Researching Families and Relationships Reflections on Process

In this volume, now in paperback, over 40 researchers across the social sciences offer a series of engaging accounts reflecting on dilemmas and issues that they experienced while conducting and communicating research on personal life. Their insights are food for thought for students, researchers, professionals and anyone using, planning or conducting research on families and relationships, encouraging critical reflection on the readers' own processes. Researchers' accounts are organised under and commented on by insightful overviews. David Morgan leads with consideration of framing research; Kay Tisdall reflects on ethical considerations in research engagements; Angus Bancroft and Stuart Aitken each comment on researchers' accounts from 'in the field'; Lynn Jamieson discusses dilemmas in interpreting and representing families and relationships and Sarah Morton and Sandra Nutley reflect on getting research into policy and practice.

Lynn Jamieson is Professor of Families and Relationships at the University of Edinburgh, UK, and Co-Director of the Centre for Research on Families and Relationships. Her publications include Living Alone: Globalization, Identity and Belonging (with R. Simpson); Families and the State: Changing Relationships (with S. Cunnigham-Burley); and Intimacy: Personal Relationships in Modern Societies.
 
Roona Simpson is Lecturer at the University of Glasgow, UK. Her publications include Contemporary Spinsterhood in Britain: Gender, Partnership Status and Social Change.

Ruth Lewis is Research Fellow at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK.

1. Introduction; Lynn Jamieson, Roona Simpson and Ruth Lewis
2. Framing Relationships and Families; David Morgan
3. Engaging with Families and Relationships; Kay Tisdall
4. In the Field: Research Relationships; Angus Bancroft
5. Time and Place: In and Beyond 'the Field'; Stuart Aitken
6. Interpreting and Representing Families and Relationships; Lynn Jamieson
7. What Happens Next? Getting Research into Policy and Practice; Sarah Morton and Sandra Nutley
8. Conclusion; ; Lynn Jamieson, Roona Simpson and Ruth Lewis