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Affects, emotions and interaction : the methodological promise of video data analysis in peace research

Bramsen, Isabel LU orcid and Austin, Jonathan Luke (2022) In Conflict, Security and Development 22(5). p.457-473
Abstract

Methodologically, Peace Research has long been dominated by words, numbers, and sometimes images. This article suggests also integrating Video Data Analysis (VDA) into the analytical toolbox of Peace Research so as to explore the potential of the millions of videos of relevance for the study of peace and conflict that can be found online and beyond. The article introduces VDA and shows how the method can be applied to analyse micro-dynamics of phenomena such as violence, conflict, mediation, and peacebuilding. Videos enable researchers to observe events that no or few researchers would otherwise have access to from their armchairs, integrating the attentiveness to interaction and atmosphere that only ethnographers would have. While... (More)

Methodologically, Peace Research has long been dominated by words, numbers, and sometimes images. This article suggests also integrating Video Data Analysis (VDA) into the analytical toolbox of Peace Research so as to explore the potential of the millions of videos of relevance for the study of peace and conflict that can be found online and beyond. The article introduces VDA and shows how the method can be applied to analyse micro-dynamics of phenomena such as violence, conflict, mediation, and peacebuilding. Videos enable researchers to observe events that no or few researchers would otherwise have access to from their armchairs, integrating the attentiveness to interaction and atmosphere that only ethnographers would have. While losing the ethnographer’s benefit of ‘being there’, videos allow researchers to replay events in slow motion and thus capture subtle dynamics of timing, interaction, and affect. The article discusses the epistemological challenges, ethical dilemmas, and future promises of applying VDA in Peace Research and provides concrete examples of how the observation of affects reflected in body postures and facial expressions, as well as the social bonds reflected in the rhythm and content of interaction, can be of value in peace research.

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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
affects, emotions, peace research, positionality, Video data analysis
in
Conflict, Security and Development
volume
22
issue
5
pages
17 pages
publisher
Routledge
external identifiers
  • scopus:85138781977
ISSN
1467-8802
DOI
10.1080/14678802.2022.2122696
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
9450848e-91b8-4652-b295-caf851735b06
date added to LUP
2022-12-22 10:03:53
date last changed
2022-12-22 10:03:53
@article{9450848e-91b8-4652-b295-caf851735b06,
  abstract     = {{<p>Methodologically, Peace Research has long been dominated by words, numbers, and sometimes images. This article suggests also integrating Video Data Analysis (VDA) into the analytical toolbox of Peace Research so as to explore the potential of the millions of videos of relevance for the study of peace and conflict that can be found online and beyond. The article introduces VDA and shows how the method can be applied to analyse micro-dynamics of phenomena such as violence, conflict, mediation, and peacebuilding. Videos enable researchers to observe events that no or few researchers would otherwise have access to from their armchairs, integrating the attentiveness to interaction and atmosphere that only ethnographers would have. While losing the ethnographer’s benefit of ‘being there’, videos allow researchers to replay events in slow motion and thus capture subtle dynamics of timing, interaction, and affect. The article discusses the epistemological challenges, ethical dilemmas, and future promises of applying VDA in Peace Research and provides concrete examples of how the observation of affects reflected in body postures and facial expressions, as well as the social bonds reflected in the rhythm and content of interaction, can be of value in peace research.</p>}},
  author       = {{Bramsen, Isabel and Austin, Jonathan Luke}},
  issn         = {{1467-8802}},
  keywords     = {{affects; emotions; peace research; positionality; Video data analysis}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{5}},
  pages        = {{457--473}},
  publisher    = {{Routledge}},
  series       = {{Conflict, Security and Development}},
  title        = {{Affects, emotions and interaction : the methodological promise of video data analysis in peace research}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14678802.2022.2122696}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/14678802.2022.2122696}},
  volume       = {{22}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}