TY - JOUR
T1 - Researching local elites
T2 - Reflexivity, ‘situatedness’ and political-temporal contingency
AU - Ward, Kevin G.
AU - Jones, Martin Russell
N1 - Ward, K. G., Jones, M. (1999). Researching local elites: reflexivity, ‘situatedness’ and political-temporal contingency. Geoforum, 30 (4), 301-312.
PY - 1999/11
Y1 - 1999/11
N2 - Since the late 1970s, the UK has experienced a series of changes in the mechanisms of governing local economic development. This paper considers the methodological consequences of these recent changes. Drawing on two local elite-based case studies, involving semi-structured interviews, we reflect on our acquired ‘situated knowledge’ and argue that this is related to the contingent nature of our respective research access. We advocate that an approach sensitive to ‘research situatedness’ (with respect to the politics of time as a ‘research moment’) is essential to avoid over generalising from our experiences. To address this concern, the paper offers two concepts for debate – political-temporal contingency and the mode of entry.
AB - Since the late 1970s, the UK has experienced a series of changes in the mechanisms of governing local economic development. This paper considers the methodological consequences of these recent changes. Drawing on two local elite-based case studies, involving semi-structured interviews, we reflect on our acquired ‘situated knowledge’ and argue that this is related to the contingent nature of our respective research access. We advocate that an approach sensitive to ‘research situatedness’ (with respect to the politics of time as a ‘research moment’) is essential to avoid over generalising from our experiences. To address this concern, the paper offers two concepts for debate – political-temporal contingency and the mode of entry.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0032750893&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S0016-7185(99)00022-6
DO - 10.1016/S0016-7185(99)00022-6
M3 - Article
SN - 0016-7185
VL - 30
SP - 301
EP - 312
JO - Geoforum
JF - Geoforum
IS - 4
ER -