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Situational Analysis
Grounded Theory After the Interpretive Turn

Second Edition


October 2017 | 464 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
The Second Edition of Situational Analysis: Grounded Theory After the Interpretive Turn offers an innovative extension of grounded theory useful in qualitative research projects that draws on interviews, observations, and visual, narrative, and historical discourse materials. To engage the dense complexities of real world situations, Situational Analysis (SA) braids together Strauss's ecological social worlds/arenas theory, Foucault’s discourse analysis, and Deleuze and Guattari’s rhizomes and assemblages. In SA, the situation itself becomes the fundamental unit of analysis. Using extensive examples, the authors discuss getting started, how to create three kinds of maps emphasizing differences and relationality (situational maps, social world/arena maps, and positional maps), the kinds of analytic work they accomplish, and how to write up the results centered on the distinctive strengths of the method. The book will serve as an invaluable resource for advanced undergraduate and graduate-level students, as well as professional researchers and consultants from diverse backgrounds pursuing qualitative projects.
 
List of Illustrations
 
Acknowledgments
 
Prologue to the Second Edition
What is Situational Analysis?

 
Overview of the Second Edition

 
Practical Developments

 
How to Read and Use this Book

 
 
About the Authors
 
PART I • FRAMING AND GROUNDING SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS
 
Introduction to Part I
 
Chapter 1 • Situational Analysis: Grounded Theory Mapping After the Interpretive Turn
What Is Grounded Theory?

 
A Genealogy of Grounded Theory and Situational Analysis

 
The Interpretive Turn

 
Grounds for a New Method

 
Situational Maps and Analysis

 
Reflections and Anticipations

 
 
Chapter 2 • Methodological Grounds of Situational Analysis
Grounded Theory, Pragmatism, and Interactionism: A Theory/Methods Package

 
Grounded Theory as Always Already Around the Interpretive Turn

 
Grounded Theory as Recalcitrant Against the Interpretive Turn

 
Pushing Grounded Theory Around the Interpretive Turn

 
Reflections and Anticipations

 
 
Chapter 3 • Theoretical Grounds of Situational Analysis
The ”(Re)Turn to the Social” Across Social Theory

 
Pragmatist Interactionist Origins: From Chicago Ecologies to Social Worlds/Arenas

 
New Grounds I: Foucault and the Pragmatist Interactionist Project

 
New Grounds II: Taking the Nonhuman Explicitly Into Account

 
New Grounds III: Deleuze and Guattari’s Rhizomes and Assemblages

 
Assembling the Theoretical Grounds of Situational Analysis

 
 
PART II • DOING SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS
 
Introduction to Part II
 
Chapter 4 • Getting Started: Practical Issues and Project Design
The Three Kinds of Situational Analysis Maps

 
Practical Issues in Getting Started

 
Doing Situational Analysis Project Design

 
Issues in Situational Analysis Project Design

 
Technical Tools Supporting Situational Analysis

 
Turning to Analysis

 
 
Chapter 5 • Doing Situational and Relational Maps
Abstract Situational Maps

 
Introducing the First Exemplar: Bone’s Project

 
Situational Maps of Bone’s Project

 
Doing Relational Analyses With Situational Maps

 
Relational Maps of Bone’s Project

 
Final Comments on Situational and Relational Maps

 
 
Chapter 6 • Doing Social Worlds/Arenas Maps
What Are Social Worlds and Arenas?

 
Why Are Social Worlds and Arenas Analytically Important?

 
Introducing Social Worlds/Arenas Maps

 
Social Worlds/Arenas Map of Bone’s Project

 
Doing Social Worlds/Arenas Maps

 
Memoing Social Worlds/Arenas Maps

 
Using Social Worlds/Arenas Maps in Your Project

 
Final Comments on Social Worlds/Arenas Maps

 
 
Chapter 7 • Doing Positional Maps
Abstract Positional Maps

 
Positional Maps of Bone’s Project

 
Constructing Your Own Positional Maps

 
Articulating and Acting Upon Absent Positions

 
Why Are Positional Maps So Important?

