Hermeneutic Phenomenology in Health and Social Care Research

250 Pages·2022·7.464 MB·English

by  Susan Crowther, Gill Thomson

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Edited by Susan Crowther and Gill Thomson
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Hermeneutic Phenomenology in
Health and Social Care Research
This book explores how, why and when hermeneutic phenomenology can be used
as a methodology in health and social research.
Providing actual examples of doing robust hermeneutic phenomenology and a
focus on praxis, the book demonstrates how philosophical or theoretical notions
can inform, enrich and enhance our research projects. The chapters offer exam-
ples of many different research designs and interpretive decisions in order to
illustrate the unbounded and creative nature of this type of inquiry, whilst also
demonstrating the trustworthiness of the scientific processes adopted. The chap-
ter authors invite the reader on a unique journey that highlights how they made
individual and tailored decisions throughout their projects, emphasising the chal-
lenges and joys they encountered.
This book is a valuable resource for all students and academics who wish to
explore the meaningfulness of human lived experiences across the multitude of
phenomena in health and social care.
Susan Crowther is a Professor of midwifery at Auckland University of Technol-
ogy in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Her research interests are mainly focused on mid-
wifery, maternity and women’s health, although she explores myriad topics with
postgraduate students from a variety of disciplines/professions. She has published
two books: “Joy at birth” (sole author), “Spirituality and Childbirth” with co-
editor Dr. Jenny Hall and another book coming in 2022: “Mindfulness across
the childbirth sphere” with co-editor Dr. Lorna Davies. Susan is a mem-
ber of three editorial boards, sits on review panels and enjoys supervising
postgraduate degrees. Contacts/links: E. [email protected] – Twitter:
@SusanCrowtherMW – Blog/webpage: https://drsusancrowther.com/.
Gill Thomson is a Professor in Perinatal Health at the University of Central
Lancashire in North-West, U.K. Gill’s research interests centre around perina-
tal health and wellbeing and lay/peer support models of care. Gill’s used herme-
neutic phenomenology in her Ph.D., she supervises Ph.D. students using this
approach, and she co-facilitates the annual hermeneutic phenomenology meth-
odology course with Susan. Gill has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publica-
tions and is the lead editor of two Routledge texts (Qualitative research in childbirth
and midwifery: Phenomenological approaches (2011), and Psychosocial resilience and
risk in the perinatal period: Implications and guidance for professionals (2017)). Gill
is an editorial member of two journals and a steering group member of SCENE
(SCENE | SCENE (utu.fi) – an international network dedicated to improving
neonatal care. Contacts/links: Email – [email protected]; Twitter @gill_
thomson; Webpage – Gill Thomson – UCLan.
Hermeneutic Phenomenology
in Health and Social Care
Research
Edited by Susan Crowther
and Gill Thomson
First published 2023
by Routledge
4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2023 selection and editorial matter, Susan Crowther and Gill
Thomson; individual chapters, the contributors
The right of Susan Crowther and Gill Thomson to be identified as the
authors of the editorial material, and of the authors for their individual
chapters, has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the
Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced
or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means,
now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording,
or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in
writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or
registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation
without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A catalog record has been requested for this book
ISBN: 978-0-367-53379-3 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-032-28582-5 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-08166-1 (ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/9781003081661
Typeset in Goudy
by KnowledgeWorks Global Ltd.
To all scholarship past, present and future that
seeks to reveal what it means to be alive. To
all our colleagues who came before who shared
their wisdom and vision – we acknowledge
we stand upon the shoulders of giants as we
reach out for further understanding about the
experience of being human. As we all walk
our paths, we acknowledge that the way is
decorated and illuminated by the lessons and
teachings of the past; and as we think, write
and encourage ourselves and others, we are
reminded that we are the inspiration that
we have been waiting for.

Contents
List of Figures ix
List of Tables x
List of Contributors xi
Foreword by Christine Dinkins xiv
Acknowledgements xvii
1 Introduction: Situating hermeneutic phenomenology as
research method in health, social care and education 1
SUSAN CROWTHER AND GILL THOMSON
2 Nurturing a spirit of attuning-to 21
LIZ SMYTHE AND DEB SPENCE
3 Using poetry to illuminate the lived accounts of Juvenile
Dermatomyositis in children and young people 37
POLLY LIVERMORE
4 Revealing experiences of sexuality and intimacy in
life-limiting illness using Heidegger’s phenomenology 54
BRIDGET TAYLOR
5 ‘Distracted by, and immersed in the talk of others’:
Expectations and experiences of childbirth in the
framework of the “They” 73
LESLEY KAY
6 Seeking Heidegger in research data: Thinking about
connections between philosophy and findings 92
LESLEY DIBLEY
viii Contents
7 Embodied hermeneutic phenomenology: Bringing the lived
body into health professions education research 110
HELEN F. HARRISON AND ELIZABETH ANNE KINSELLA
8 Dwelling in the fourfold: My way of being-in-the-world
of Heidegger 132
MARGOT SOLOMON
9 Working with phenomenon: Just keep swimming 148
CHRISTINE EDWARDS
10 Being an educator as “having-been” 167
JOSHUA SPIER
11 Straddling paradigms: A hermeneutic phenomenological
exploration of the experience of midwives practising
homeopathy 180
JEAN DUCKWORTH
12 Inseeing to the heart of the matter 196
KENT SMITH
13 Attuning to trustworthiness and final reflections 213
GILL THOMSON AND SUSAN CROWTHER
Index 228
Figures
1.1 Definitions of Methods and Methodology 8
1.2 Three Levels 14
1.3 Circular Repetition of the Interpretive Process 15
4.1 The Iterative Process of Hermeneutic Understanding 59
7.1 Helen’s Auto/Body Map – Educator Strengths: Loving Gaze
and Heart 119
7.2 Body Map of Participant Co-Researcher “James” 121
7.3 Photograph of Colour-Coded Mind Map Themes by Helen &
Participant Co-Researcher Sophie 124
8.1 The Thing and the Fourfold 135
8.2 The Phenomenon, Teaching and Learning as Relating 138
9.1 My Journey of Re-covering Meaning 150
9.2 Drawing to Express the Emergent Theme Safe at Home 158
9.3 Drawing to Express the Emergent Theme Care Full Mattering 159
11.1 Analysis of Data 186
11.2 Themes 187