Researching habits: advances in linguistic and embodied research practice

Martens, Lydia; Halkier, Bente; Pink, Sarah

Abstract

The articles in this special issue have one thing in common: all engage with the epistemological and methodological concerns of researching habits, routines and practices. However, in developing their papers, the authors bring to the fore a diverse range of theoretical perspectives and research questions, located in different disciplinary concerns and interests, though all engaging theories of practice, which vary in their focus and emphasis (Reckwitz,Citation 2002; Warde, Citation2005; Whatmore, Citation2002). The pluralities in theoretical perspective on which scholars draw inform different ways of thinking. These connect with epistemological questions on the relationship between language, text, words and discourse on the one hand, and an embodied being in the world on the other hand. They provide interesting but also profound challenges for our practices of knowing. The aim of this special issue is to highlight advances in linguistic and embodied research practice because, as we see it, this stresses a number of salient co-manifestations within and across social science disciplines. These points to debate about the ontology of habits, routines and practices at the level of theory and philosophy, to methodological debate and reflection in social science research and to curiosity in a changing set of research questions that follows on from this. We have actively stimulated what may seem a substantial diversity between the papers in this special issue because this offers different inroads into (a) acknowledging the current centrality of scholarly questioning in social science in which the focus is on habits, routines and practices, and (b) understanding the differences and commonalities across discipline-specific trajectories and rationales for moving in this direction and (c) thinking about the epistemological and methodological consequences of such shifts.

Citation

Martens, L., Halkier, B., & Pink, S. (2014). Researching habits: advances in linguistic and embodied research practice. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 17(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1080/13645579.2014.853999

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Online Publication Date: Nov 14, 2013
• Publication Date: Jan 2, 2014
• Deposit Date: Jun 6, 2023
• Journal: International Journal of Social Research Methodology
• Print ISSN: 1364-5579
• Electronic ISSN: 1464-5300
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 17
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 1-9
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13645579.2014.853999
• Keywords: General Social Sciences
• Additional Information: Peer Review Statement: The publishing and review policy for this title is described in its Aims & Scope.; Aim & Scope: http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?show=aimsScope&journalCode=tsrm20