Writing in Ethnographic and Auto/biographical Approaches: Old and New Challenges

94 Re is a de In es igación Uni e sidad Tecnológica de Pe ei a mi adas W i ing in E hnog aphic and Au o/biog aphical App oaches: Old and New Challenges José González Mon eagudo1 González, M. José. mi adas N°11 – 2013. ISSN: 0122 994X. Págs 94-102 Recepción: Mayo 27 de 2013 Ap obación: No iemb e 16 de 2013 Abs ac In his pape I conside he impo ance o w i ing in quali a i e app oaches, pa icula ly in E hnog aphy, as well as he implica ions o he c isis o e hnog aphic ep esen a ion in ela ion o au o/biog aphical app oaches. My pape has abo e all an explo a o y dimension. I in end o e iew some ele an and ecen publica ions in social sciences ZLWKDVSHFL¿FIRFXVRQHWKQRJUDSKLFDSSURDFKHVERWKLQ6RFLRORJ DQG$QWKURSRORJ  LQRUGHUWRUHÀHFWRQGLVFRXUVHUKHWRULFYRLFHDXGLHQFHDQGZULWLQJWRSURPRWH DPRUHFULWLFDOUHDGLQJDQGZULWLQJRITXDOLWDWLYHUHVHDUFKLQFOXGLQJHWKQRJUDSKLHVDQG OLIHKLVWRULHVDQGWRH[DPLQHWKHFRPSOH[LQWHUVHFWLRQEHWZHHQZULWLQJDQGUHDGLQJLQ quali a i e esea ch. I is e iden ha “e hnog aphe s, like many con empo a y schola s, ha e become inc easingly p eoccupied wi h he na u e and consequences o hei ex ual SUDFWLFHV´$WNLQVRQ 7KLVSDSHUKDVWKUHHVHFWLRQV)LUWVO ,FRPPHQWEULHÀ WKHZULWLQJTXHVWLRQLQREMHFWLYLVW pa adigms and I p esen some a gumen s on he c isis o ep esen a ion and he linguis ic DQGOLWHUDU WXUQLQVRFLDOVFLHQFHVDQGPRUHVSHFL¿FDOO LQHWKQRJUDSK 6HFRQGO , discuss on sel , oice, and audience wi hin he con ex o academic and esea ch w i ing. Finally, I discuss he implica ions o he pape o p omo ing a mo e dialogic, p oblema ic, FRPSOH[UHVHDUFKDQGWHDFKLQJEDVHGRQDXWRELRJUDSKLFDODSSURDFKHV Key Wo ds: Resea ch W i ing, Au o/biog aphical App oaches, Na a i e Tu n, Voice, Audience. 1'RFWRUHQ3HGDJRJ D3URIHVRU7LWXODUGHOD)DFXOWDGGH(GXFDFLyQ8QLYHUVLGDGGH6HYLOOD(VSDxDPRQWHDJX#XVHV José González Mon eagudo Re is a de In es igación Uni e sidad Tecnológica de Pe ei a mi adas 95 In oduc ion This pape is se wi hin he he meneu ics, pos s uc u alis , eminis and pos mode n ends, which ha e been con ibu ying du ing he las 20 yea s o aise he sel -consciousness o he unc ion o ep esen a ion and w i en ex ( he mo e seminal and pionnee ing an h opological wo ks on his ques ion we e published by Cli o d Gee z in 1988, and by James &OLIIRUGDQG*HRUJH0DUFXVLQVHH *HHUW]  &OLIIRUG  0DUFXV  As Van Manen said, we need a deep explo a ion o w i ing epis emology and SHGDJRJ 9DQ0DQHQFK,ZDQW o make i clea ha I e use ealis and neo- ealis app oaches in social sciences, bu also he opposi e end, consis ing in a adical and exclusi e ex ualis pe spec i e. The e o e, I hink ha he social wo ld has D VLJQL¿FDQFH WKDW WUDQVFHQGV LWV WH[WXDO inc ip ion, ansc ip ion o desc ip ion. ³7KH VRFLDO ZRUOG LV QRW FRQ¿QHG WR WKH ex s ha pu po o desc ibe i , and he wo should no be con used… I was w ong o celeb a e science and igno e he o ic. I is equally w ong simply o e e se he HPSKDVLV´$WNLQVRQ,VHHN o anscend he esea che ´s oles as a “ca og aphe o domina ion” ( he a ogan and au ho i a ian discou se o con en ional VRFLDOVFLHQFHVDVZHOODVD³FRVPRJUDSKHU o ennui” ( he adical pos mode nis GLVFRXUVHRIK SHUWH[WXDOLVP5LFKDUGVRQ  In my pape I eso o