Salsa Dancing into the Social Sciences: Research in an Age of Info-glut

by Kristin Luker

“You might think that dancing doesn’t have a lot to do with social research, and doing social research is probably why you picked this book up in the first place. But trust me. Salsa dancing is a practice as well as a metaphor for a kind of research that will make your life easier and better.” Savvy, witty, and sensible, this unique book is both a handbook for defining and completing a research project, and an astute introduction to the neglected history and changeable philosophy of modern social science. In this volume, Kristin Luker guides novice researchers Most important, she shows how friendships, nonacademic interests, and even salsa dancing can make for a better researcher. “You know about setting the kitchen timer and writing for only an hour, or only 15 minutes if you are feeling particularly anxious. I wrote a fairly large part of this book feeling exactly like that. If I can write an entire book 15 minutes at a time, so can you.”

Genres: Sociology, Nonfiction, Academic, Research, School, Writing, Research Methods

336 pages, Hardcover

First published October 15, 2008

Reviews

[Chunchun · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I had read it earlier.

[Luke Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Salsa dancing? In the social sciences???

[Stuart Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kristin Luker, a professor from my dear hometown of Berkeley, empathizes with students hacking through the interminable forest of information available in the 'info-glut' age. How can students possibly get through it all?

But in all, Luker does a solid job at presenting ways of limiting panic attacks and most importantly, finding fun and efficient ways to embrace the research process. She even notes that salsa dancing helps break the dam if you fins yourself in a research/writing rut! Who knew!

[Bri (readingknitter) · Rating 5 out of 5]

For anyone interested in conducting rigorous, qualitative research, I absolutely recommend this book to you. Luker is funny, inspiring, and real about research.

The book consists of many necessary how to steps, from conducting a literature search in our incredibly digitalized world full of so much scholarship to critically analyzing the formation of a research question to writing up your final products. Along the way, Luker sprinkles in humor and real examples that will make you chuckle and feel not so alone (as many people unfortunately do when conducting independent research in graduate school).

I am so happy I read this before I embarked upon my doctoral dissertation and I recommend it to anyone thinking about climbing that mountain. Luker argues for an innovative approach that goes counter to many academic cultures -- don't just work work work all of the time, you've gotta breathe a little (and maybe even salsa dance or [insert your own hobby here]) to fully enjoy and engage in your work and hopefully delve deeper than you would by only focusing on one specific project. 

A great approach and a great read. I thoroughly recommend! 

For more reviews, check out www.girlwithabookblog.com!

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to my advisor for recommending Luker’s work to me because this book is officially the best writing on social science research I’ve ever read.

Most of my research methods training has been of the “canonical” sort. In other words, modeled after the physical sciences, linear, rigid, generally quantitative, and implicitly male. The way I think about my research doesn’t slot neatly into this framework, which has been a frustrating experience for me.

“Salsa Dancing” offers an anecdote to this problem. A combination of memoir, history, and research-guide, this book proposes a new, more fluid way of thinking about social science research. Reading it helped me better understand my identity as a researcher, the work I want to do, and the methods I am drawn to in a much clearer way than I had prior. I stopped feeling stuck on the superficial guard rails of canonical research and began thinking about my “juicy case study” in a more “open-hearted” way (to borrow Luker’s terminology)

Also, the writing is just fantastic. It’s so down to earth and even laugh-out-loud funny at times that it really pulls you in. It doesn’t read like a typical stuffy methods book because the methods you presumably are interested in are not very stuffy, after all! I could see some people finding the reliance on metaphors grating, but for me the writing was a huge benefit.

Oh and, if you do read this, do all the exercises. They are so so helpful!

Overall, I really connected with this book and could see myself coming back to it in the future as I struggle through a new research topic. I truly do recommend every social scientist (especially those interested in qualitative methods) to give this a try!

