es h mltrrto niOeea e6ieeab dhttcrxccsi&r)dddooneeeecs-----.
O 14 E pirations as academics. As a consequence, I was in need of a conceptual
MER framework that captures both theoretical and practical issues of reflexivity.
Ú
N
N 7 / This is what this article is about.
ME First of all, I will analyse the relevant literature in social research
U
OL methods and social theory with regard to their framing of reflexivity. Sec-
V
ondly, I will introduce Alvin Gouldner’s Reflexive Sociology as a possible
alternative to approaches that do not bridge the gap between theorising
reflexivity and reflexive academic practice. Thirdly, drawing on my own
research I will show how Gouldner’s Reflexive Sociology can evolve in prac-
tice. Some of my respondents’ narratives will serve as exemplifiers of what
Peter Sloterdijk calls modern cynicism (Sloterdijk, 1984). Finally, from the
lessons learned from empirical research on reflexivity, I will provide some
practical advice for dealing with reflexivity in qualitative educational re-
search in current contexts of marketisation in higher education.
and 2010 on the one hand and in total 70 qualitative interviews with fulltime, part time and
precariously employed academics from sociology, education and biology based at different
types of universities throughout the country, the project seeks to understand how neoliberal
discourse around academic work was implemented over time and how academics themselves
understand and negotiate their identities in current contexts.
Reflexivity: variations on a theme
When I started out doing research on academic identity and aca-
demic work I needed to define what reflexivity was about. Yet, the chal-
lenge consisted in finding a concept that not only served my theoretical or
methodological purposes, but covered all grounds. In the following I will
analyse how the relevant literature from social research methods and social
theory frames reflexivity and to what extent these concepts could be useful
for studying academic identities and academic practice.
Reflexivity and methodology
s
gi
a
From the 1990s onwards reflexivity has become a major topic in m
research methodology. This is reflected in numerous contributions to re- PÁGINA 59
stsnqstrtsaooeticiiHmlbnactehhhhieoeontuuegeysustshasaeeeeenme rdet atytwena irimwc id lc rca&pcaot&imsdoitp sotsu fnher rh nr(,oa em.ArDcrotrteSua Re eoletoseuih2mycnsklnonoiSim tjsy c v b0eeeoepoao ousinebsehecratstic0pertfitaccatte ,haass oirthal h4teteoimrl . cdrstoeelchonc eoac)toedynh Yb ,eelh,eerndiso f ords ef ses tste2rrsoe oiosfrgioth shreecore mru0e l,fe(n gi letfsse o cBo soaosg0dwslh ,e, pipietder& fsfre aggo3ieas2b i o chsopasatt’ )ywerf rtc0t,oi reMr.ile erchl s lsie ucattcsta0tdtrTchhswteahdhhihsisthcnusth c0t ntse M ihs lieetSaldme n;aeiniitt t h oetdnntools hsnDsrkug hheaorneed sfcciadulea—ttisni tt sslsioicraohtad hoeatvnfset gt swerrict n ie si elfysta ere cstioamiw o h n i,e rmhrcoqsaanqw dgyiiclecc2,uthempdnbnu eu heipityta02i csints otaentiamlp eapoyssaor s00sgrnaunieri i nurtlnl nsob7i0 tte c t tsttcca boauh Al ;o niukam8stu iyt lislsw pe hentVynstn;ai sri ach ei yn(st serottuiDo tooR inhni en eoih ngr(swjvcnrrfraynidBteart c e kerceeooe saarcakllatr i aas asee anr nfh—tyso aiimesrl vptifndntsemd hioreveialiieo&ro sgeeeoelneuioanlrativcat - mxmnwenct hacs&wiu ec cnhiGth &,tmovetamsues ir h, to itLio etfe l2isorcttaarel2Bt hdate filimeye0o oetodtvlau0nunes ayd ruil0imt nn eoal ie,e0lgntsh ,nrabla 2nsida na r fter8gontit nw oeel;he,lcr slihep) ios aodcfdtf.si aeDsue2xtetll hfotan, eaa loleYtil n0iy reyevrltmhoxnc 2rrece c e atin0i ,meaieorenti0dotos vrfneaec62yf,ss eolnse 0ud olhelrdv 0)he awl opei1rc.eioxs,e nrwo sx0riei sh)voeitsph mlWc . ivIfse3vle oavepsthhh y iieeaba;lerpetpyfdr hhsoi ml eyn rnepn Meoytaa.aoctw( ms sdtt trhArcnbhitWtfoeewiroaso thaeespeleldsatcuiecsevuilnse ihigurhbi rse tttesr ono e ce hhhueaoea aisis&illnnhdnaysssst---------f D . a ilemasyDesafíoseninvestigacióncualitativaeneDucaciónlgunasrespuestasDesDelainvestigación Reflexivity in Qualitative Social Research: Bridging the Gap between Theory and Practice with Alvin Gouldner’s Reflexive Sociology
