ABSTRACT
We may say that biographical research has both general and specific purposes. The general purpose is to provide greater insight than hitherto into the nature and meaning of individual lives or groups of lives. Given that individual lives are part of a cultural network, information gained through biographical research will relate to an understanding of the wider society. The specific purpose of the research will be the analysis of a particular life or lives for some designated reason (Erben, 1998: 4).
