1. The Contexts, Conjunctures and Frames for Social Research
Paul Reynolds
Reader in Sociology and Social Philosophy
MRes Lead, Social Sciences
edgehill.ac.uk

2. Contexts, Conjunctures and Frames
Social science research does not happen in a vacuum
Universal and relative understanding the trends, developments and phenomena that the social scientists study – a question of balance
Recognising social, cultural, political, economic, spatial and temporal (and other) dimensions
Context
Conjuncture
Framings (conceptual, disciplinary, methodological, selectivities)
edgehill.ac.uk

3. The Impacts of Contexts, Conjunctures and Frames I
How we frame our question – what we centre on as your issue/problem/subject
How will ask our question – with what orientations or presumptions
How we bound our research – where we focus and where draw boundaries for inclusion/exclusion
What traditions, literatures and approaches we work from and prefigure the research
How we set up decisions around out data and our decisions on method
edgehill.ac.uk

4. Key Questions
How do we make decisions around how much and how little context and conjuncture we need to include in your research in order to produce digestible and effective research?
How far is situating our research in context and conjuncture making research conform to orthodox understandings or recognising the conditions under which our chosen research subject emerges?
How do we both understand and take a critical approach to our field of research?
Can be make universal statements or are all social phenomena only to be understood in particular contexts and conjunctures?
edgehill.ac.uk

5. The Impacts of Contexts, Conjunctures and Frames II
Critical questions:
How do these considerations impact on your research?
How do you recognise the impact of contexts and conjunctures that are outside of your research?
How do you represent what is outside your boundaries in relation to what is inside your boundaries?
What do these concerns say about research and about the uses, scope and limits of research?
How do your justify your framing and decisions in relation to the research question and research design?
edgehill.ac.uk

6. Contexts, Conjunctures and Frames - Reflections
Research projects always involve boundary decisions
These are particularly important in framing research questions and making decisions about the focus of research
At the same time they often have to make difficult boundary decisions in framing the research
A good researcher keeps their focus at the same time as they recognise that knowledge of wider areas pertaining to research
Academics should be able to navigate focus and broader frames in order to present knowledge and evaluations
edgehill.ac.uk