searcher as writer. The increase in publications on researchers and their
(auto)biographies, as well as the more frequent employment of auto-bio-
graphic modes of writing, can be seen as a result of the reflexive turn. With
regard to autobiographical writing, sociologists have been trying to make
sense of academic activity from different perspectives, focusing on sociol-
ogists and their autobiographical accounts in particular countries —mostly
the US (Berger, 1990; Glassner & Hertz, 2003)— and specific periods of
time, such as the development of sociology after WWII (Fleck, 1996), the
processes of becoming a sociologist during 1968 and sociological activity
at the time (Sica & Turner, 2005). Whilst some of these contributions relate
the actor and her work to a specific period of time and space (Fleck, 1996;
Sica & Turner, 2005), more often than not, autobiographical collections on
academics —in this case, sociologists— do not add much to a thorough
analysis of academic activity and the development of social thought and
practice. Autobiographies frequently do not go beyond a narcisstically-
motivated analysis of one’s own work, and remain limited in their outlook.
Being a prototype of this kind, Homans notes in the preface to his book
Coming to my senses. The autobiography of a sociologist that one of the
reasons why he wrote his autobiography is that “[…] I enjoy writing, espe-
cially about my favorite subject, myself” (Homans, 1984).
Within the context of methodological changes, autobiographical
writing has experienced a revival and can be considered as another dimen-
sion through which we can observe rising sensitivity for reflexivity issues
(Cosslett, Lury & Summerfield, 2000; Stanley, 1992). Autobiographies or
autobiographical writing seem to be a first step towards acknowledg-
ing the intertwining of history and our lives, and therefore our research
agendas, rather than seeing academic work as an ahistorical endeavour. It
means that the theories we produce are an outcome of our social lives and
gis political contexts, and are directly shaped by them. Yet, hardly ever can it
ma be seen what kind of substantive sociological insight an increased process
PÁGINA 60 of undressing one’s inner feelings about one’s research and the connec-
D . a ilemasyDesafíoseninvestigacióncualitativaeneDucaciónlgunasrespuestasDesDelainvestigación DICIÓN ESPECIAL / JULIO-DICIEMBRE DE 2014 / ISSN 2027-1174 / BOGOTÁ-COLOMBIA / Página 55-68 tberaaRcottsuHohehhitorcxnfiloeeorsoea aecpncuin wsf cvg onrrotocm lheeeeri uteemtscerfoaesmunvIetlsxilnss deo’eearictois pit exoa srlthv—ioano,toii esbn oavahicneg.Bsrlti n n naeae te’Byofpysaiy ods ro so uonof h ysabtemrpoiurp hndti snmidpsrelrot see loodh taoit n girceshhajbci eb wteierusop.aeiei yaeac atu’i li Ar cspantintldlf ews l wihugfhygditmwlcatmean hhey,oieetl avas cei rernefacIi avst tao odennahdm iimhwnnoxurru ls il yttsegonilt,atoii.otie nflhho uslwolinoni nmaPte esnngoedrrsh sias m eotapilyi fieatlvf ds rotefitro tetacreo eoeccht aerultil hnsyo.t syie cts vuea eB Ihn adsmectpfnnaro fde aoa slstreyhi ur ec.rosnao aso oruirsmktcesdmFcidliwieliieen ooatenoitide cseyg dhnradnrs t ru asie piois eeBisonm nimo r usfso(f iaaa 1l fnte etteuit nnoch9 chs shsxfrhtddfe ’9 oeodiise stivc 3ss srch1i eiae—es c eot)i9eweiso.e uuy tc mapc6sl li,loiqfonott ehi0 rosrutusag ntaaske etwrnyeti sst,hmacl(h iisd fBnaodlaat-tab p hno aitlneato ase tan aur spcasnmensst lar akuey n d cadlseehasocrya t ies,it o aesffnn erhu sr iavunets cgoawoielhb ,tfdotm c d lrFehh1ee-nirefroo oe9o eaixoevsnhlldrttiu8eooonmvadhhe ag8icgcgleeetliillidhhn)cyyyys-rrr.