[Jeri · Rating 5 out of 5]

An extremely humorous research-design book written by an intelligent, down-to-earth, world-class sociologist. I personally do not do sociology, but still find much of the suggestions in terms of framing the research question and relationship with writing very helpful. That being said, this book is written with the assumption that you are trained in a good sociology program with some very exciting case you want to study but don't find the canonical methods helpful. I came to this book when I have a juicy theoretical puzzle but disoriented to find the best case to illuminate that puzzle. So it was not the best match, although she did touch upon some of my struggles. At the same time, this book talks a lot about the tension between qualitative method and quantitative method that is very particular to certain areas of social sciences. For this reason, I would not recommend my humanist friends read this book unless they are as diehard an inter-discinplinarist as myself who realized, with a mixture of horror and excitement, that it is their fate to smack on the boundary between social sciences and humanities.

[Jane Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent book to read for people who are interested in developing skills in qualitative and theory-building research. There is a lot of amazing, high-quality, practical, and down-to-earth (and fun) advice in here, and it really should be a must-read in any sociological methods course (undergrad OR grad!). At times the chapters themselves feel a bit like dancing - occasionally lacking organization and it's hard to really understand the point of things until you see the whole picture. In other words, absolutely worth reading and marking up, but not the best book for 'reference' material when you need quick quotes or directions in the future.

[Kerynnisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most detailed manual on doing social research I've ever read. The writing is so clear and sharp, the examples are great and the metaphors hold strong throughout. I'll be returning to this book again and again with every new research project.

[Jennifer Willcutt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most readable and innovative book about research methods—especially qualitative, but also mixed—that I have read. I relate and identify with the author in her interests and experiences. I would like to read more of her research and her writing.

[Alexis Romero Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great overview of social science qualitative research. Disappointed it doesn’t go into more detail with interviewing or any about textual analysis.

[Kathi Ridley-Merriweather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good text for a textual analysis class. Interesting and innovative approach to the textbook.

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Changed my life

[Errol Orhan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very reassuring, well sourced and practical guide to post graduate life.

[Lachelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite the cheesy title, I enjoyed the concepts in this book and it was an enjoyable read. I suspect I’ll return to it often as I get deeper into my dissertation.

[sungyoon]

For thesis lol

[anniken · Rating 4 out of 5]

like the concept, will definitely come back to!!

[Ayush Sinha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am in Economics but I loved her kind and supportive words and getting more of an idea of how to navigate the initial phases of a research project

[Rebekah · Rating 4 out of 5]

read for grad school class - Research Methods in Migration Studies

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a really excellent guide to doing interdisciplinary research in the social sciences (including law). It is helpful both as a refresher and inspiration for experienced researchers (like myself) who are launching into a new project, as well as for graduate students who are just starting out. The voice is informal, humorous, even a bit irreverent, and yet the advice it conveys is absolutely on point.

[Garrett Hoffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

On some level I wish I would have read this before beginning the dissertation process but on another level, I'm happy I waited until after I got through the first of many processes in this journey. It was more of a reassurance that I am doing it right...or, maybe rather doing it in a way that won't get me completely shunned from my field. If I taught a graduate research methods class I would, without question, assign this. It's easy to read and a nice complement to the canonicals.

[Tatiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a creative person, the even the title was helpful in thinking about approaching research in a different way. It is definitely a book I will return to over and over as I continue to refine my dissertation topic/question. It has been very useful so far in providing thoughtful exercises as I created my rough draft of my dissertation proposal.

[Jennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply essential reading for anyone considering a dissertation using mixed methods, qualitative, or interdisciplinary research. There are incredibly useful exercises to get you started formulating a research question and Luker is humorous and encouraging throughout..this book saved my sanity (and my dissertation).

[Joel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Man, this is a good book. Super readable. Sane advice. Would highly recommend to new PhD students in the social sciences. Made me think about why am I so anxious about my project and is helping point to way toward how to not be.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Boring... I didn't like this book, although I had to read several chapters for my class

[Haley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am full on in love with a research methods book. It's amazing. Heart eyes.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

-Very helpful in thinking about social science research
-Considers both quantitative and qualitative aspects of research

[Saul · Rating 4 out of 5]

i found luker's book pretty useful for finishing my dissertation, especially at the mid-way, post-prospectus, all-alone-with-the-project phase. actually i'd probably have been even better off reading this earlier in grad school. it's an easy enough read for undergrads doing social science research, too.

(the trick is to actually do the exercises for each chapter.)

[Mills College Library]

300.72 L9546 2008