Customer Reviews

Researching Lived Experience: Human Science for an Action Sensitive Pedagogy (Suny Series, Philosophy of Education)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

i didn't give this book 4 stars because, frankly, i haven't read enough books on phenomenological research to feel confident that this book is a 5. but, despite this being called a philosophy of education book, this is really a primer on Van Manen's brand of phenomenology--phenomenology with a more constructivist bent. the book functions as a great introduction not only to the phenomenological mindset (mainly inspired by gadamer), but also to qualitative inquiry in general.

Van Manen writes in an accessible way, making the book ideal for the uninitiated. i would recommend this book to anyone hoping to learn more about phenomenology as an approach to qualitative research.

Van Manen powerfully invites one to do phenomenologically adequate research. He identifies the object of
such research as the revealing of "the essence of a phenomenon--a lived experience" while arguing that such experience is pregnant with "the possibility of plausible insights that bring us in more direct contact with the world." Further, in line with phenomenological traditions, Van Manen points out the recollective nature of the apprehension of lived experience, and agrees this recollective nature "is reflection on experience that is already passed or lived through" which must be captured in "a poetizing project" since (citing Merleau-Ponty, 1973) "it ... [offers] an incantative, evocative speaking, a primal telling, wherein we aim to involve the voice in an original singing of the world." In sum, I strongly recommend this book as an entry point to a viable research tradition which escapes the sterility of decontextualized positivistic thought.

This book has helped as a valid source to gather information from regarding research. This book is just what I needed to help understand the reason for my method.

I received different version. At first I ordered 1997 version of the book, but you sent me 1990 version of book (old version). I am so angry, but I don't have much time to ask due to my class. I just used the book. anyway, it was awful experiences...

The book arrived in a timely manner and was in like-new condition.