have you come across interpretative phenomenological analysis which has a commitment to the idiographic analysis of each case?

smith, flowers, larkin (2009) interpretative phenomenological analysis. sage.

jonathan

TRy Phenomenology and sociology: http://dlx.b-ok.org/genesis/1041000/6240fb39d6822e2a677f67be7560b42e/_as/[George_Psathas]_Phenomenology_and_Sociology_Theo(bookos-z1.org).pdf

have you come across interpretative phenomenological analysis which has a commitment to the idiographic analysis of each case?

smith, flowers, larkin (2009) interpretative phenomenological analysis. sage.

jonathan

maybe phenomenology-based ethnography could be of interest to you (they don't use the term case study, but it pretty much fits the frame)

- there was a special issue in the journal of contemporary ethnography. Especially the paper by Anne Honer and Ronald Hitzler is worth a read.

the issue is here:

http://journals.sagepub.com/toc/jcec/44/5

https://www.inderscienceonline.com/doi/abs/10.1504/IJSTM.2013.054203

I agree with Professor Smith that IPA is well suited to give the depth you will be pursuing in a single case study in phenomenology. In addition to the reference he has given, and he is in the author stable if you noticed, he has co-authored a brilliant paper on a single case study with Eatough & Smith(2006) and of course many others.I`d have a look.Sage Publishing is also well regarded.

Thank you all for your valuable contributions as it's been quite helpful. I do have IPA in mind, but my study is not explicitly about the lived experiences of participants ( although that too is the part of the study), but rather how participants understand the phenomenon and construct it based on that very understanding which could in its own be a product of their lived experiences. I am using an interpretive/constructivist paradigm and to a certain extent, phenomenology ( IPA) to delve deeper into where this understanding of a phenomenon comes from. I guess IPA and constructivist paradigm are not mutually exclusive. I need to be clear about this as I enter the analytical phase. Any thoughts?

Hi Lela,

it seems entirely legitimate to argue for your chosen methodology within the frame of a case. A lot of people refer to Yin when thinking about case study, but I think Thomas' various explanations might be more helpful for you from an interpretive perspective.

Ragin and Becker may help you articulate the relationship between the case study frame and the analytical methods you choose to handle the data within it.

I always think the Tsoukas paper is useful when thinking about case study, especially when you're coming from an interpretive mindset.

Hope that helps.

Refs:

Ragin, C. C. and Becker, H. S. (1992) What is a case? Exploring the

foundations of social inquiry. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ Pr.

Thomas, G. (2010) ‘Doing case study: Abduction not induction, phronesis

not theory’, Qualitative inquiry, 16(7), pp. 575–582.

Thomas, G. (2011) ‘The case: generalisation, theory and phronesis in case

study’, Oxford Review of Education, 37(1), pp. 21–35.

Thomas, G. (2015) How to do your case study. London: Sage.

Tsoukas, H. (1989) ‘The Validity of Idiographic Research Explanations’,

The Academy of Management Review, 14(4), pp. 551–561.

Yin, R. K. (2009) Case Study Research: Design and Methods. 4th edn.

London: Sage Publications Ltd.

My MPhil looked at the phenomenon of a music therapy 'trio', of child, parent and therapist (within a particularly healthcare context). It was informed by IPA, although I was particularly interested in getting to the phenomenon, perhaps via the experiences of those in it. Happy to share if that's helpful.

Hi Lela,

I published a pluralistic case study in Omega: Journal of Death and Dying last year (co-authored with Adrian Coyle), in which we used a phenomenological and a constructionist approach to the analysis.

Article “I thought they should know… that daddy is not completely go...

http://eprints.kingston.ac.uk/31290/1/Coyle-A-31290.pdf

For an excellent justification of case study research, see:

Flyvbjerg, B. (2006). Five misunderstandings about case-study research. Qualitative Inquiry, 12, 219-245.

Hope this helps.

Kind regards,

Edith

Hi Lela,

Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis can be a good way to go.

*(BEST OVERVIEW AND DESCRIPTION) Smith, J.A., Larkin, M. & Flowers, P. 2009, Interpretative phenomenological analysis: Theory, method and research, Sage, London.

*Holroyd, A.E.M. 2007, 'Interpretive hermeneutic phenomenology: Clarifying understanding', Indo-Pacific Journal of Phenomenology, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 1-12.

*Larkin, M., Watts, S. & Clifton, E. 2006, 'Giving voice and making sense in interpretative phenomenological analysis', Qualitative Research in Psychology, vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 102-20.

*Osborn, M. & Smith, J.A. 1998, 'The personal experience of chronic benign lower back pain: An interpretative phenomenological analysis', British Journal of Health Psychology, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 65-83.

*Smith, J.A. & Osborn, M. 2003, 'Interpretative phenomenological analysis', in J.A. Smith (ed.), Qualitative psychology: A practical guide to research methods, Sage, London, pp. 51-80.

*Smith, J.A. & Osborn, M. 2014, 'Interpretative phenomenological analysis as a useful methodology for research on the lived experience of pain', British Journal of Pain, pp. 1-2.

*Smith, J.A. 2004, 'Reflecting on the development of interpretative phenomenological analysis and its contribution to qualitative research in psychology', Qualitative Research in Psychology, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 39-54.