O 14 E this also seems to be at odds with Bourdieu’s mission to prevent the sociol-
MER ogy of sociology from becoming an end in itself (Adkins, 2003).
Ú
N
N 7 / Moving to the UK, I would like to shed light on the work of An-
ME thony Giddens and Margaret Archer in its potential suitability as theoretical
U
OL frameworks for my endeavours. Giddens’ intellectual efforts concerning
V
reflexivity culminated in publications such as Reflexive Modernisation to-
gether with Ulrich Beck and Scott Lash in the 1990s (Beck, Giddens & Lash,
1994). Within this triad of “reflexive sociologists”, his notion of reflexive
modernisation became a vanguard for social theory in the 1990s. Yet, the
foundations for this were set much earlier in New Rules of Sociological
Method (Giddens, 1976). Whereas reflexivity existed in pre-modern times,
modernity can be characterised as a period where reflection reaches a full
level, as reflection also includes the level of reflection itself. In this sense,
Giddens uses the words reflection and reflexivity in an interchangeable
manner4. According to Giddens, thought and action are thereby always
related back to each other with reflexivity being a defining characteristic of
all human action and as a condition of modernity (Giddens, 1990). Within
that, sociology would take a “pivotal position” that derives “from its role as
the most generalised type of reflection upon modern social life” (Giddens,
1990, p. 41). As O’Brien counters, the different ways in which reflexiv-
4 In contrast to Giddens, Gouldner only employs the notion of reflexivity.
ity is used in Giddens’ work give rise to questions dimension of reflexivity, yet not relating this back to
about the relationship between reflexivity, rationality academic practice or approaches that are mostly con-
and agency. Mouzelis (1999) conceives Giddens’ no- cerned with reflexivity as a methodological issue, leav-
tion of reflexivity as “over activistic”, suggesting that ing aside a more holistic understanding of the role of
subjects would constantly find themselves in “means- the academic that connects scholarly, personal and
ends situations”, making decisions” (p. 85). Giddens political dimensions. Alvin Gouldner, who was trained
seems to see reflexivity as a consequence of the times at Columbia University and supervised by Robert Mer-
we live in, rather than as a conscious process that we ton, spent the first half of his career occupied with
need to seek to engage in. Taking this further for our professional sociology, before devoting himself to the
investigations into the self-understanding of academ- sociology of knowledge and an analysis of his own
ics and their work, in a Giddensian world unreflexive discipline (Calhoun & VanAntwerpen, 2007; Chriss,
academics would be a logical impossibility. 1999). Critiquing Parsonian Functionalism, Gouldner gis
a
With reflexivity being considered a default mode exposed value-free sociology as a myth and argued m
of being human, Margret Archer’s preoccupation that in at least three areas —the selection of problems, PÁGINA 61
wcnobFiafcirdupnvleiaogpsireeeiaiftsatsetrexcteefteye hc weientdr aAvi ti rrnndoco eirre urctStacye ff ncehwenebr ih lfTttacshnan o eirsohslcyeb,shcsiencce. mht w er o iAtiesaoaxehsartdameThtran a ti drul m revth(r ewriGc vpiune2riocditaiceahsetse hmriioec0us uh n ydcseero eetenlt 0guhgsasrdticouxfyr ncvha e 3thm oaefedpr wireol etmn)ar eifnsfeneei,sr aca,tuhogc t fds vsehielnarstrslet mlnao.eeistuu eeedoin rtootv: fnlIxerdroifccio indp oi eau iol ai.todtrveepi o rntyrunetnahuIaaiotxi usn,ut ocfyr la r egi ybirol ttert asvatnec ri ehhieaeyltf isioa tex atns int.nlie isnvn siyebmytvnadv Tcb e t e lvpidte w(efadh ystiershpe wstio ei ek ri ntweho. ste(otassgli wa aAhtsgeno9 utiugehriynm.s c)a gggerngle ee .rdcheBc tleoet hryaeinio tch ealuael n tfamhcacoe im t esimlw ortoaiysoewsferis e , nomsp,envta s djr ha uafownd Aateln2s auinierrss oc l fs,rr0uhutyotarh slh hecn teht dc0iwains hhmchpe cxpoutut3e ha edleieuritlcmsoven;mabet hr rh r eidc pfs a eg2etbber dlt peetyeirtee ao0ry adwehesi atxcof srt t0aht, iivtlooitehns ivp eirc7noaeehneointuegaxaltsldnoi)gneeyst-----rr-.l topmstvnffmesiLsbooGhphnorhhocoeirffiiueeeookomsg—aur riercc srrcsse au muti d tiis s iwen, kloohpwutt lor y Ciodr ii nsRellmor(ao noantooapF.vGcenosebawl ryrnaroegg arafeWekgfwoiec yoel rnrrkl iayr owunewsut drf,’ltrsi rvaltee esnGxncmehlicyeoo aigdv sniosdtg shniedovR lasushshnesucnagd eeoo ueill n teeouoaanaedce icorfc plsSrtsn tedsneMuyl dt i,ft er l ooa e pw sicdniarf atfxnoi1tf idorcshotslce ecl iiaea ec9liuun vnrttoenstor-rslr thhlu7era ie,ag eovnsec lic sd—oee vtnl3nttese G lsa eSheeie ossge,tasccrtlolo oocas hs s utvxooviyopia ou haictauueepso:tmrmw ftn.iiut nee slstero i nodstdsfd eemsidpov4hli liaoinltodaxnas ehd auy8pahcfepseibrgens, yse sl5ttre elsorooda lpsyty sa e—)tw diiuii l c w.snochnnti pau p;atuitr ot t(oiggS onoi rnialrsiGbtghcsrtsecole dhr ioloa ogueaevsocsldBgwga edltgoes, yoctev u ornr a e hos(irtayis-enalmdGinuli sitscdt aniulsgvmdeeitu eirtta ovtnssiplayadrpmihtddaeylertt.uu enlltyi .eieeitsiei eiso rlWs cn dtn. gaid,hTdttuiw hmatn so ehgdahnha rht t1ua vminae r hpipeeyet9tafobadoptl he o erl paot7ol inj,bpifecua c enrc te 0flcsm1ore grairoeca dgnoo5h)osgs9irtotn.-g.noa o necio nsfa7oonitlcgkFiren H ciaien0hencodneootoo saat’igo)aeeessssst----rff.ll D . a ilemasyDesafíoseninvestigacióncualitativaeneDucaciónlgunasrespuestasDesDelainvestigación Reflexivity in Qualitative Social Research: Bridging the Gap between Theory and Practice with Alvin Gouldner’s Reflexive Sociology
what we are interested in, namely academic activity,
is the meta-reflexive (Archer, 2007). Yet, a possible [It] is characterized, rather, by the relationship it es-
challenge of applying Archer’s and Giddens’ notion of tablishes between being a sociologist and being a
reflexivity to a qualitative research project that aims person, between the role and the man performing
to relate academics’ academic practice back to their it. A Reflexive Sociology embodies a critique of the
reflexive aspirations consists in the fact that their no- conventional conception of segregated scholarly
tions of reflexivity do not specify what reflexivity really roles and has a vision of an alternative. It aims at
involves and, in the case of Archer, what the conse- transforming the sociologist’s relation to his work
quences of not having an internal conversation are. (Gouldner, 1970, p. 495).