equen ci a ions and e e ences o ele an li e a u e. My con ibu ion is bo h a e iew o he s a e RIWKHDUWDQGDUHÀHFWLRQIRUDSSO LQJWKH discussion o au o/biog aphical me hods. In o he wo ds, he aim o his pape is e y modes : o a ange he lib a y in his a ea. A he end o my pape , I su mise abou he links be ween w i ing in e hnog aphy and in au obiog aphically o ien ed esea ch and eaching. Fo me i is impo an do no o ge he eaching dimension o li e his o ies. In his sense, i may be use ul he pa allelism be ween UHVHDUFKHURUHGXFDWRUDQGSDUWLFLSDQWV o social ac o s and lea ne s. In esea ch, i is p esen an educa ional ea u e and he o he way a ound in educa ion i is p esen a esea ch ace . F om objec i ism o he c isis o ep esen a ion. )URP DQ REMHFWLYLVW DQG SRVLWLYLVW iewpoin , w i ing is me ely a neu al, impe sonal ins umen used in o de o SUHVHQWRUGLVSOD WKHUHVHDUFK¿QGLQJVDQG conclusions. In his domain, w i ing is no a p oblem. Language ‘ ep esen s’ eali y. Logical empi icism has showed a s ong in e es owa d language and linguis ic FODUL¿FDWLRQ ,Q WKLV FRQWH[W VFLHQFH KDV been unde s ood as a igo ous language, a sys em o ue empi ical p oposi ions. In his end, physicalism (see Neu a h,  DVVHUWV WKDW ³WKH GHVFULSWLYH WHUPV RI VFLHQWL¿F ODQJXDJH DUH UHGXFLEOH WR e ms wich e e o spa io empo al hings o e en s o o hei p ope ies” (Me iam- :HEVWHU¶V&ROOHJLDWH'LFWLRQDU $VLPLODU pe spec i e, al hough mo e open o c i ique, is p esen in pos posi i is pe spec i es, based on a allible ep esen a ion o eali y. Wi h he so-called c isis o ep esen a ion - a o ed by pos s uc u alis , pos mode nis , eminis and decons uc ionis app oaches- academic and esea ch w i ing (as well as WKHUHVWRIUHVHDUFKTXHVWLRQVEHFDPHDQ impo an issue. G. Ma cus and M. Fische FRLQHGWKDWH[SUHVVLRQ³WRUHIHUVSHFL¿FDOO  o he unce ain y wi hin he human sciences abou adequa e means o desc ibing social UHDOLW ´6FKZDQGWS,QWKHODVW ew yea s, some au ho s ha e s essed his c isis: in Sociology, ele an con ibu ions come om Lau el Richa dson, Susan K iege , No man Denzin, Paul A kinson, W i ing in E hnog aphic and Au o/biog aphical App oaches: Old and New Challenges 96 Re is a de In es igación Uni e sidad Tecnológica de Pe ei a mi adas DQG .HQQHWK 3OXPPHU LQ $QWKURSRORJ  i is necessa y o men ion Cli o d Gee z, Geo ge Ma cus, James Cli o d, Ha y Wolco , and F ançois Laplan ine (see: 5LFKDUGVRQ   'HQ]LQ D E $WNLQVRQ   3OXPPHU  *HHUW]  &OLIIRUG  0DUFXV  :ROFRWW  /DSODQWLQH  This new in ellec ual sensibili y sha es he main ai s o pos mode n pe spec i e: “… a adical ques ioning o he ce ain y and DXWKRULW RIVFKRODUO WH[WDUHMHFWLRQRIWKH VHDUFKIRUµWUXWK¶DQGUHDVRQDVDEVROXWHV a denial o he in ellec ual and mo al dis ance be ween he academic and his/he KXPDQµVXEMHFWV¶DVXVSLFLRQRIWKHµELJ¶ na a i es o o alizing heo y (his o ical, 0DU[LVW VRFLRORJLFDO´ $WNLQVRQ  1HYHUWKHOHVV,SURSRVHQRWWRIRUJHW he ele ance o ideology and powe as meaning ul o ces condi ioning pe sonal DQGVRFLDODFWLRQ³«7KLVDFWLYHVXEMHFW in con ol o he sel is a he same ime VXEMHFWL¿HG ZLWKLQ D QHWZRUN RI SDVWRUDO SRZHU´8VKHU%U DQW-RKQVWRQ  T adi ionally quali a i e esea ch has showed a s ong in e es owa d w i ing, bu mainly in ela ion o con en ional, o mal, p ocedu al