Expanding celebrity studies’ research agenda: theoretical opportunities and methodological challenges in interviewing celebrities

Driessens, Olivier (2014) Expanding celebrity studies’ research agenda: theoretical opportunities and methodological challenges in interviewing celebrities. Celebrity Studies, 6 (2). pp. 192-205. ISSN 1939-2397

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Abstract

Following up on Turner’s argument on the dominance of textual and discursive analyses in celebrity studies, this article argues for more focus on celebrity culture’s agents and their social practices, particularly by conducting interviews with celebrities, which is rare in literature. While this opens up several theoretical opportunities, it also raises methodological challenges, especially regarding access and data quality. Access to celebrities is limited because they are already ‘over-interviewed’ by journalists, and thus might not be motivated to engage in academic studies. This article suggests ways to deal with or even surpass cultural intermediaries, such as managers, who control the celebrity’s agenda. Regarding data quality, it also discusses ways for interviewers to get beyond the sound bite and generate in-depth understanding, while also trying to manage or recognise which celebrity persona is speaking. While these methodological considerations apply to celebrity, they might also be relevant for elite studies more generally.

Item Type:	Article
Official URL:	http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rcel20
Additional Information:	© 2014 Taylor & Francis
Divisions:	Media and Communications
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
Date Deposited:	25 Sep 2014 09:43
Last Modified:	21 Nov 2024 04:33
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/59535

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