ABSTRACT
This chapter presents an overview of situational analysis, an extension of grounded theory. Here I engage the question: “What’s new in situational analysis and how does it differ from grounded theory?” Methodologically new is a shift from the grounded theory focus on human action to the broader situation as the unit of analysis. Significantly, the situation also includes the “nonhuman actors” present in that situation, from material things (e.g., dogs, technologies, viruses, buildings) to discourses, visual imagery, and so forth, as well as humans. Theoretically, there is a new shift to emphasizing Straussian social worlds and arenas maps in a Chicago ecological framing. Additional theoretical inspirations include Foucault’s discourse studies, moving us beyond the participant as the “knowing subject,” and Deleuze and Guattari’s rhizomes and assemblages as ecological configurations.
Situational analysis is based on pursuing four mapping strategies and memoing the maps in detail: situational maps, relational maps, social worlds/arenas maps, and positional maps. Data for making the maps may include transcribed interviews, memos of ethnographic observations, and analyses of extant (found in the situation) discursive materials (documents, visual and historical materials such as websites). A situational map including all the elements tentatively in the situation is useful even at design stages of research (then much revised as data are gathered). All maps are done and redone across the trajectory of the research.
Situational analysis also brings new critical tools to the constructivist grounded theory toolbox. These include analyzing implicated actors and actants (present in the situation but largely to serve others’ ends) and analyzing collective power relations and boundary objects through social worlds and arenas maps and analytics. By attending to the margins and who/that which is marginalized, representation in situational analysis is more deeply democratized. Mapping also enhances opportunities for collaboration.
