A driving force behind the establishment of a qualitative data archive in the United Kingdom has been the oral historian, Paul Thompson. He has complained that there is a 'strange silence' among qualitative sociologists on re-analysis, and that many have been reluctant to deposit data. The first part of the paper suggests that the common ethical and practical objections can be overcome in establishing an archive in Australia. However, there is a more serious underlying ideological objection: that archiving promotes and institutionalises a narrow empiricist version of qualitative research. The rest of the paper makes this case by examining teaching materials on a British website, by reviewing Thompson's arguments, and by considering some examples of re-analysis by sociologists. It is argued that qualitative researchers should respond critically, but that it is possible to address and overcome these problems when developing an Australian archive.
History
Publication title
Australian Journal of Social Issues
Volume
44
Pagination
273-289
ISSN
0157-6321
Department/School
School of Social Sciences
Publisher
Australian Council Social Service Inc
Place of publication
Locked Bag 4777, Level 2 619 Elizabeth St Redfern, Strawberry Hills, Australia, Nsw, 2012
Rights statement
Copyright 2009 Australian Council Social Service Inc