2:00 - 3:30

Software in Media Analysis: The Uses and Misuses of Qualitative Data Analysis Software in Qualitative Research
Michael Billig, David Deacon, Peter Golding, Thomas König, Katie MacMillan, Department of Social Sciences, Loughborough University

RMP Project page

We will discuss opportunities, dangers, and limitations that qualitative data analysis software (ATLAS.ti, Nvivo, MAXqda, etc.) offers to media researchers pursuing a variety of methodologies, including traditional content analysis, discourse analysis, and frame analysis. We will illustrate our argument on examples ranging from newspaper discourses on the UN Weapons' Inspections in Iraq to web forum discussions about Anti-Semitism in Germany.

Promoting network analysis

Social Capital and Civic Engagement: a social network approach
Mike Savage, Gindo Tampubolon, Alan Warde, University of Manchester
John Scott, University of Essex

RMP Project page

This session will show how methodologically rigorous forms of social network analysis (SNA) can be used to make substantive contributions to current debates on social capital. The session will also demonstrate some of the main techniques within SNA and will be a forum for all those interested in the potential of this exciting but relatively under-used tool.

Tables           Slides