aspec s o epo w i ing, “… IROORZLQJ D VSHFL¿HG IRUPDW VWDWHPHQW o he p oblem, concep ual amewo k, esea ch ques ions, me hodology, da a analysis, conclusions and discussion. These o ma s a e oo schema ic and FRQVWUDLQLQJ´ 0LOHV  +XEHUPDQ  ,QUHDOLW  LQERWK FRQYHQWLRQDO DQG mode nis quali a i e app oaches, “… he exe cise is simply one o p esen ing no ZULWLQJ µWKH ¿QGLQJV¶´ 3OXPPHU   Language is always ela ed o a he o ic o ep esen a ion. In o he wo ds, language and w i ing a e linked o powe , ideology, his o y, socie y, cul u e, gende , and iden i y. Language and w i ing a e no unbiased ools in social esea ch ( o an RYHUYLHZ VHH &RIIH   6FKZDQGW  5LFKDUGVRQ  )ROORZLQJ WR De ida, i is ue ha “a disclosu e o na a i e p ac ices is always a disclosu e RIIRUPVRISRZHU´5LFKDUGVRQ Ou wo k ( o example: heo y, basic and applied esea ch, eaching, p oduc ion o NQRZOHGJH DQG VR RQ LV D VLWH RI PRUDO and poli ical ac i i y, a si e o explo a ion DQGVWUXJJOH5LFKDUGVRQ  (YHQ PRUH ZULWLQJ LV UHÀHFWLYH ac i i y engaging ou physical, men al, emo ional and social being. Resea ch w i ing: sel , oice, and audience. inno a ions and al e na i es. “W i ing is he da k sec e o social VFLHQFH´ 3OXPPHU  S  W i ing is mo e han an impe sonal ool o comunica ing some hing. W i ing is a PHWKRGRILQTXLU 5LFKDUGVRQDQG a way o e ealing and p i ileging he sel . F om his pe spec i e, e hnog aphic and biog aphical me hods a e close han usually i is ecognized. Almos 20 yea s DJR 1RUPDQ 'HQ]LQ DOUHDG  LGHQWL¿HG six ques ions aised abou e hnog aphy: ³ KRZ WKHRU  VWUXFWXUHV LQTXLU   how con en ions de e mine he na a i e, ZULWWHQIRUPRIWKHHWKQRJUDSK KRZ WKHH[SHULHQFHVRIWKHVXEMHFWDUHZULWWHQ ZKHWKHUREMHFWLYLW LVSRVVLEOHKRZ JHQGHUVKDSHVWKH¿HOGH[SHULHQFHDQG how we a e o ead e hnog aphies once he KDYHEHHQZULWWHQ´'HQ]LQ The li e a y u n, p omo ed by C. Gee z, J. B une , and o he , has b oadened he ways in which some au ho s ha e concep ualized he e hnog aphic ex and has s essed he impo ance o cha ac e is ics o esea ch w i ing, cen e ed on h ee phases: he collec ion o in o ma ion, he cons uc ion o he ex , and he eading o he ex s by GLIIHULQJ DXGLHQFHV &RIIH    José González Mon eagudo Re is a de In es igación Uni e sidad Tecnológica de Pe ei a mi adas 97 As poin ed ou Cli o d and Ma cus (ci . LQ3OXPPHUWKHHWKQRJUDSKLF w i ing is de e mined con ex ually, he o ically, ins i u ionally, gene ically, poli ically, and his o ically. The adi ional au ho ship is challenged as well as he ision o he au ho as ha ing a supe io gaze o comp ehension. Fo his ask, i was pa icula ly ele an he publica ion, in 1986, o W i ing Cul u e, edi ed by &OLIIRUGDQG0DUFXVLQFRUSRUDWLQJ poe ic and poli ical iews on e hnog aphic WKHRU DQG¿HOGZRUN Feminis esea ch and epis emology KDYH EHHQ YHU  LQÀXHQWLDO LQ FRQQHFWLRQ wi h a new awa eness abou he poli ical, gende ed, emo ional dimension o w i ing DQG UHSUHVHQWDWLRQ VHH 5HLQKDU]  %XUPDQ2OHVHQRQIHPLQLVP DQGHWKQRJUDSK VHH&RIIH  on gende and li elong lea ning, see Dybb oe  2OODJQLHU  )HPLQLVP LQVLVWV RQ VXEMHFWLYLW  DQG SHUVRQDO H[SHLHQFH Reinha z emembe s ha “many eminis s KDYH ZULWWHQ WKDW µ¿QGLQJ RQH¶V YRLFH¶ LV a c ucial p ocess o esea ch and w i ing” 5HLQKDU])HPLQLVWHPSLULFLVP