Intentionality and agency in values work research

Abstract

This chapter addresses how intentionality and agency can be understood in relation to values and values work. How different degrees of intentionality relate to different dimensions of agency is something we need to understand empirically rather than as a point of departure. A connected challenge is to what extent people are aware of values that influence their actions and the values work they are involved in, but also to what extent they are aware of relations/conflicts between values that are imposed on them (e.g., from an employer) and personal values. This is also something we need to understand empirically. This chapter describes how different qualitative data collection methods have different strengths and weaknesses in relation to the above challenges and how a design of mixing them may enable a true empirical investigation of intentionality and agency in values work research.