Critical Review: Sociology Research Methods

Debating the Burka in France: The anti politics of Islamic revival: Parvez, F, Z. (2011). Word count: 2112 (including references and bibliography) Word count: Core text (Not including refrences and bibliography): 1597 Critical Review In order to critically explore and assess the strengths; limitations and problems associated with the methods employed within Z.Parveens study conducted in Les Minguettes in 2011,we must first not only outline these key active research methods, yet also provide an overview of the significant notions and findings from within the paper. Parvez seeks to obtain a qualitative understanding of Islamic movements in France by conducting an ethnographic study spanning over ten months in the “overwhelmingly working-class” (Parvez, 2011, p. 294) suburb of Venissieux just outside the second largest metropolitan city; Lyon. She undertakes the majority of this research in two mosques and her subjects to a large extent are women whom mainly belong to the Salafist branch of Islam. The principal motive from within the paper is the argument that following marginalization from an intrusive state, a culture in which these women do not engage in a form of politics yet into a form of antipolitics has been born. She argues that through their practice, teachings and wearing of the Burka they look to expand their private sphere as opposed to crying out for justice and equality, turning to each other for moral support while placing greater emphasis on their “spiritual state and serenity over material life” (Parvez, 2011, p.308). The units of analysis for the study would be individuals, as researchers tend to explain and describe social groups by outlining and aggregating the behaviour of individuals as opposed to studying the organisation as a whole. Parvez undertakes the use of theoretical and snowball sampling, typical of a qualitative researcher striving for richness as opposed to transferability within their research. The greatest

Bibliography: Bryman, A (2008). Social Research Methods. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press . 378. Herman, J, N (1995). A Symbolic Interactionist Approach . London: General Hall Inc. 146. LeCompte, D, M (1999). Essential Ethnographic Methods: Observations, Interviews, and Questionnaires: Observations, Interviews, and Questionnaires (Ethnographer 's Toolkit , Vol 2). 2nd ed. Colorado: Rowman Altamira. 149. Li, J. (2008). Ethical Challenges in Participant Observation. a Reflection on Ethnographic Fieldwork, The Qualitative Report. 13 (1), 101-105. Mason, J. (2002) Qualitative Researching Sage, London, Chapter 5. Parvez, F, Z. (2011). Debating the Burqa in France. the Antipolitics of Islamic Revival. 1 (1), 208-309.