 
Final Comments on Positional Maps

 
 
Chapter 8 • A Fully Worked Exemplar of Situational Analysis
Introducing Alonso-Yanez’s Project

 
Alonso-Yanez’s Situational Maps

 
Alonso-Yanez’s Relational Maps

 
Alonso-Yanez’s Social Worlds/Arenas Map

 
Alonso-Yanez’s Positional Maps

 
Provisional Conclusions on Alonso-Yanez’s Project

 
 
Chapter 9 • Writing It Up: Final Presentations and Project Maps
Writing It Up as an Analytic Process

 
Using Your Memos in Finalizing the Project

 
Turning Situational Analysis Maps Into Final Project Maps

 
Possibilities for Presenting and Publishing Your SA Project

 
Temporary Conclusions

 
 
PART III • MAPPING EXTANT DISCOURSE MATERIALS
 
Introduction to Part III
 
Chapter 10 • Turning to Discourses
What Is Discourse?

 
Why Analyze Discourses?

 
Turning Up the Volume on “Minor” Discourses

 
Single Site and Multisite Approaches

 
How to Design SA Discourse Projects

 
Turnings

 
 
Chapter 11 • Mapping Narrative Discourse Materials
Kinds of Extant Narrative Discourse Materials

 
Designing a Narrative Discourse Project

 
Doing Situational Maps of Narrative Discourse Materials

 
Doing Social Worlds/Arenas Maps of Narrative Discourse Materials

 
Doing Positional Maps of Narrative Discourse Materials

 
Final Comments: Situational Analysis of Narrative Discourse Materials

 
 
Chapter 12 • Mapping Visual Discourse Materials
The Rise of Visual Cultures

 
Doing Situational Analysis of Visual Discourse Materials

 
Visual Discourse Exemplar: Washburn’s Biomonitoring Project

 
Final Comments: Situational Analysis of Visual Discourse Materials

 
 
Chapter 13 • Mapping Historical Discourse Materials
Historicizing Historical Approaches

 
Designing Historical and Historicizing Projects

 
Historical Discourse Analysis Exemplar: Introducing Message’s Project

 
Doing Situational Maps of Historical Discourse Materials

 
Doing Social Worlds/Arenas Maps of Historical Discourse Materials

 
Doing Positional Maps of Historical Discourse Materials

 
Final Comments: Situational Analysis of Historical Discourse Materials

 
 
Epilogue: Situational Analysis Issues and FAQs
Comparing Early GT With Constructivist GT and SA

 
Tips on Learning and Teaching Situational Analysis

 
Decolonizing and (Post)Colonial Situational Analysis

 
SA Mapping as Facilitating Engagement and Collaboration

 
FAQs About Situational Analysis

 
Final Words

 
 
Appendices
Appendix A: Grounded Theory and Situational Analysis Websites

 
Appendix B: Selected Exemplars of Situational Analysis by Discipline

 
Appendix C: Selected Exemplars of Situational Analysis by Mapping Focus

 
 
References
 
Index

Supplements

Student Study Site

Open access resources at study.sagepub.com/clarke2e help you further engage with Situational Analysis. Materials include:

  • The epilogue, “FAQs and Conversations” from the first edition
  • Relevant SAGE Journal articles from across disciplines, organized by mapping emphasis
  • Exemplars of Situational Analysis projects
  • Downloadable templates for use in the field
  • Tips for teaching and learning Situational Analysis
  • Video and multimedia resources to assist with further explorations of topics
  • Appendices from the book for quick reference
  • The reference list from the text and a list of additional publications by the authors to aid in continuing research

Highly relevant to students studying complexity and safety in healthcare practice.

Dr Sarah Fry
School of Healthcare Sciences, Cardiff University
June 10, 2021
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