Isaac Hughes Thesis
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Repertoires of Resistance: A Discourse Analysis of the Rhetoric of Parapsychologists Isaac John Hughes PhD University of York Sociology November 2016 ABSTRACT This thesis analyses the discourse of researchers associated with the field of parapsychology - a field of contested knowledge and controversial academic standing. The thesis is posiJoned as an update and extension of the discourse analysis methodology and analyJcal framework implemented by Gilbert and Mulkay (1984). Ties to the Sociology of ScienJfic Knowledge are also delineated within the literature background. Core aims of the thesis include; analysing the discourse of researchers connected to a field of controversial posiJoning and revealing the social acJon(s) behind this discourse as points of construcJon. Uncovering interpretaJve repertoires was the primary focus of analysis. The thesis also expands upon previous discourse studies by acJvely exploring the connecJons between the potenJal repertoires - presenJng an overarching theoreJcal binding that is noJceably absent from prior analysis within the literature. Researchers with current or previous career Jes to parapsychology and UK academic insJtuJons were interviewed in semi-structured phone interviews - discussing their careers, connecJons, and perspecJves of parapsychology. From this interview data, three interpretaJve repertoires were idenJfied. The ‘categorisaJon and stake’ repertoire revealed how the researchers managed presentaJons of idenJty and stake towards category construcJons. The ‘outsider repertoire’ demonstrated how the researchers’ discourse constructs idenJty borders that differenJate between concepts of ‘insiders’ / ‘outsiders’ and how this is a key tool for ideological posiJoning. Finally, the ‘reflecJon of conJngency’ repertoire illustrated discursive reflecJve informal formulaJons of personal biographies that were used to construct presentaJons of conJngency for scienJfic and academic pracJce. Whilst each repertoire is disJncJve the social acJons between them are connected, including; field boundary work, group border idenJty construcJon and personal idenJty construcJon. The thesis presents an overarching theoreJcal concept that binds these acJons together: the ‘PosiJoning ConstrucJon Device’. It is proposed that this discursive device incorporates the three idenJfied repertoires as mulJple layers of a single device where the main funcJon is posiJoning within the communicaJve context. 2 CONTENTS ABSTRACT .......................................................................................................................................... 2 CONTENTS ......................................................................................................................................... 3 ACCOMPANYING MATERIALS ............................................................................................................ 7 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..................................................................................................................... 8 DECLARATION .................................................................................................................................... 9 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 10 1.1 Thesis Overview .................................................................................................................... 10 1.2 Background: Parapsychology As a Subject of Controversy .................................................... 11 1.3 Parapsychology’s Presence Within Academia in the UK ....................................................... 17 1.3.1 Snapshot of UK Academic Parapsychology in 2010-2011 .............................................. 17 1.4 Historical Development of Parapsychology as an Academic Discipline ................................. 22 1.4.1 DefiniJon of Parapsychology ......................................................................................... 22 1.4.2 Growth of Parapsychology as a Subject of Academic Interest ....................................... 23 1.4.3 AnalyJcal PotenJal of Parapsychology Within Sociology .............................................. 28 1.5 Development of the Sociological Analysis of Parapsychology............................................... 30 1.5.1 DebaJng Parapsychology as a Science........................................................................... 30 1.5.2 Parapsychology and its CriJcs ........................................................................................ 37 1.6 Summary of Thesis: Aims and Structure ............................................................................... 45 1.6.1 Thesis Aims .................................................................................................................... 45 1.6.2 Thesis Structure ............................................................................................................. 48 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE OVERVIEW .............................................................................................. 50 2.1 IntroducJon .......................................................................................................................... 50 2.2 Sociology of ScienJfic Knowledge (SSK) ............................................................................... 51 2.2.1 Emergence of SSK .......................................................................................................... 51 2.2.2 RelaJvism Within SSK .................................................................................................... 56 2.2.3 The RelaJvist Manifesto - Social Studies of Science ...................................................... 60 2.2.4 InvesJgaJng ScienJfic Controversies............................................................................. 66 2.3 Discourse Analysis ................................................................................................................ 68 2.3.1 Emergence of Discourse Analysis................................................................................... 68 3 2.3.2 InterpretaJve Repertoires ............................................................................................. 75 2.3.3 Gilbert and Mulkay (1984) - ‘Opening Pandora’s Box’ ................................................... 78 2.4 Overview ............................................................................................................................... 86 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY .......................................................................................................... 88 3.1 IntroducJon .......................................................................................................................... 88 3.2 General Methodological Focus............................................................................................. 89 3.3 ParJcipants .......................................................................................................................... 91 3.3.1 ParJcipant Criteria and SelecJon Process ..................................................................... 91 3.3.2 IniJal ParJcipant Engagement ....................................................................................... 93 3.3.3 Consent and Ethical ConsideraJons .............................................................................. 94 3.4 Interview Method ................................................................................................................ 96 3.4.1 General Interview Approach .......................................................................................... 96 3.4.2 Interview Structure and PresentaJon of QuesJons ...................................................... 97 3.5 ImplementaJon of the Interviews ..................................................................................... 103 3.5.1 Timeframe ................................................................................................................... 103 3.5.2 Process and Equipment Used ...................................................................................... 103 3.6 ReflecJons on the Interviews ............................................................................................. 104 3.7 Empirical Analysis ............................................................................................................... 105 3.7.1 Reviewing the Interview Content ................................................................................ 105 3.7.2 Analysis of the Interview Content................................................................................ 105 3.7.3 IdenJfying InterpretaJve Repertoires ......................................................................... 108 3.7.4 Criteria of the InterpretaJve Repertoires .................................................................... 110 3.7.5 IdenJfying AcJons of the InterpretaJve Repertoires .................................................. 111 3.8 A Reflexive Framing ............................................................................................................ 112 3.9 Empirical PresentaJon ....................................................................................................... 115 CHAPTER 4: CATEGORISATION & STAKE........................................................................................ 117 4.1 IntroducJon .......................................................................................................................