The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Data Collection
In this chapter, we centralize the concept of ‘flow’ as a primary way of making sense of digitally saturated social contexts. Although the concept is already a key element in qualitative inquiry, we discuss what this means both conceptually and practically in digital contexts where data seems concrete and readily accessible, or in contexts where the structures and boundaries seem plainly identifiable. The chapter (a) recommends flow logic as an epistemological stance toward the social world and its study, and (b) describes flow-mapping as one concrete method for studying digital culture. We set the scene with our case study of Facebook (see also Ditchfield and Meredith, Chapter 32, this volume). As with most researchers in the field, we come up with novel approaches for looking at something because something goes wrong, or what we originally thought would work, doesn't. In this case, one of the authors, Ane Kathrine, was both overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of digital data available to her and stymied by the fact that no matter the quantity, it didn't have meaning. This is so common it might seem banal for anyone who has done research of Internet-mediated social experience. We can almost take for granted that we will take on sites and questions that are too big.