The Loss of Pioneer Mary Gergen

Sad news to hear that pioneer Mary Gergen has left us . She was a front-runner as a woman in academics, feminism, Social Constructionism, relationships, blended families, and great at bringing "performance" to all of these.Mary and her husband Ken Gergen spent many great moments with us at Bournemouth U in the UK and its Qualitative and Performative conferences over the years. Below, a short slideshow of those times. (Turn sound on!

Song of You

Rufus Wainwright

So I’m gonna fly in the sky so high in the wind
And I’m gonna try really, really try so hard not to give in
And find the song of you

So I’m gonna run and hide my head in the sand
And I’m gonna think really, really think so hard to try and understand
And find the song of you
The song of you

You can also read/see a graphic version of Mary's life story that Mary and I put together for FQS: https://www.qualitative-research.net/.../view/554/1200

Thoroughly Post Modern Mary

I will miss you dearly, Mary, and send my deepest sympathies to Ken and your family.

 

Post-script: “Thoughts that do often lie too deep for tears.”--Wordsworth

I didn't realise until later, but when I deal with deep sadness my first response is always art. When Richard was in hospital dying from Aids, I first found him sleeping. I grabbed the hospital menu from the tray and drew his picture on it. The same when our dog Lulu died. I drew one last picture of her.

My first reaction to Mary Gergen's death was 1. to find photos; 2. to find music. Secondly, then to revisit the life story interview that I had illustrated with photos, graphics and typeface. These are all here on this page.

It's who I am.

 

Previous Writings on Performative Social Science

We are in the process of pitching an edited book on Performative Social Science with contributions to Chapters from 19 colleagues from around the world.

Below is an updated list of my writing that I have done so far on PSS:

Jones, K. (2017) “Emotivity and Ephemera Research” Ch. In Innovative Research Methods in Management. Editors: Moutinho L, Sokele M. Part 1, Ch. 3. Springer International Publishing AG (Palgrave Macmillan), London UK 2017

Jones, K., Hearing, T. (2016) “Film as Research/Research as Film”. Ch. in The Handbook of Arts-Based Research. P. Leavy, Ed. New York, NY: Guilford Press.

Jones, K. (2016) “’Styles of Good Sense’ Ethics, Filmmaking and Scholarship”. Ch. 43: 1264-1288 in: The Routledge International Handbook on Narrative and Life History, I. Goodson, A. Antikainen, M. Andrews & P. Sikes, Eds.  Abingdon UK: Routledge Publishers.

Jones, K. (2016) “Performative Social Science”. Ch. in: The International Encyclopedia of Communication. Research Methods, J. Matthes, Ed. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Jones, K., Leavy, P. (2014) “A Conversation Between Kip Jones and Patricia Leavy: Arts-Based Research, Performative Social Science and Working on the Margins.” The Qualitative Report, 19, 38: 1-7. http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR19/jones38.pdf

Jones, K. (with T. Hearing) (2013) “Turning research into film: Trevor Hearing in conversation with Kip Jones about the short film, RUFUS STONE”. Ch. in Qualitative Research in the Social Sciences, M. Lichtman, Ed.  New York: Sage Publications.

Jones, K. (2012) Connecting research with communities through Performative Social Science. The Qualitative Report, 17(Rev. 18), 1-8. Retrieved from http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR17/jones.pdf

Gergen, M., Jones K. (2008) Editorial: “A Conversation about Performative Social Science”. Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 9(2), Art. 43.  http://www.qualitative-research.net/fqs-texte/2-08/08-2-43-e.htm.

Jones K. (2008) (Special Issue Editor) with M. Gergen, J. J. Guiney Yallop, I, Lopez de Vallejo, B. Roberts & P. Wright (Co-Editors) (2008) Forum: Qualitative Social Research Special Issue on Performative Social Science (42 articles) 9:2 (May 2008).