Qualitative Research in Understanding the Metal Community
In: Can I Play with Madness? Metal, Dissonance, Madness and AlienationSearch for other papers by Igor Gafarov in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Purchase instant access (PDF download and unlimited online access):
The main idea of the chapter is to demonstrate the way the methods of qualitative research used in sociology and anthropology can be applied to the metal community. In my opinion, qualitative methods are much more adequate for studying the metal community than quantitative ones. In the first place, they are more productive when used to uncover or formulate a social problem, as opposed to giving practical advice in problematic situations. Despite growing research, metal is not understood well as a social phenomenon. There is not enough information and understanding from which any long-perspective conclusions based on previous research can be drawn, nor analogies from other spheres. The contemporary social situation is one of almost constant change, described variously in different social theories, giving even more arguments for considering any contemporary social phenomenon as something unique and distinctive, a product of peculiar interaction of meanings. In this light it seems to me that qualitative analysis in the area of the metal community is a worthwhile undertaking. The first phase of my research includes the analysis of interviews of a number of prominent metal bands. Working through an ample selection of interviews it is possible to add qualitative methods to quantitative ones and give a representative picture of meanings permeating the scene. Selecting such material is, in my opinion, more sensible than beginning the work with song lyrics, for example, and more fitting for the initial stage of the research than working with a selection of fan interviews. This is not in the least because band interviews are more easily accessed and would be much more helpful in formulating the initial hypothesis on ‘how’s and why’s’ in the metal scene.