Alvin Gouldner’s Reflexive Sociology as a
panacea for one-dimensional approaches
to reflexivity 5 IItt iiss iimmppoorrttaanntt ttoo nnoottee tthhaatt jjuusstt aass bbeeiinngg rreefflleexxiivvee ddooeess nnoott nneecc--
essarily imply having a critical agenda in mind, not all claims of
In the following, I will discuss Alvin Gouldner’s critique are necessarily based on reflexivity. For Gouldner, however,
reflexivity and critique need to be thought of together, and only
Reflexive Sociology as possible panacea for approach-
in this togetherness can they qualify for being labelled as reflexive
es to reflexivity that either deal with a theoretical sociological activity.
Coming from Marxist social theory himself, methodology literature. What comes closest to what
Gouldner accomplished this in his analysis of the grow- I have just outlined is Alvesson’s & Skoeldberg’s Re-
ing convergence between Marxism and Functionalism. flexive Methodology (2000). Alvesson and Skoeldberg
He accused Marxist sociologists of being in a static re- argue that the often technical use of qualitative meth-
lationship with their theory, of not living up to their ods indicates that qualitative work becomes a process
strong theoretical claims of critique and not question- that is disentangled from the theories previously used.
ing the foundations of their thought (Gouldner, 1970). The focus on “data collection and processing” in most
In this respect, even the most critical and reflexive in- qualitative methodological theories would be unre-
tellectual approaches should not be exempted from a flective. Instead, they suggest that a fundamentally
critical analysis as to whether their “practitioners” in hermeneutic element should permeate the research
the university live up to their critical intentions. Taking process at all stages. Hence, interpretation rather than
gis this further to our purposes of qualitative research in the representation of reality on the basis of collected
ma education, it becomes clear that Gouldner asks for an data should become the central element.
PÁGINA 62 approach to reflexivity in which reflexive aspirations
D . a ilemasyDesafíoseninvestigacióncualitativaeneDucaciónlgunasrespuestasDesDelainvestigación DICIÓN ESPECIAL / JULIO-DICIEMBRE DE 2014 / ISSN 2027-1174 / BOGOTÁ-COLOMBIA / Página 55-68 cditsiacswptRtpbntrhioeaanieeovyeaorgaln le mtifsnd srr ctew- sakis irteiaimpisIbnlehdc be lataiaIi eqseiesinlnptrcpnenre teu net la ecrcahidsrdsid tcalrmotherhtele aiyicychnlldvalaei etf ohtdeneido-riu imso lcc uo tfioti cgaefhnnohaa nrmegfn.t e c nsleed daoleiad.ctoaGoc re idncoo ssacewrsdrGo uad peualausfwe uioctr tldenrnip ciotatllaiuncatdighealtonemtaaahln n,ebisdmridbr lon d.ir elenrIt tileenr v Wnerei hieeo pb’wiaicfg gtsetrfonyrlhsa o ’al oa seauor c taonrb cu wixosndtmtof trm lih n d dviiimnttctdyteaihhta eoh ta egrcaptleeyjr liooxaesr knk upecttdr needaodrersa of spepe a6tilqncn mtte.miwpcoGroho udsxterseen i oiaiiiodedcvncsnd sluassiolaefog sity r locsrlloyid e iuaochcfso affnq uittn r o nrfnirieuistie oo tre ndhrsrei qfonnsqe’ tl anscueeofs hfpu tr t tlaaxw oie oewoatireligvx wiiltoc ctmchiia iiathtaartva iiiphklyss------Ill Irhctpimicadooictnntnehlueanfaerdsuftry eiletsponfoeooo vds sellbrtnpirnelrefiieeosvmn o raylemeo wtfixgIvgncment. noafr ikahi i w ec etvsSieogtiteititadlishon oih tnrywhrsplt cuoeen t mec ebyooiea hu ihs a rewronr netslonfeenirviifu nodtsogeewlddoidptaee l esnr ulr lw it ewesepoaonen.itl.co o e,wohhft cOsh oc T pny nitawdbtioistnha lnsnhhd hueedInhhfle mgtesee firehves iodoo i wpnmr neais meIgras ocsa trdgae wno huesfisws nhb irathsk stdaacai!twaoe teteaasyenh s intuldol rr sidedwi:ateedaamlt nchd vm y(dmn esttaaem. ra deoe .peiftn la lcidnht al Wokerd Ihehth n ekdeot ttrm osteaai i ih drhthsoiwhnvtbt mhyecosoheooeatl mo kec nii epnvIdaneus udm ea, clwpsfoio r me orncpatrsaotmesohltertisea erocc aemluees eeroonrilrpo g ksli inoatdtvwsbmenodhairein k edec enaettee d t maiwha asstdnsooa wp bate le,sre ntt a)id ooehhhtunlt iinehitnhnnuaaaritsidndeestt------tt
O 14 E regard to reflexivity. In my qualitative research projects academic work and their discipline with me and ad-
MER in educational research in and around the university mitted to finding themselves in a crisis with academic
Ú
N
N 7 / I have been applying Gouldner’s Reflexive Sociology work more generally. Whenever academics replied to
ME and translated it into my research methodology. I will my emails negatively, they always gave a detailed ac-
U
OL discuss a variety of reflexivity issues that came up in count of why they thought of themselves as not being
V
the course of interviewing academics about their self- the right person for my interviews.
