Utilising Biographical Narrative Interpretive Methods: rich perspectives on union learning journeys and learner motivations

Abstract

This article explores the use of Biographical Narrative Interpretive Methods (BNIM) in research on motivations for trade union learning. Our use of BNIM – a new methodological approach for us – was intended to test our own research practice in an effort to get further inside the ‘felt world’ and ‘lived life’ of the union learner. We concluded that educational deficit, employability, ways of learning and collectivism motivate union learners and that BNIM, though problematic, exposes a raw subjectivity in union learner agency and motivation which may not be fully invoked in traditional interview approaches, and which is of interest methodologically to multiple research fields including industrial relations. Whilst we have concerns that BNIM may privilege subjectivity and obscure social locations, we also find that semi-structured interviews may prompt learners to adopt hegemonic frameworks, whereas BNIM can allow the articulation of wider social relationships, desires and counter-hegemonic impulses.

Keywords:

• trade union learning
• learner motivations
• BNIM
• research methods

Acknowledgements

This research was funded by Unionlearn and the authors wish to acknowledge the support of Unionlearn and in particular Ann Joss. We would like to thank all the learners who gave up their time to be interviewed, and Leena Kumarappan and Hannah Wood for research support. We are grateful to the anonymous reviewers of this paper.