Doing collective biography differently by incorporating methods of narrative inquiry, poetic inquiry and performance studies into the analysis of writings-as-data

Abstract

This article reports on methods used to analyse creative writings as data in a collective biography research project undertaken by eight academics. All of us bear broadly feminist and/or queer outlooks, and all experience deep dissatisfaction with neoliberalism’s deepening on academia. We came together to witness shared struggles and imagine things otherwise. As outlined in Doing Collective Biography (Davies & Gannon 2006), collective biographers respond to themed writing prompts in a group workshop setting. The writings become data that the team analyses to generate, enrich and transform knowledges around the research theme. We followed these processes, but did collective biography differently by additionally incorporating analysis methods of narrative inquiry, poetic inquiry and performance studies. This article discusses the benefits and challenges these methods offered. Our objective is to share our learning with other researchers interested in pursuing similar projects.