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Biographical Method and Interview as Techniques in Brazilian Communication and Music Studies

image of Biographical Method and Interview as Techniques in Brazilian Communication and Music Studies
  • Authors: Caroline Govari and Adriana Amaral
  • Source: The Intellect Handbook of Popular Music Methodologies , pp 67-80
  • Publication Date: June 2025
  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1386/9781835951033_6
  • Language: English
  • Accessibility Summary:  EPUB 3 and pdf file included; compatible with devices and software which can read these formats. Adjustable font size, spacing, contrast, text justification, number of columns (ePUB only). Alternative text for images. Tagged with a logical reading order to assist screen readers. Navigation between in-text citations and reference list, and endnotes and endnote markers.

In communication studies, various methodological approaches intersect with music studies, including qualitative and quantitative analysis, ethnography, cartography, and focus groups. This chapter explores the biographical method, its application, and the skills required for its use. Through this approach, researchers can examine an artist's career, creative choices, and broader social practices. Beyond individual narratives, biographical research offers insights into musicians’ roles within sociological and media contexts. Despite the diversity of methodologies in communication and music studies, the biographical method remains underutilized in Brazil, requiring further exploration. Studies on music genres and scenes rarely emphasize memory and life history, despite their conceptual significance. We argue that the biographical method fosters an intimate and empathetic research space, enriching discussions on the connections between music, sound, memory, and artistic trajectories. Integrating biographical research with established methodologies enhances the study of music, providing a complementary and dynamic analytical tool.

Keywords: Biographical Methods ; Interview ; Interviews ; Qualitative Research Methods ; Rock Gaucho ; Rock Gaucho Musicians ; Rock N Roll

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References

  1. Amaral, Adriana (2013), ‘Initial notes on the Witch House scene: The viralization of a subgenre and its appropriations’, in J. Janotti Jr and S. Sá (eds), Music Scenes, São Paulo: Editora Anadarco, pp. 92–119.
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  7. Govari, Caroline (2020), ‘“Two notes come to me. Two chords repeated without end”: The musical, mediatic, and identity construction of Gaúcho Rock in the 1980s’, Ph.D. thesis, São Leopoldo, RS: Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos.
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  8. Govari, Caroline , Wizniewsky, Amaral , João Pedro and Amaral, Adriana (2022), ‘Gaúcho rock in its biographies and autobiographies’, Esferas, 1:25, pp. 459–79, https://doi.org/10.31501/esf.v1i25.14131.
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  9. Pollak, Michael (1992), ‘Memory and social identity’, Estudos Históricos, Rio de Janeiro, 5:10, pp. 200–12.
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  10. Rosa, Helena (2007), ‘História Oral e Micro-história: aproximações, limites e possibilidades’, in IV Encontro Regional Sul De História Oral: Culturas, Identidades e Memórias, Florianópolis, 12–14 November.
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  12. Rosenthal, Gabriele (2017), Lived Life History and Narrated Life History: Gestalt and Structure of Biographical Self-Presentations (trans. T. da Costa), Porto Alegre: EDIPUCRS.
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  13. Rubin, Herbert. J. and Rubin, Irene. S. (1995) Qualitative Interviewing: The Art of Hearing Data, 2nd ed., London: Sage Publishing.
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  14. Schmidt, Benito Bisso (1997), ‘Constructing biographies ... historians and journalists: Approaches and distances’, Estudos Históricos, 19, pp. 3–22.
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  15. Silva, Grazielle F. , Macêdo, Kátia , Rebouças, Cristiana , Alves and Souza, Ângela M. (2006), ‘Interview as a qualitative research technique’, Online Brazilian Journal of Nursing, 5: 2, pp. 246–57.
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References

  1. Amaral, Adriana (2013), ‘Initial notes on the Witch House scene: The viralization of a subgenre and its appropriations’, in J. Janotti Jr and S. Sá (eds), Music Scenes, São Paulo: Editora Anadarco, pp. 92–119.
     [Google Scholar]
  2. Arfuch, Leonor (2010), The Biographical Space: Dilemmas of Contemporary Subjectivity, Rio de Janeiro: EDUERJ.
     [Google Scholar]
  3. Bergson, Henri (2006), Thought and the Mover, São Paulo: Martins Fontes.
     [Google Scholar]
  4. Duarte, Jorge (2006), ‘Entrevista em profundidade’, in J. Duarte and A. Barros (eds), Métodos e técnicas de pesquisa em comunicação, 2nd ed., São Paulo: Atlas, pp. 62–64.
     [Google Scholar]
  5. Gil, Antonio Carlos (1999), Métodos e técnicas de pesquisa social, São Paulo: Atlas.
     [Google Scholar]
  6. Govari, Caroline (2019), ‘The next few hours will be great: Materialities and aesthetics of communication in two live performances by Cachorro Grande Rock Band’, master's dissertation, London: Novas Edições Acadêmicas.
     [Google Scholar]
  7. Govari, Caroline (2020), ‘“Two notes come to me. Two chords repeated without end”: The musical, mediatic, and identity construction of Gaúcho Rock in the 1980s’, Ph.D. thesis, São Leopoldo, RS: Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos.
     [Google Scholar]
  8. Govari, Caroline , Wizniewsky, Amaral , João Pedro and Amaral, Adriana (2022), ‘Gaúcho rock in its biographies and autobiographies’, Esferas, 1:25, pp. 459–79, https://doi.org/10.31501/esf.v1i25.14131.
    [Google Scholar]
  9. Pollak, Michael (1992), ‘Memory and social identity’, Estudos Históricos, Rio de Janeiro, 5:10, pp. 200–12.
     [Google Scholar]
  10. Rosa, Helena (2007), ‘História Oral e Micro-história: aproximações, limites e possibilidades’, in IV Encontro Regional Sul De História Oral: Culturas, Identidades e Memórias, Florianópolis, 12–14 November.
  11. Rosenthal, Gabriele (2014), Interpretative Social Research: An Introduction, Porto Alegre: EDIPUCRS.
     [Google Scholar]
  12. Rosenthal, Gabriele (2017), Lived Life History and Narrated Life History: Gestalt and Structure of Biographical Self-Presentations (trans. T. da Costa), Porto Alegre: EDIPUCRS.
     [Google Scholar]
  13. Rubin, Herbert. J. and Rubin, Irene. S. (1995) Qualitative Interviewing: The Art of Hearing Data, 2nd ed., London: Sage Publishing.
     [Google Scholar]
  14. Schmidt, Benito Bisso (1997), ‘Constructing biographies ... historians and journalists: Approaches and distances’, Estudos Históricos, 19, pp. 3–22.
     [Google Scholar]
  15. Silva, Grazielle F. , Macêdo, Kátia , Rebouças, Cristiana , Alves and Souza, Ângela M. (2006), ‘Interview as a qualitative research technique’, Online Brazilian Journal of Nursing, 5: 2, pp. 246–57.
     [Google Scholar]

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