Visual Research, Digital Archives, and Focus Groups: Learning from Temple Communities in Thailand
This article considers the advantages of visual research, digital archives, and the employment of focus groups as qualitative methods for studying Buddhism in contemporary Thailand. In reflecting on my experience using these methods, I encourage other scholars to consider innovative fieldwork possib...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
2024
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| In: |
Fieldwork in religion
Year: 2024, Volume: 19, Issue: 2, Pages: 195-211 |
| Further subjects: | B
Buddhism
B visual research B focus groups B Focus Groups B Media B Thai Buddhism B Visual research B Archives B Thailand B digital archives |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | This article considers the advantages of visual research, digital archives, and the employment of focus groups as qualitative methods for studying Buddhism in contemporary Thailand. In reflecting on my experience using these methods, I encourage other scholars to consider innovative fieldwork possibilities for similar types of research. First narrating my original research design, I examine the ways I adjusted to the realities and limitations I faced in the field. I conclude with my observations from this experience of fieldwork, which asks focus group participants to share their opinions about the current state of Thai Buddhism through viewing visual images from Thai social media and news outlets. The participants in this fieldwork are, for the most part, lay Buddhists who are part of urban and rural temple communities. This article also considers the nature of these participants, and their reactions to visual research methods. |
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| ISSN: | 1743-0623 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Fieldwork in religion
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1558/firn.30630 |
