Adventures of an accidental methodologist

Abstract

This article reflects on the attempt to introduce and extend two innovative methodological considerations: social network analysis and documentary research. Documentary research is widely used but little discussed in methodological literature and I show how my own methodological reflections arose from practical concerns with the use of documents. Social network analysis as a formal technique has been little used and I show how my attempts to popularise it as a methodology also grew out of practical research concerns. These are the adventures of an accidental methodologist.