Building Bridges, Filling Gaps: Toward an Integrative Interdisciplinary and Mixed Method Approach for Future Audience Research in Relation to the Mediation of Distant Suffering

Authors

  • Eline Huiberts University of Gent

Keywords:

paradigms, interdisciplinary research, mixed methods, audience research, distant suffering, expert interviews

Abstract

Based on extensive literature research and 11 expert interviews with academics familiar with the field of audience studies and mediation of distant suffering, this article provides a metadiscussion of the different paradigms and methodologies that can be used for further empirical audience research. It is argued that the “middle-way” paradigms such as critical realism, grounded theory, and pragmatism can productively serve as the basis for a common epistemic language in interdisciplinary research. A mixed-methods approach may serve well for a broad and holistic study of the audience. It is further argued that future empirical research of media users in relation to distant suffering could benefit from an interdisciplinary, mixed-methods approach.

Author Biography

Eline Huiberts, University of Gent

PhD student under supervision of Stijn Joye at Ghent University, Belgium. She works on a project that further focuses on how audiences perceive images of distant suffering and how they process these images. This project will use both quantitative and qualitative methods to study the complex reactions that can be elicited from such images.More information:Eline.Huiberts@UGent.bePhone: +32 9 264 9784http://www.cims.ugent.be/members/eline-huibertshttp://www.cjs.ugent.be/members/eline-huibertshttps://ugent.academia.edu/ElineHuiberts September 2015

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Published

2016-08-30

Issue

Vol. 10 (2016)

Section

Articles

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