Narrative interviews and discussion groups in the study of couple violence

Abstract

This article presents a methodological reflection based on empirical research on the subject of gender violence from the qualitative approach. It exposes the characteristics and scope of two data production and analysis techniques –the narrative interview and the discussion group– in the light of two recent research projects about couple violence in Mexico. Both perspectives of analysis are reconstructive methodological procedures that are governed by the principle of openness, so that individuals themselves structure their experiences and meanings according to their own criteria of relevance. The article illustrates the way in which generalizable results can be achieved by qualitative research using an inductive logic and, in that way, transcend the subjective perspective and the singularity of the single case, defining categories and creating types.