First published Open Access under a Creative Commons license as What is
Qualitative Longitudinal Research?, this title is now also available as
part of the Bloomsbury Research Methods series.
This volume offers a new introduction to an evolving research method in
the social sciences. Qualitative Longitudinal (QL) research is conducted
through time. In its qualitative dimensions it opens up the potential to
'think dynamically' in creative, flexible and innovative ways. QL
enquiry is rooted in a long-established tradition of qualitative
temporal research, spanning the fields of social anthropology,
sociological re-studies and biographical research. But over the past two
decades, a growing body of scholarship has begun to document this
approach and explore its theoretical underpinnings. This in turn has
fuelled a growing interest in and rapid uptake of QL methodology across
the disciplines and in international context.
This practical volume will be a first port of call for students and
researchers wishing to use QL research in their own projects. The
chapters follow a logical development, from conceptual and
methodological foundations, to research practice and ethics, to the
generation and analysis of data. Each chapter offers practical examples
drawn from the research field to illustrate key themes and the rich
possibilities for new applications.
