Analysing texts as structures of argumentation

11 am - 12 pm Professor Steve Cropper, Keele University

A number of research and evaluation methods take texts as argument or rhetoric ‘laid down’ ‘literally’, if imperfectly, and their techniques of data extraction, analysis and representation seek to expose the structure of the arguments for scrutiny. The arguments may be located in texts comprising theoretical, empirical or practical (‘lay’/professional/policy) material. Use of the methods can be a helpful way of: immersing oneself in complex arguments, identifying break-downs in the flow and uncertainties arising in the interpretation of arguments, identifying points at which to test claims in arguments, and comparing different instances of argumentation.

In this session, I introduce, illustrate, and compare three such methods:

a) Stephen Toulmin’s (six-part) structure of argumentation (Toulmin, 1958; Toulmin et al, 1979)

b) Theories of Change (Connell et al, 1995) and ‘Realistic Evaluation’ (Pawson and Tilley, 1997);

c) Cognitive mapping (Axelrod, 1968; Eden and Ackermann, 2002)

References

Axelrod, R. (1976) Structure of Decision. Princeton, N.J., Princeton University Press

Connell, J. P., A. C. Kubisch, L. B. Schorr and C. H. Weiss (1995) New Approaches to Evaluating Community Initiatives, vol. 1, Concepts, Methods and Contexts. Washington, DC: Aspen Institute.

Eden, C. (2004) Analyzing cognitive maps to help structure issues or problems. European Journal of Operational Research, 159: 673-686

Eden, C. and F. Ackermann (2002) Cognitive mapping expert views for policy analysis in the public sector. European Journal of Operational Research, 152: 615-630

Pawson, R., and N. Tilley (1997) Realistic Evaluation. London, Sage

Toulmin, S. (1958) The Uses of Argument. Cambridge University Press

Toulmin, S., Rieke, R. & A. Janik (1979) An Introduction to Reasoning. New York, Macmillan

12 - 1pm  Lunch and networking 

Please note lunch will not be provided, there are different lunch options available: https://www.keele.ac.uk/foodanddrink/

Deep Mapping as Text Analysis

1 - 2pm Dr Joanna Taylor, University of Manchester

Mapping has presented something of a problem for a lot of humanities disciplines. Technologies like Geographical Information Systems – whilst excellent at analysing spatial data and developing excellent resources for geographical research – have often seemed to scholars in disciplines like Literary Studies or History to risk over-simplifying complex and nuanced sources. Recent calls for humanities scholars to embrace what David Bodenhamer, Trevor Harris and John Corrigan have called ‘deep mapping’ have gone some way towards addressing these issues. However, many of the recent debates around deep mapping have been limited to discussions about the integrated use of multiple digital sources, technologies, and methods (Harris 2015; Bodenhamer 2016). The problem with this approach is that it sees the depth in deep mapping as being primarily in the range of technologies and digital content, rather than also in the deep map’s creative, imaginative and interpretative opportunities. In this session, we will consider how we might develop deep mapping as a methodology for interdisciplinary, spatially-focused and digitally-embedded text analysis. After an introduction to the concept of deep mapping, we will focus on texts extracted from the Corpus of Lake District Writing to experiment with how deep mapping might change the ways in which we write, visualise and disseminate our work with texts.

Reading Texts, Walking Meanings: mapping routes between ethnographic, sociological and literary research traditions

2 - 3 pm Professor David Amigoni, Keele University

This session will focus on Marcel de Certau's chapter on 'Walking the City' from The Practice of Everyday Life (Ch. VII, 1984) which posits the relationship between speech, text and practices of walking, seeing and remembering. In de Certau's account, texts become complex representations of mobile social practices, with the power both to encode a detailed, seeing, thinking and feeling immediacy; while at the same time enabling readers to think critically and beyond that immediacy.

My session will illustrate how this is part of a sociological tradition that hails back to the origins of sociology as a discipline. A history that is recorded in Keele's Foundations of British Sociology:The Sociological Review archive when, in many ways, it was more obviously connected to ethnographic and social traditions of research. To illustrate this point, I'll draw on Victor Branford and Patrick Geddes Our Social Inheritance (1919), and in particular their representation of a 'convalescent' walking subject, walking a post-World War One Westminster (ch. 1, 'Introductory', and ch. 2, 'A General View of Westminster')

https://www.keele.ac.uk/library/specarc/collections/foundationsofbritishsociology/


Steve Cropper is Professor of Management at Keele University. His PhD in City and Regional Planning was from the University of Wales (UWIST). Subsequent research has included work on ways of modelling qualitative data, including the use of cognitive mapping, evaluation of public service programmes, and the development, dynamics and management of inter-organisational relationships.

Dr Joanna Taylor is Presidential Academic Fellow in Digital Humanities at the University of Manchester. From 2015-2018 she was the Senior Research Associate on the Leverhulme Trust-funded project Geospatial Innovation in the Digital Humanities: A Deep Map of the English Lake District at Lancaster University. She completed her PhD, on the Coleridge family's spatial poetics, at Keele in 2015. Her first book, co-authored with Ian Gregory, is titled Deep Mapping the Literary Lake District and is currently under review.

David Amigoni is Professor of Victorian Literature and Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise) at Keele University. David Amigoni’s research on late life creativity formed part of the Ages and Stages project within the cross-council New Dynamics of Ageing, the largest ever research programme on ageing, which led to the creation of the Ages and Stages Theatre Company in partnership with the New Vic Theatre, and the development of the annual Live-Age festival, a celebration of late life creativity.


Ethos and format

Research Thursdays are one-day training events organised by links@Keele and held at Keele University. Research Thursdays will typically include a range of activities: keynote lecture, workshops, networking opportunities, roundtable discussions, ‘speed dating with ethnographers’, etc. Each day will always include contributions by researchers at different stages in their career.

The Research Thursdays at Keele University are part of links@Keele Advanced Methods Training. These training days are open to postgraduate students and researchers at all career levels. There is no fee, but registration to attend an Ethnography Tuesday is required. When places are limited priority will be given to (1) ESRC NWSS DTP and AHRC NWCDTP students, (2) postgraduate students and staff members from Keele University and (3) postgraduate students and researchers from other Universities.

Questions and feedback

We are here to help you with any questions you may have around Keele’s Research Tuesdays. We also love to hear your feedback and suggestions.

Administrative questions: links@keele.ac.uk

Academic queries: Dr Lisa Dikomitis (l.a.dikomitis@keele.ac.uk)


Event date
Event Time
11:00AM
Location
Claus Moser Research Centre (0.12) | CM
Organiser
Tracey Harrison
Contact email
links@keele.ac.uk
Contact telephone
+44 (0)1782 734256

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