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Researching Digital Life
Orientations, Methods and Practice
- James Ash - Newcastle University, UK
- Rob Kitchin - Maynooth University, Ireland, NUI Maynooth, Ireland
- Agnieszka Leszczynski - Western University, Canada
March 2024 | 328 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd
*DRAFT*
This multidisciplinary textbook introduces you to the interconnectivity of digital space, technology, objects, people and data. It provides a theoretical framework for grounding your understanding of digital life.
You will be introduced to relevant methods for exploring digital life and, by explaining their benefits and disadvantages, you can select the most appropriate method to answer your research questions.
The authors provide:
• Non-Eurocentric perspectives and case studies from diverse disciplines
• Annotated further reading to help you situate your research alongside existing research in your field
• An outline of future directions for researching digital life.
This multidisciplinary textbook introduces you to the interconnectivity of digital space, technology, objects, people and data. It provides a theoretical framework for grounding your understanding of digital life.
You will be introduced to relevant methods for exploring digital life and, by explaining their benefits and disadvantages, you can select the most appropriate method to answer your research questions.
The authors provide:
• Non-Eurocentric perspectives and case studies from diverse disciplines
• Annotated further reading to help you situate your research alongside existing research in your field
• An outline of future directions for researching digital life.
Orientations
Introduction
Methodologies, Ontologies and Epistemologies
Research Design and Implementation
Research Ethics
Methods and Approaches
Interviews, Surveys, Observation and (Auto)Ethnography
Walking Methodologies, Walkthroughs and Audits
Arts-Based Methods
Participatory Methods
Historical Methods
Data Visualisation and Mapping
Data Analytics
Methods in Action
Apps and Interfaces
Social and Locative Media
Mobilities
Smart Cities
Digital Labour
Conclusion
Final thoughts
“The pervasive digital mediation of everyday life presents unique epistemological, methodological, ethical, and practical challenges for social science researchers. This text offers researchers a thorough and greatly-needed critical review of these issues, along with vital guidance for undertaking studies of digital life.”
University of Washington
“This book represents a pivotal moment in digital social research. By exploring a comprehensive range of questions, methods and means of data generation and analysis, it captures the present and future of social research. Thoughtful, thorough and reflexive, the text insightfully details how to make sense of our digital lives.”
University of York