eminis s andpoin epis emologies and eminis pos mode nism ha e con ibu ed o a new iew abou knowledge and LGHQWLW 6FKZDQGW The ques ions conce ning he sel and pe sonal iden i y ha e been usually hidden in e hnog aphy and e en in au o/ ELRJUDSKLFDO UHVHDUFK ,Q WKH ¿HOGZRUN he esea che cons uc s and econs ucu s he o his sel , his o he pe sonal and p o essional iden i y. Ne e heless, “social science –w i es sociologis Susan K iege - is p emised on minimizing he sel , ie ing as a con aminan , anscending i , denying i , p o ec ing i s ulne abili y… we pain SLFWXUHVLQZKLFKZHKRSHQRWWRH[LVWRU i we exis ,… a e subo dina e o nea ly in isible” (S. K iege , ci . in Plumme ,   7KHUH DUH VRPH FHUWDLQ gene al s ances in he quali a i e epo , passing on he pu poses and iden i ies o UHVHDUFKHU 0LOHV DQG +XEHUPDQ  lis he ollowing pe spec i es: aes he ic, VFLHQWL¿FPRUDODFWLYLVW:ULWHUVVHHNQHZ ways o engage he eade in a symbolic con e sa ion. A way o “… es ablishing he sel o he esea che is by speaking as a pe son o he pe son o he eade ” +ROOLGD  In he las ew yea s, discussions abou gen e, oice, signa u e, au ho ship, na a i e au ho i y and audience ha e sp ead conside ably. Cli o d Gee z d aws a dis inc ion be ween signa u e and oice. He applied his concep ual ame o ou ele an an h opologis s. Signa u e is ela ed o he cons uc ion o ex ual LGHQWLW LWLVWKHZD LQZKLFKWKHIXQFWLRQ au ho becomes e iden in he ex . On i s pa , discou se supposses he de elopmen RIDVSHFL¿FZD IRUIRUPXODWLQJWKHHYHQWV in e ms o ocabula y, he o ic and pa e n RIWKHSORW*HHUW] 7KHVHDUFKRIDVXEMHFWLYHHQJDJHGYRLFH in academic w i ing is an in ellec ual and emo ional s uggle. A eminis schola ques ions: “How o communica e in e ms ha engage wi h and in e ene in academic JHQUHV ZLWKRXW IUDJPHQWLQJ REMHFWLI LQJ o disempowe ing women’s expe iences?” %XUPDQ6LPLODUTXHVWLRQVDUH made by colleagues Nod Mille and Linden Wes a he ou se o a dialogical pape p oduced by elec onic communica ion: “How can we w i e abou pe sonal expe ience in an academic con ex wi hou JHWWLQJERJJHGGRZQLQDFDGHPLFMDUJRQ" how do we a oid p e en iousness and QDUFLVVLP«"KRZGRZHGHDOZLWKZKDWLV GLI¿FXOWWRFDSWXUHLQODQJXDJH«"´0LOOHU :HVW Repo s and o he so s o academic and UHVHDUFKZULWLQJLQWHQGWRDFKLHYHVSHFL¿F W i ing in E hnog aphic and Au o/biog aphical App oaches: Old and New Challenges 98 Re is a de In es igación Uni e sidad Tecnológica de Pe ei a mi adas e ec s on selec ed and a ied audiences. “Fo whom we do w i e? Audience ma e s, because i s a s o shape he way ZH ZULWH´ 3OXPPHU   7KH eade is a co-analys , expe iencing he o iginal se ing o esea ch ica iously ) (ULFNVRQ FLW LQ 0LOHV  +XEHUPDQ   7KH SRWHQWLDO DXGLHQFH RU eade ship o esea ch w i ing consis s RI ORFDO UHVSRQGHQWV FROOHDJXHV LQ WKH VDPH¿HOGUHDGHUVRULHQWHGWRWKHDFWLRQ suchs as polcymake s, p og am ope a o s, ci il se an s, p ac i ione s, communi y OHDGHUVDQGRWKHUSURIHVVLRQDOVVWXGHQWV¶ GLVVHUWDWLRQDQGWKHVLVFRPPLWWHHIXQGHUV RI  UHVHDUFK JHQHUDO DQG PDVV UHDGHUV <LQ0LOHV+XEHUPDQ 0DUFXV&XVKPDQ  ,Q IXQFWLRQ RI UHDGHU¶V RULHQWDWLRQ LW LV SRVVLEOH WR GLVWLQJXLVK ¿YH W SHV de eade s: poin -d i en, in o ma ion- d i en, s o y-d i en, a hmosphe e-d i en, PHDQLQJGULYHQ.HQ RQ5DQGDOO  5HDGLQJ LV UHODWHG WR ZULWLQJ bo h p ocesses a e no sepa abled. We QHHGPRUHUHÀHFWLRQRQHIIHFWVRIZULWLQJ on eade s and on he way he eade is changed as a esul o w i ing ac i i y. I seems co ec o hink ha “ he na a i e is he apeu ic no only o he elle bu also IRUWKHDXGLHQFH´$WNLQVRQ6LOYHUPDQ FLW&RIIH  Conce ning he le el o di usion and esea ch use, Miles and Hube man (1994, LQGLFDWHWKHVHSRVVLELOLWLHVDZHUHQHVV ecep ion o basic message, unde s anding, accep ance, adop ion decision, u iliza ion/ implemen a ion, in eg a ion. Also i is ele an o commen he di e en a i udes o esea che conce ning his / he ole ega ding he pa icipan s. Acco ding o R. %URZQFLWLQ3OXPPHUWKHUH a e “ h ee posi ions ha he au ho assumes LQ UHODWLRQ WR WKH VXEMHFW DV VXSHULRU DV equal and as in e io ”. In he las ew yea s ha e appea ed new w i ing s a egies and gen es in e hnog aphic esea ch, paying mo e a en ion o sensi i e e en s and emo ional expe iences &RIIH    DXWRHWKQRJUDSK  e hnog aphic d ama, e hnog aphic poe y, HWKQRJUDSKLF ¿FWLRQ IRU DQ RYHUYLHZ VHH(OOLV%RFKQHU%UDG  L. Richa dson conside s “… w i ing as a PHWKRG RI LQTXLU  D ZD  RI ¿QGLQJ RXW abou you sel and you opic” (Richa dson,   DQG RIIHUV XV VRPH DGYLFHV o de elop expe imen al o al e na i e e hnog aphy, unde he name o c ea i e analy ic p ac ice e hnog aphy, such as: DMRLQRUVWDUWDZULWLQJJURXSEZRUN WKURXJKDFUHDWLYHZULWLQJJXLGHERRNF en oll in a c ea i e w i ing wo kshop o FODVVGNHHSDMRXUQDOHZULWHDZULWLQJ DXWRELRJUDSK IWUDQVIRUP RXU¿HOGGDWD o ansc ip ions o in e iews in a d ama RUDSRHWLFUHSUHVHQWDWLRQJH[SHULPHQW ZLWKQDUUDWLYHVRIWKHVHOIKWU ZULWLQJ a ex using di e en ype- aces, on sizes DQGWH[WXDOSODFHPHQWVZULWH RXUGDWDLQ h ee di e en ways (na a i e accoun , SRHWLF UHSUHVHQWDWLRQ GUDPD L SUDFWLFH FROODERUDWLYH ZULWLQJ M PHPRU  ZRUN 5LFKDUGVRQ3OXPPHU PHQWLRQVPRUHRYHUDPRUHH[WHQVLYH use o pho og ahs, ideo and isual o m GLJLWDO SKRWRJUDSK  YLGHR GLDULHV DQG o new echnologies (CD-Rom, i ual UHDOLW  6RPHDXWKRUVKDYHUHÀHFWHGRQGLI¿FXOWLHV wi h w i ing expe ienced by adul s in educa ional se ings. “Educa o s in ol ed in wo king o eaching wi h adul s ha e GLI¿FXOW ZLWKZULWLQJ«WKH RIWHQUHIXVH o w i e abou hei di e se and mul iples expe iences… [and]… end o disquali y WKHLUDELOLW WRZULWHDQG¿QGH[FXVHVQRW WRGRLW´'RPLQLFp:HQHHG he e o e mo e eaching on w i ing, mo e ac i i ies o os e a posi i e a i ude owa d pe sonal and p o essional w i ing in eache José González Mon eagudo Re is a de In es igación Uni e sidad Tecnológica de Pe ei a mi adas 99 aining, p o essional lea ning, wo kplace, lea ning o esea ch ( o example, in PhD DQGPDVWHUSURJUDPPHV$OWULFKWHUIURP a esea ch-ac ion app oach, sugges s di e en ac i i ies o helping o w i e in adul educa ion and eache aining, mixing indi idual, pai , and plena y wo k $OWULFKWHU   )RU VWXGHQWV and no ice w i e s, “ he gen e o academic w i ing beha es as a ga eway h ough which hey mus pass o be allowed membe ship, and hen o pa icipa e c ea i ely wi hin he [academic] communi y…” (Holliday,  Among he ea u es o “c a manship”, /LQFROQ DQG *XED FLW E  0LOHV  +XEHUPDQ   PHQWLRQV SRZHU and elegance, c ea i i y, a quali iy o openess, independence, cou age, emo ional and in ellec ual commi men , and egali a ianism. The