Phenomenology and qualitative research: combining the transcendetal orientation of phenomenology with the diversities of lived experience

In different ways philosophers have emphasized that phenomenology aims at accounting for our capacity for being conscious – for example by aiming at describing the structure of subjective experiences. Accordingly, phenomenology involves a transcendental orientation. In the domain of qualitative research, researchers involve in describing lived bodies and lived experiences to further explore and understand the diversities of our embodied practices and experiences. The aim of this paper is to present and discus some of the methodological challenges of combining phenomenology and qualitative methodologies. I will specifically focus on discussing how the transcendental orientation of phenomenological descriptions has the potential to work through difference by approaching lived bodies according to their lived situation. The discussion will fall in three parts focusing on: a) how the research design can contribute to making the researcher aware of the diversities within a given field of movement practices; b) how the embodied experiences of the researcher inform the generation of ‘data’ when involving in participant observations – whether these are performed with a passive or active involvement in the practices; c) how the researcher can handle and ‘go beyond’ the subjective and situated descriptions in analyses when aiming at accounting for the structure of subjective experiences. In descriptions and discussions I draw on my current research of movement practices related to different kinds and genre of dancing, martial arts and elite sports.