ABSTRACT
In this chapter, unlike the other case studies in this book, two types of documents – historical and official – are considered together. By examining these together I highlight the differences between sources, which can help to provide alternative understandings of reality. First, I consider historical documents, including those that are text only and those that are graphical or also include images. Examples of where the analysis of historical documents has been useful for contemporary society are briefly outlined. Alongside this, literature on the analysis of official documents is described. The main body of the chapter involves an empirical case study of welfare reform. Within the worked example, historical documents on the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act are analysed alongside transcripts of parliamentary debates relating to the Welfare Reform and Work Bill 2015. The process of refining the research question and sampling data to be used is described. The data are analysed using Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), which involves thematic coding, consideration of power relations and conclusion drawing. Examples are given at each stage. Discourses of note in both data sources are the power relationships in society and the deservingness of claimants. However, it also illuminates the power relationships within and between the different organisations involved. In the historical documents, power was held by those administering benefits on the ground, whilst the official documents allowed an insight into the power relationships between political parties in contemporary society. The chapter also considers the unique challenges in undertaking research with official or historical documents. An exercise is provided to allow readers to undertake CDA.