s yles o w i ing up he esea ch epo s a e now mo e RSHQDQGFRPSOH['LIIHUHQWJHQUHVGH¿QH di e se ways o w i ing and eading in esea ch and academic con ex s. So, Van Maanen (ci . in: Denzin, 1989, 177-  0LOHV  +XEHUPDQ   KDV LGHQWL¿HG GLIIHUHQW WH[WXDO VWUXFWXUHV IXQFWLRQLQJDVWDOHVRIWKH¿HOGURPDQWLF ealis ic, poe ic, ac ual, analy ic, sa i ic, MRXUQDOLVWLF H[LVWHQWLDO ³5HDOLVW WDOHV« p o ide a a he di ec , ma e -o - ac po ai o a s udied cul u e, unclouded by PXFKFRQFHUQIRUKRZWKH¿HOGSURGXFHG a such po ai … Con essional ales ocus IDU PRUH RQ WKH ¿HOGZRUNHU WKDQ RQ WKH cul u es s udied… Imp essionis ales a e SHUVRQDOL]HGDFFRXQWVRIÀHHWLQJPRPHQWV RI ¿HOGZRUN FDVW LQ GUDPDWLF IRUP WKH  he e o e ca y elemen s o bo h ealis and con essional w i ing” (J. Van Maanen, FLW LQ (O    :RUNLQJ IURP D case s udy pe spec i e, Yin (1984, 126-  FRPELQHV WKUHH GLIIHUHQW SXUSRVHV o case s udies (explo a o y, desc ip i e, H[SODQDWRU  ZLWK VL[ GLIIHUHQW VWUXFWXUHV o w i ing epo : linea -analy ic, compa a i e, ch onological, heo y- building, “suspense”, and unsequenced. This ame makes possible a mo e complex unde s anding o p agma ic unc ions o esea ch epo s. On he o he hand, i is necessa y o enla ge he audience o quali a i e esea ch by c ea ing mo e open and democ a ic ex s. In many academic se ings, obscu i y is p iced o e cla i y. Popula iza ion and democ a iza ion o social science would be a good hing, e en i i is in e p e ed as a p oduc o “mindless” and ³MRXUQDOLVWV´ ZLWKRXW HQRXJK ³WKHRUHWLFDO sophis ica ion”. In England, and also e e ywhe e, he Resea ch Assessmen ([HUFLVH 5$( RU VLPLODU PHFKDQLVPV o assessing esea ch quali y- dis ega ds academic p oduc ions such as ex book, VFLHQWL¿FVSUHDGLQJDQGVRRQ3OXPPHU   $FDGHPLF SDSHUV DUH impo an , bu no exclusi e. We need, says socioligs Lau el Richa dson, o pay mo e a en ion o s a egies and ways o w i ing o mass ci cula ion and w i ing o ade ERRNV5LFKDUGVRQ W i ing and eading in au o/ biog aphical app oaches: om p udence o engagemen . In 1992, Paul A kinson w o e: “The mapping o gen es and adi ions in WKLV ¿HOG >&XOWXUDO $QWKURSRORJ @ LV unde de eloped. The e ha e been some ad ances wi hin he an h opological GLVFRXUVHWKHVRFLRORJLFDOGRPDLQUHPDLQV DOO EXW XQFKDUWHG´ $WNLQVRQ   I hink ha nowadays we need in au o/ biog aphical app oaches mo e in e es owa d di e en gen es, oices and audiences. As No man Denzin poin ed in 1989, biog aphy and au o/biog aphy a e always a complex cons uc ion. Biog aphy and au obiog aphy a e no na u al, anspa en , ob ious p ocesses (Denzin, W i ing in E hnog aphic and Au o/biog aphical App oaches: Old and New Challenges 100 Re is a de In es igación Uni e sidad Tecnológica de Pe ei a mi adas  ,Q P  RSLQLRQ HWKQRJUDSKLF discou se can help o o mula e new ideas, new challenges, new pe spec i es in au o/ biog aphical esea ch and eaching. $V &RIIH    ZULWHV ³« WKHUH a e meaning ul connnec ions ha can be GUDZQ EHWZHHQ HWKQRJUDSK  DQG DXWR biog aphical p ac ice”. A he ou se o my pape I ha e w i en ha I seek o anscend he wo ex emes discou ses o social sciences: he ca og aphy o domina ion and he cosmog aphy o ennui, in wo ds o L. Richa don. In his sense, biog aphical e hnog aphy, o bio/e hno/g aphy, can