Life stories: Unraveling the academic configuration of a multifaceted and multidisciplinary field of knowledge

Abstract

In the field of qualitative research, life stories are consolidated as one of the most important techniques within the biographical method. However, due to the multiplicity of techniques covered by this method and the disciplines in which it is applied, the contributions and scope of life histories do not present a clear delimitation. By contrast, a considerable conceptual confusion persists and the transfer of its production remains very narrow. In this sense, this article aims to clarify the field of knowledge generated through life stories. To this end, it innovatively applies the bibliometric method. Making use of performance analysis and scientific mapping through the VosViewer application, it studies a body of 2670 articles indexed in the Web of Science. The results show how knowledge transferred from psychology through its major schools of thought occupies a central place. This leaves in a secondary position the knowledge produced by other disciplines such as sociology or anthropology, which is not transferred in the main forums of scientific impact. In this way, the conclusion points to the need to open up new lines of research to find out the differences between the different techniques and disciplines when applying this methodology.

Power Dynamics in Collaborative Governance Processes: A Case Study of a Disadvantaged Neighbourhood in Southern Spain

“…To carry out the study, we apply a systematisation of experiences approach [45,47] to a case study [46,48]. The former connects with the tradition of Participatory Action Research, an approach that emphasises participation in the research process, oriented towards action and social change [49][50][51] and parallels storytelling, a method that uses personal and collective narratives as a research tool to capture experiences and perceptions, facilitating the qualitative analysis of social phenomena [52,53]. These approaches are essential to investigate the case in its complex circumstances, allowing for generalisable lessons to be drawn.…”

Relatar la vida para resignificar el territorio. La reconstrucción histórica del barrio Guadalquivir

“…Los relatos de vida, inscritos en las amplias posibilidades que ofrece el método biográfico (López-Montero et al, 2022), son una forma de conocimiento que permite reconstruir los principales eventos del ciclo vital a partir de la memoria y el recuerdo que la persona percibe como tales (Granados et al, 2016;Puyana & Barreto, 1994). A través de los relatos de vida es posible conocer maneras de afrontar la vida, inaugurar complejos entramados de relaciones, descubrir lugares que han quedado en la memoria o acontecimientos que han supuesto puntos de inflexión (Muñiz Terra, 2018).…”