METHODS AND METHODOLOGICAL RESEARCH:
As an interdisciplinary research team, our interests encompass a wide range of topics not only thematically but also methodologically, through which we strive to break new ground in the fields of our research – in particular, cultural studies, cultural institutions studies, cultural management, cultural policies, and cultural economics.
To this end, our expertise in both quantitative and qualitative methods is especially valuable, allowing us to integrate various methods in developing innovative approaches, strengthening the validity of our findings, and enlarging the scope of cultural research. We believe that such a combination of methods is rare in these fields. Our cross-disciplinary endeavors promote systematic, context-sensitive research on important topics of cultural agents, phenomena, processes, problems, practices, and policies. To realize this objective, two methodological approaches can be distinguished.
The first is our extensive application of different methods ranging from qualitative, quantitative to mixed approaches: for example, statistical and econometric analyses, surveys, behavioral experiments, big data- and meta-analyses, ethnographic research, analyses of visual, audio and documentary sources, and multi-method case studies. Such methodological diversity allows each data and method, which has its own strengths and flaws, to be cross-examined and to complement one another, and therefore enhances the validity and integrity of our findings. Furthermore, the integration of methods in both qualitative and quantitative domains enables us to realize comprehensive analyses aimed at identifying systematic patterns and the deep structures of the problems in question, while at the same time maintaining the riched details of individual accounts.
Second, our use of diverse methods promotes the exploration of novel themes of important but understudied topics. For example, combining qualitative interviews and quantitative data analysis can innovate systematic research on hard-to-reach populations such as refugee, LGTBQI+, and street artists, for which comprehensive data is seldom available. A nuanced approach to integrating attitudinal surveys and behavioral experiments can also effectively reveal structural patterns of intersectional discrimination against artists and cultural participants across e.g., gender, “race”, class, ability, and sexuality – on which gauged evidence is often unavailable, given the complexities in measuring multi-folded discriminatory attitudes. Critical reflection on the rigorous application of methods and ethical considerations, e.g., in the context of translation or participatory action research, is another essential part of themes in our methodological studies.
Through our methodological diversity and integrative approaches, we aim to present new findings on literature and policy-making that can shed light on the multifaceted and plural worlds of artists, cultural workers and audiences and reveal their societal realities and conditions.
Involved researchers: