Part 7 - Philosophy and the place of research methods Now we get to the heart of one of the most contentious issues in QHR. If you’ve followed the series so far, we’ve covered a lot of ground: sampling, generalisability, voice, and the ‘emic’ perspective, but we’re mining the motherlode now when we talk about the place of philosophy and methods in QHR. So let’s be clear from the outset, QHR places far too much emphasis on research methods and nowhere near enough on philosophy. Anchoring a qualitative study in philosophy is perhaps the most valuable thing you can do to a research study. Firstly, it guides every step of the process - every aim, and every question you pose of the … [Read more...] about Qualitative Health Research – A guide for the perplexed
Amy Hiller – Gnostic and pathic touch – 30DoS #20
Phenomenology of Practice (2014) written by Max van Manen incorporates aspects of the study of phenomenology. From page 272 there is discussion about the gnostic and the pathic related to touch occurring in the healthcare setting. Van Manen explains gnostic touch as the diagnostic, anatomized experience of touch. In contrast, pathic touch is described as touch with a special quality that conveys a healing attitude and relates to the individual as an embodied whole. When observing patient-physiotherapist encounters for my PhD research I became fascinated with touch as part of physiotherapy practice. I read Max van Manen’s writing about touch and his ideas resonated with what I had observed … [Read more...] about Amy Hiller – Gnostic and pathic touch – 30DoS #20
Anna Rajala – Phenomenology of spirit – 30DoS #12
Phenomenology of Spirit (1807) is perhaps Hegel’s most influential work, especially through Marx’s critique that “stood Hegel on his head”: Marx inverted Hegel’s idealist absolutism into dialectical materialism. In the Phenomenology Hegel describes the dialectical experience and development of consciousness from sense-certainty, perception, understanding and self-consciousness to absolute knowing. Hegel argues in the famous passage titled ‘Lordship and Bondage’ that self-consciousness exists only insofar it exists in the world of others and is acknowledged by others. This idea of subject formation as social, as the need for mutual recognition, has influenced many philosophers, both who … [Read more...] about Anna Rajala – Phenomenology of spirit – 30DoS #12
Barbara Gibson – Embodying the monster – 30DoS #6
In this post, CPN co-founder and Exec member Barbara Gibson talks about Margrit Shildrick's book Embodying the monster. Spanish translation provided by CPN Exec member Alma Viviana Silva. Embodying the Monster is a feminist postmodern and historical reading of the monstrous body and the Western desire to eliminate aberration and vulnerability. Drawing on cultural theory, biomedical discourse and multiple historical and contemporary examples, Shildrick eloquently argues for a reconceived ethics of the body (and disability) that accepts the irreducible vulnerability of all persons. I was fortunate to take a course with Dr. Shildrick when she was in Canada and this book was our core … [Read more...] about Barbara Gibson – Embodying the monster – 30DoS #6
Siri Moe – How the Body Shapes the Mind – 30DoS #3
In this post, Norwegian physiotherapist, teacher and researcher Siri Moe talks about Shaun Gallagher's book How the body shapes the mind. Spanish translation provided by CPN Exec member Alma Viviana Silva. The American philosopher Shaun Gallagher published the book “How the body shapes the mind” in 2005. As a result of extensive collaboration with scientists from other disciplines, like neurologists and psychologists the author redefines the understanding of the relationship between the phenomenal consciousness and the physical body. He is focusing on proprioception related to embodiment. His work is a supplement and an extension of Merleau-Ponty's phenomenology of the body, and he … [Read more...] about Siri Moe – How the Body Shapes the Mind – 30DoS #3
‘Connectivity: An emerging concept for physiotherapy practice’ available online
One of our early projects, when we first established the Critical Physiotherapy Network, was to try to write a paper collaboratively. We sent out a call for contributors who would be interested in writing about a theme we thought crossed quite a lot of territories, and seven CPN members responded: Karen Atkinson, Wenche Bjorbækmo, Barbara Gibson, Julie Latchem, Jens Olesen, Jenny Ralls and Jenny Setchell. We set up a basic structure for the paper, and each person added ideas from their own area. The pieces were then slotted into place and the whole paper was then edited to make it coherent and provide a clear narrative structure. The process was remarkably quick, taking only six months … [Read more...] about ‘Connectivity: An emerging concept for physiotherapy practice’ available online
Wild bodies
Robert Macfarlane is currently one of the UK's best-loved non-fiction authors. His recent book Landmarks is a tour de force of physical and metaphorical walks through the landscape - literal and linguistic - of Britain's ancient physical language. In Landscapes Macfarlane writes about the word hoard that surrounds the 'islands, rivers, strands, fells, lochs, cities, towns, corries, hedgerows, fields and edgelands uneasily known as the British Isles.” (Link to The Guardian book review). I love Macfarlane's writing, not least because it's so physical. Reading a Macfarlane book is like an exploration into the language of the body and its interaction with the natural world. There are a … [Read more...] about Wild bodies