aid he s ee ing o a cou se “be ween he o e -de e minism o some a ie ies o socializa ion heo y, and he opposi e ex eme o seeing sel es as ex emely unique indi iduals which a e he p oduc o inne psychological p ocesses” (L. S anley, FLWLQ&RIIH  P e iously I ha e w i en ha e hnog aphic and au o/biog aphical app oaches a e close han usually i is ecognized. In bo h cases we a e con on ed wi h he o ic, discou se, social li e, cul u al ansla ion, iden i y, in e pe sonal ela ionships, gende , oice, au ho ship, and so on. When e hnog aphy is de eloped wi h an au o/biog aphical iewpoin , ques ions on sel - e ela ion, FRQIHVVLRQ VXEMHFWLYLW  DQG OLYHG expe ience come o he o eg ound (Co ey,   ³$XWRELRJUDSK  LV WKH highes and mo e ins uc i e o m in which he unde s anding o li e is con on ing us” (Dil hey, ci . in Richa dson, 1990, )RU UHYHDOLQJDQGUHVWRU LQJ WKHVHOI &RIIH .HQ RQ5DQGDOO ZHQHHGPRUHVXEMHFWLYLW DQGHQJDJHPHQW by esea che s and educa o s. Li e his o y app oaches a e no only an al e na i e me hodology o expe imen alism, empi icism and unc ionalism. Li e his o y app oaches a e an epis emology and e en an on hology, challenging he supposed p i ileged posi ion o esea che s and educa o s. Au o/biog aphy pe spec i e is a physical, emo ional, in ellec ual, ela ional wo k engaged wi o he ness, e hics, poli ics and pe sonal g ow h. Re e ences $WNLQVRQ 3  7KH (WKQRJUDSKLF Imagina ion. Tex ual Cons uc ions o Reali y. London: Rou ledge. $WNLQVRQ 3  8QGHUVWDQGLQJ E hnog aphic Tex s. London: Sage. %DQLVWHU 3  5HSRUW :ULWLQJ LQ 3 %DQLVWHUHWDO4XDOLWDWLYH0HWKRGVLQ Psychology. A Resea ch Guide. Buckingham: Open Uni e si y P ess, 160-179. %XUPDQ (  )HPLQLVW 5HVHDUFK LQ 3 %DQLVWHUHWDO4XDOLWDWLYH0HWKRGVLQ Psychology. A Resea ch Guide. Buckingham: Open Uni e si y P ess, 121-141. %UDG ,$QWKURSRORJLFDO3RHWLFVLQ N. .'HQ]LQ <6/LQFROQ(GV+DQGERRN RI4XDOLWDWLYH5HVHDUFKnd ed. London: Sage, 949-979. &ODQGLQLQ-&RQQHOO 01DUUDWLYH ,QTXLU  ([SHULHQFH DQG 6WRU  LQ 4XDOLWDWLYH Resea ch. San F ancisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. &ODUN5,YDQLF57KH3ROLWLFLVRI W i ing. London: Rou ledge. &OLIIRUG -  0DUFXV *( (GV  Re ó icas de la An opología. Mad id: Júca (O ig. ed.: W i ing Cul u e: The Poe ics and Poli ics o E hnog aphy, Uni e si y o &DOLIRUQLD3UHVV &RIIH  $ 7KH (WKQRJUDSKLF 6HOI Fieldwo k and he Rep esen a ion o Iden i y. London: Sage. 'HQ]LQ 1. D 7KH 5HVHDUFK $FW A Theo e ical In oduc ion o Sociological Me hods (3 dHG/RQGRQ3UHQWLFH+DOO José González Mon eagudoJosé González Mon eagudo Re is a de In es igación Uni e sidad Tecnológica de Pe ei a mi adas 101 'HQ]LQ1.E,QWHUSUHWLYH%LRJUDSK  London: Sage. 'RPLQLFp 3 /HDUQLQJ IURP RXU OLYHV Using Educa ional Biog aphies wi h Adul s. San F ancisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. ' EEURH %  2OODJQLHU ( (GV  Challenging Gende in Li elong Lea ning: (XURSHDQ 3HUVSHFWLYHV 5RVNLOGH 'HQPDUN Adul Educa ion Resea ch G oup, Roskilde Uni e si y and ESREA. (OOLV &  %RFKQHU$3  Au oe hnog aphy, Pe sonal Na a i e, 5HÀH[LYLW  5HVHDUFKHU DV 6XEMHFW LQ 1 . 