understanding and their academic work both in the UK Some respondents were more articulate than
and in Chile. Finally, I will demonstrate how my own others. One could tell from their narratives and how
positioning as a researcher impacted on my research. they presented their reflections whether they had
In both projects, the construction of semi-struc- thought about questions in relation to their lives as
tured interview schedules was informed by my theo- academics before. One of the biggest surprises was
retical framework. However, as Gouldner himself did that in contrast to what I had expected, most respon-
not have anything to say about “research methods’, dents did not end up in a meta-discourse on their dis-
the methodology-oriented reader may wish to gain cipline. Rather, they provided a very personal approach
some more specific information as to how this ap- to their work and subject area. This started with their
proach could be phrased within the genre of research telling me how they came to the discipline. The per-
sonal dimension became even more evident when I
asked them what led them to work in their particular
6 WWiitthh MMiicchhaaeell BBuurraawwooyy’’ss 22000044 PPrreessiiddeennttiiaall AAddddrreessss ttoo tthhee AAmmeerrii-- research area. This resonated with Liz Stanley’s and
can Sociological Association ‘For Public Sociology’, we encounter Sue Wise’s argument of the Self affecting every aspect
a more current engagement with the ideas of Alvin Gouldner and
of research —from the choice of project to the presen-
their relevance to academic life and in particular sociologists in cur-
rent times (Burawoy, 2005). tation of findings (Stanley & Wise, 1993) .
Respondents said that they don’t mind my recording the interview;
they asked whether I had double-checked that the voice recorder was
working, on this occasion recounting a little anecdote about their own em-
pirical research. They asked whether I would like to have a drink and which
chair I would like to sit on. I could sit on this chair, one of my respondents
told me whilst pointing to the chair and explaining that we would then sit
on equal levels. It was evident that we had a lot in common. Indeed, it was
academics talking, them telling me a story and me on the other hand ask-
ing and listening. This was when it was crystal-clear that my counterpart
was a social scientist like myself, well aware of the interview situation and
all of its implications (Mauthner & Doucet, 2003).
Having said that, this apparent reflexivity with regard to the inter- gis
a
view situation was hardly ever present throughout the entire interview. m
As much as they were wary of my being the interviewer and their being PÁGINA 63
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and personal spheres that form a comprehensive basis against which em-
pirical data can be understood.
In my past and current research into the self-understanding of aca-
demics in the UK and in Chile I have been aiming to go beyond a mere
illustration of academics’ intersecting biographies, research agendas and
general complaints about academia. Rather, leading academics’ narratives
about their practices back to their initial disciplinary aspirations, I wanted
to make academics accountable both to their own claims as well as to
what they consider to be the vocational calling of being an academic. By
and large, my respondents reflected on their own difficulties of living and
practising one’s academic ideals in a global environment of higher educa-
tion that is driven by publication output as a commodity, quality assur-
ance, league tables and external funding (Sachs, 2001). Some respondents
admitted that academics themselves are complicit in undermining critique
in the university.
In the following, I would like to illustrate these tensions between the-
ory and practice with two selected quotes from my research. Reluctance