The Phenomenology Collective

What does it mean to take someone’s experience seriously—and how can research help us understand their relationship with the world? In this special episode of The Phenomenology Collective , Dr Lewis Barrett-Rodger and Dr Sally Goldspink welcome Professor Michael Larkin to explore interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). From his early research into addiction and recovery to the practical ch...

How many participants does a phenomenological study really need—and are practices such as pilot studies and member checking methodologically congruent? In this bonus Q&A episode of The Phenomenology Collective , Lewis and Sally respond to questions submitted by listeners. Rather than offering universal rules, they explore why phenomenological researchers must make thoughtful, transparent decis...

How can a researcher shape a participant’s words without losing the meaning of their experience? In this episode of The Phenomenology Collective , we explore crafted stories as a creative, interpretive and philosophically grounded practice within hermeneutic phenomenology. We are joined by Professor Susan Crowther, Professor of Midwifery at Auckland University of Technology, whose work brings toge...

What does it mean to practise transcendental (or descriptive) phenomenology? In this episode of The Phenomenology Collective , we explore how Moustakas’ transcendental phenomenology moves from philosophical ideas into the practical realities of doctoral research. We’re joined by Professional Doctorate candidate Emma Collins, who is using Moustakas’ approach to explore student nurses’ lived experie...

What happens when a doctoral student chooses phenomenology, but their supervisor’s own methodological expertise lies elsewhere? In this episode of The Phenomenology Collective , we explore the possibilities—and responsibilities—of supervising phenomenological research beyond one’s principal methodological specialism. We’re joined by Professor Hilary Engward, an experienced doctoral supervisor whos...

What does it mean to listen to a child who does not communicate through conventional speech? In this episode of The Phenomenology Collective , we explore how phenomenology can help us encounter experiences expressed beyond words. We’re joined by Hannah McCormack, a final-year PhD researcher at the University of Dundee whose hermeneutic phenomenological study explores the voices and lived experienc...

What does it really mean for a researcher to make sense of a participant making sense of their experience? In this episode of The Phenomenology Collective , we explore Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) and its distinctive value within practice-based research. We’re joined by Dr Gillian Ferguson, an experienced social worker, educator and IPA researcher whose doctoral study explored ho...

What happens when we enter a research interview carrying professional ways of listening, responding and making sense? In this episode of The Phenomenology Collective , we explore positionality as something that is not simply declared in a methodology chapter, but actively negotiated within the research encounter. We’re joined by Ally Grant, an experienced social worker and Professional Doctorate r...

What makes hermeneutic phenomenology distinctive—and how do we carry its philosophy meaningfully into research practice? In this episode of The Phenomenology Collective , we explore what it means to begin, and continue, a journey with hermeneutic phenomenology. For many researchers, encountering Heidegger’s philosophy can feel both exciting and intimidating. How much philosophy do we need to under...

If you have a question or suggestion, why not send us an email and join the conversation at phenomenologycollective@gmail.com

What happens when the numbers are no longer enough? In this episode of The Phenomenology Collective , we explore the philosophical shift from positivism to phenomenology—a transition many researchers make when they realise that measurement alone cannot capture the fullness of human experience. Moving from certainty, objectivity, and clear answers into a world of ambiguity, interpretation, and mult...

What does it actually feel like to analyse data phenomenologically? In this episode of The Phenomenology Collective , we step into one of the most challenging—and often isolating—phases of phenomenological research: data analysis. Without a step-by-step guide, researchers are left with rich, complex material and a deceptively simple question: what now? From transcripts and artefacts to meaning, in...

In this episode of The Phenomenology Collective , we explore one of the most exciting—and unsettling—spaces in phenomenological research: the use of creative methods. Without a fixed “how-to” guide, phenomenological researchers are often required to think carefully—and creatively—about how to access and represent lived experience. But how far can we go? And how do we ensure that creativity remains...

In this introductory episode of The Phenomenology Collective , hosts Dr Lewis Barrett-Rodger and Dr Sally Goldspink offer a gentle but rigorous orientation to phenomenology for listeners who are new to the approach. Drawing on their experience as applied researchers (rather than philosophers), Lewis and Sally explore what phenomenology is concerned with, where it comes from, and what makes it diff...

Welcome to The Phenomenology Collective - the new podcast where friends and phenomenology meet. New episodes coming very soon.