Gabrielle Gwyther

Methodologies à la carte: an examination of emerging qualitative methodologies in social research

The growth and employment of non‐traditional research methods have increased dramatically over the last few decades, especially within the USA and the UK. With the increase of globalisation of research these new methodologies are gaining use and credibility within the human disciplines in Australia. The following paper examines the new methodologies movement from an historical context, funding perspective and as part of the wider, morally oriented ‘culture wars’ that have been playing out on the main arena of Australian socio‐political life over the past decade. In an attempt to gain a deeper understanding of some of the issues, challenges and benefits of these new methodologies the paper proceeds to examine some of the methods involved in arts‐based social inquiry. It argues that regardless of the increased call to employ engaged and innovative research, the constraints of the Australian funding and political environment has resulted in the maintenance and dominance of traditional methodological approaches.

The Doctrine of Social Mix in the Mobile Society: A Theoretical Perspective

Drawing on Wellmans classic “Community Question” this paper offers a theoretical framework with which to examine contemporary community formation and the doctrine of social mix, which finds form in the renewal of stigmatized public housing estates in Australia and the United Kingdom. Proponents of “social mix” argue that geographic propinquity of social groups “elevates” lower‐class values through contact with more affluent residents, providing them with greater access to social capital, employment opportunities and other resources. The Community Question incorporates three perspectives: Community Lost, Community Saved and Community Liberated. Where both the Lost and Saved perspectives examine community from the position of geographical propinquity, the Liberated perspective inquires directly into the structure and network of primary ties, finding that most social ties are not dense, tightly bounded solidarities but sparse, loosely bounded networks. Thus community is “liberated” from being restricted to interpersonal affiliations based on geographic propinquity alone. Three interrelated aspects which give viability to the “liberated community” are discussed: the production of social space, the principle of homophily, and the influence of communicative technology. The latter is examined through the “new mobilities paradigm” which emphasizes differential access to mobilities resources. The paper concludes by probing the implications for policies of “social mix” underpinned by sedentarist notions of community which normalize stability, meaning and place rather than dynamic networks in social space. It does this with reference to public housing regeneration programs in Australia, which rest on the doctrine of social mix to promote positive interactions between disparate residential groups.

Recasting Research on ‘Neighbourhood effects’: A Collaborative, Participatory, Trans-National Approach

This chapter critiques some of the dominant discourses of place and disadvantage as well as their epistemology. The current attention given to neighbourhood effects is seen as part of a larger ‘spatial turn’ in social science, which attempts to explain the disadvantage of poor households concentrated in poor neighbourhoods. The chapter critiques the ‘culture of poverty explanation’ of disadvantage and the associated policy response of de-concentrating poverty through the creation of mixed income neighbourhoods. It is argued that if there is little evidence in support of neighbourhood effects in the first place, then creating mixed neighbourhoods will lead to little benefit for the neighbourhood residents, a large proportion of who will be displaced as a result of the policy. The chapter further critiques quantitative research for ignoring the voice and perspectives of neighbourhood residents. It distances itself completely from positivist epistemology by proposing an alternative approach based on phenomenological epistemology and participatory action research. This alternative approach is based on a ‘collaborative university – community research’ design to understand residents’ perspectives of their neighbourhood and concentrated public housing and the policy proposals for mixed housing in Australia.