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Negative chain referral sampling : doing justice to subcultural diversity

Hannerz, Erik LU and Tutenges, Sébastien LU (2022) In Journal of Youth Studies 25(9). p.1268-1283
Abstract
This paper calls for renewed consideration of the way research
subjects are selected in the study of subcultures. All too often,
subcultural researchers limit themselves to the use of one or two
of the orthodox sampling designs, such as ‘convenience
sampling’ (selecting subjects who are readily available) or ‘chain
referral sampling’ (selecting a readily available subject who refers
the researcher to other subjects). While these designs certainly
have their merits, especially in the early research phase of
negotiating access and acceptance, they may impede insight into
the diversity that exists within subcultural groups. Based on
ethnographic fieldwork among punks and graffiti writers, this
paper... (More)
This paper calls for renewed consideration of the way research
subjects are selected in the study of subcultures. All too often,
subcultural researchers limit themselves to the use of one or two
of the orthodox sampling designs, such as ‘convenience
sampling’ (selecting subjects who are readily available) or ‘chain
referral sampling’ (selecting a readily available subject who refers
the researcher to other subjects). While these designs certainly
have their merits, especially in the early research phase of
negotiating access and acceptance, they may impede insight into
the diversity that exists within subcultural groups. Based on
ethnographic fieldwork among punks and graffiti writers, this
paper introduces a supplementary design, that of ‘negative chain
referral sampling’, which consists of using group members’
categorisations of subcultural anomalies as an opening to explore
subcultural variation and tensions. This design is one that flips
the logic of conventional chain referral sampling: if we are
encouraged not to speak to certain subjects, for instance, due to
their lack of authenticity or status, this forms the motivation for
doing exactly that. Closer examination of subcultural anomalies
may deepen our understanding of the boundary work, identitymaking
and social exclusion that occurs in all subcultural groups. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
subcultures, ethnography, identity
in
Journal of Youth Studies
volume
25
issue
9
pages
16 pages
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • scopus:85109298123
ISSN
1469-9680
DOI
10.1080/13676261.2021.1948979
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
20b553b0-4f17-4ca6-93a6-4d33d4771923
date added to LUP
2021-07-13 14:54:11
date last changed
2022-11-15 10:17:42
@article{20b553b0-4f17-4ca6-93a6-4d33d4771923,
  abstract     = {{This paper calls for renewed consideration of the way research<br/>subjects are selected in the study of subcultures. All too often,<br/>subcultural researchers limit themselves to the use of one or two<br/>of the orthodox sampling designs, such as ‘convenience<br/>sampling’ (selecting subjects who are readily available) or ‘chain<br/>referral sampling’ (selecting a readily available subject who refers<br/>the researcher to other subjects). While these designs certainly<br/>have their merits, especially in the early research phase of<br/>negotiating access and acceptance, they may impede insight into<br/>the diversity that exists within subcultural groups. Based on<br/>ethnographic fieldwork among punks and graffiti writers, this<br/>paper introduces a supplementary design, that of ‘negative chain<br/>referral sampling’, which consists of using group members’<br/>categorisations of subcultural anomalies as an opening to explore<br/>subcultural variation and tensions. This design is one that flips<br/>the logic of conventional chain referral sampling: if we are<br/>encouraged not to speak to certain subjects, for instance, due to<br/>their lack of authenticity or status, this forms the motivation for<br/>doing exactly that. Closer examination of subcultural anomalies<br/>may deepen our understanding of the boundary work, identitymaking<br/>and social exclusion that occurs in all subcultural groups.}},
  author       = {{Hannerz, Erik and Tutenges, Sébastien}},
  issn         = {{1469-9680}},
  keywords     = {{subcultures; ethnography; identity}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{11}},
  number       = {{9}},
  pages        = {{1268--1283}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Journal of Youth Studies}},
  title        = {{Negative chain referral sampling : doing justice to subcultural diversity}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13676261.2021.1948979}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/13676261.2021.1948979}},
  volume       = {{25}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}