'HQ]LQ < 6 /LQFROQ (GV +DQGERRN RI 4XDOLWDWLYH5HVHDUFKnd ed. London: Sage, pp. 733-768. (O  0  'RLQJ 4XDOLWDWLYH 5HVHDUFK Ci cles wi hin Ci cles. London: The Falme P ess. )UHHPDQ05HZULWLQJWKH6HOI+LVWRU  Memo y, Na a i e. London: Rou ledge. *HHUW]&(ODQWURSyORJRFRPRDXWRU Ba celona: Paidós (o ig. ed.: Wo ks and Li es, 6WDQIRUG8QLYHUVLW 3UHVV *RQ]iOH] 0RQWHDJXGR -  7HDFKHUV¶ Resea ch using he Biog aphical Me hod. &RQWULEXWLRQV DQG 5HÀHFWLRQV RQ WZR &DVHV 6WXGLHVLQ.:HEHU(G/LIHORQJ/HDUQLQJ and Expe ience. Roskilde: Uni e si y o 5RVNLOGH  7KH 'DQLVK 5HVHDUFK $FDGHP  ol. 1, pp. 367-392. *RQ]iOH] 0RQWHDJXGR -  Au obiog a ía Educa i a all’Uni e si à. T a SHQVLHURHGHPR]LRQLLQ/)RUPHQWL$FXUDGL 'DUH9RFHDO&DPELDPHQWR/DULFHUFD in e oga la i a adul a. Milano: Unicopli, pp. 201-214. *RRGOH  ' /DZWKRP 5 &ORXJK 3  0RRUH 0  5HVHDUFKLQJ /LIH 6WRULHV Me hod, Theo y and Analyses in a Biog aphical Age. London: Rou ledgeFalme . +ROOLGD  $  'RLQJ DQG :ULWLQJ 4XDOLWDWLYH5HVHDUFK/RQGRQ6DJH +DPPHUVOH  0  $WNLQVRQ 3  E hnog aphy.P inciples in P ac ice. London: Rou ledge (Spanish ansla ion.: E nog a ía. Mé odos de In es igación. Ba celona: Paidós, FKµ/DHVFULWXUDHWQRJUi¿FD¶SS  .HQ RQ *0  5DQGDOO :/  Res o ying ou Li es. Pe sonal G ow h h ough $XWRELRJUDSKLFDO 5HÀHFWLRQ :HVWSRUW &7 P aege . /DLQp$)DLUHGHVDYLHXQHKLVWRLUH Pa is: Desclée de B ouwe . /DSODQWLQH )  /D GHVFULSWLRQ e hnog aphique. Pa is: Na han. 0DUFXV *(  &XVKPDQ '(  /DV e nog a ías como ex os, in C. Gee z, J. &OLIIRUG  RWURV  (O VXUJLPLHQWR GH OD An opología Posmode na. Ba celona: Gedisa, pp. 171-213. 0LOHV 0%  +XEHUPDQ $0  4XDOLWDWLYH 'DWD $QDO VLV $Q ([SDQGHG Sou cebook. London: Sage. 0LOOHU 1  :HVW /  7KH $XWR biog aphical ‘we’: Ou Sea ch o a Voice in Academic W i ing. Pape p esen ed a SCUTREA, 33 d Annual Con e ence. Uni e si y o Wales, Bango . 1-3 July 2003. 1HXUDWK26RFLRORJ DHQ¿VLFDOLVPR LQ $- $ HU &RPS  (O SRVLWLYLVPR lógico. México. F.C.E., pp. 287-322. 2OHVHQ9/)HPLQLVPVDQG4XDOLWDWLYH Resea ch a and in o he Millenium, in N. K. 'HQ]LQ < 6 /LQFROQ (GV +DQGERRN RI 4XDOLWDWLYH 5HVHDUFK nd ed. London: Sage, 215-255. 3OXPPHU.'RFXPHQWVRI/LIHnd HG/RQGRQ6DJH 5HLQKDU] 6  )HPLQLVW 0HWKRGV LQ Social Resea ch. Ox o d: Ox o d Uni e si y P ess. W i ing in E hnog aphic and Au o/biog aphical App oaches: Old and New Challenges 102 Re is a de In es igación Uni e sidad Tecnológica de Pe ei a mi adas 5LFKDUGVRQ /  :ULWLQJ 6WUDWHJLHV London: Sage. 5LFKDUGVRQ / :ULWLQJ$ 0HWKRG RI ,QTXLU LQ1.'HQ]LQ</LQFROQ (GV +DQGERRNRI4XDOLWDWLYH5HVHDUFKnd HG/RQGRQ6DJH 6FKZDQGW 7K $  'LFWLRQDU  RI 4XDOLWDWLYH5HVHDUFKndHG/RQGRQ6DJH 7HGORFN %  (WKQRJUDSK  DQG E hnog aphic Rep esen a ion, in N. K. Denzin  < /LQFROQ (GV  +DQGERRN RI 4XDOLWDWLYH 5HVHDUFK nd HG /RQGRQ 6DJH 455-486. 7 OHU 6$  (WQRJUDI D SRVWPRGHUQD Desde el documen o de lo ocul o a lo ocul o del documen o, in C. Gee z, J. Cli o d y o os  (O VXUJLPLHQWR GH OD $QWURSRORJ D Posmode na. Ba celona, Gedisa, 1996, 297- 313. 8VKHU 5 %U DQW ,  -RKQVWRQ 5  Adul Educa ion and he Pos mode n Challenge. Lea ning beyond he Limi s. London:Rou ledge/Falme . 9DQ 0DQHQ 0  5HVHDUFKLQJ /LYHG Expe ience. London: The Al house P ess (Spanish ansla ion: In es igación educa i a y expe iencia i ida. Ba celona: Idea Books,  :ROFRWW +)  :ULWLQJ XS 4XDOLWDWLYH Resea ch. London: Sage. <LQ5.&DVH6WXG 5HVHDUFK'HVLJQ and Me hod. London: Sage. José González Mon eagudo