Life history: a method for social sciences?

Authors

  • Eliane Veras, Dra. Universidad Federal de Pernambuco

Abstract

Life history has been considered an important research technique in the field of social science from its first formulations in the beginning of the 20th century. In this paper I discuss the possibilities of deepening the use of life history with the objective to apply it as a method rather than a mere technique. The ideas explored here are inspired by some authors, particularly, Roger Bastide and Florestan Fernandes, who influenced the development of the sociological research in the inception of the University of São Paulo (Brazil) in the 1940's.    

Keywords:

history of life, method, research, poetic method, sociological imagination