Documentary Research

Documentary research involves the use of texts and documents as source materials: government publications, newspapers, certificates, census publications, novels, film and video, paintings, personal photographs, diaries and innumerable other written, visual and pictorial sources in paper, electronic, or other 'hard copy' form. Along with surveys and ethnography, documentary research is one of the three major types of social research and arguably has been the most widely used of the three throughout the history of sociology and other social sciences. It has been the principal method - indeed, sometimes the only one - for leading sociologists.

The key issues surrounding types of documents and our ability to use them as reliable sources of evidence on the social world must be considered by all who use documents in their research. The paucity of sources available until now means that this compendium will be invaluable to social researchers.

Volume One: Theory and Methods

Volume Two: Personal Documents

Volume Three: Mass Media and Cyber Documents

Volume Four: Official Statistics and Sources

I have been at Plymouth University since 2008, having previously been Professor of Sociology at Essex University since 1994. Before that, I was Professor and Head of Department at the University of Leicester and I have previously taught at the University of Strathclyde. Until 2005 I was an Adjunct Professor in the Sosiologisk Institutt at the University of Bergen. I am Editor of the European Societies, the journal of the European Sociological Association. I have been an active member of the British Sociological Association since 1970 and have been Newsletter editor, Secretary, Treasurer, Chairperson, and President. I am currently an Honorary Vice-President. I am a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA), a Fellow of the British Academy (FBA), and an academician of the Academy of Learned Society in the Social Sciences (Ac SS).

A short biographical narrative can be found at the BSA's 'Biographical Journeys' web page.