Methodology
Generations of scholars have sought to define culture’s role in social life and refine our ability to measure it. MCL methodology initiatives join these efforts to understand culture holistically and measure it rigorously. As humanists, we holistically engage, listen, and witness peoples’ experiences. As scientists, we aim to rigorously describe and analyze how culture varies among and across social spaces. The MCL methodology initiative envisions a practical and productive balance between humanistic and scientific understandings of culture.
MCL is in an auspicious setting to pursue this vision. Lab investigators bring diverse disciplinary tools to the study of medical culture including field-based anthropology, micro-analytic conversation analysis, sociological perspectives on professional and institutional cultures, and computational/big data insights from the policy and social sciences. The methodology initiative develops innovative analytic approaches and methodological tools to advance cultural research -- including computational tools to analyze and visualize qualitative data on culture. Through training, mentorship, and technical support, MCL investigators support researchers new to the field of qualitative research on culture.
Current project
