Key research themes
1. How can biographical-narrative methodologies enhance the understanding and teaching of individual life histories?
This research theme focuses on the application of biographical and narrative approaches to capture individual and social dimensions of life histories. It investigates how these methodologies contribute to active, meaningful learning processes and reveal the interplay between personal trajectories and broader social contexts. This is particularly important for social sciences and educational fields aiming at emancipatory knowledge production by integrating subjective experiences with objective institutional realities.
2. What quantitative and mixed methodologies advance the analysis of life history trajectories and individual heterogeneity?
This theme investigates methodological advances that enable systematic and quantitative analyses of life history data, including sequence analysis, demographic decomposition, and psychometric assessments. It addresses how such techniques capture longitudinal trajectories holistically, quantify heterogeneity at the individual level, and test hypotheses about life history strategies and their developmental calibration. The integration of qualitative and quantitative approaches offers enriched, multifaceted interpretations of life course phenomena.
3. How do life histories consider place, space, and environmental context as integral elements of personal and social narratives?
This theme addresses emerging perspectives on incorporating geographic, spatial, and environmental dimensions into life history research. It explores how life histories intersect with concepts of place and ritualized use of space, emphasizing how environmental contexts shape identities, experiences, and social practices. These approaches expand traditional narrative boundaries by engaging with visual and participatory methods, post-humanist theories, and the integration of multi-generational environmental influences.