The Rediscovery and Resurrection of Bunk...

Richard Ekins, Ph.D., FRSA Abstract This paper was written in the beginning phase of my transitioning from grounded theory sociologist (Ekins, 1997)1 to grounded theory musicologist (Ekins, 2010)2. In particular, it provides preliminary data for a grounded theory of ‘managing authenticity’, the core category/basic social process (Glaser, 1978) that has emerged from my ongoing grounded theory work in jazz historiography. It was written whilst I was ‘credentialising’ (Glaser, 2010) my transition to popular music studies and popular musicology. In...

A Commentary on Ekins (2011)

Hans Thulesius, MD, Ph.D. According to the author, Richard Ekins’ case study on jazz history “provides preliminary data for a grounded theory of managing authenticity”. The paper is well written, entertaining to read and I can recognise the style from Ekins’ paper male femaling1, one of my favourite GTs. The four concepts of trailblazing, mythologising, debunking and marginalising are catchy, interesting and make sense. Ekins says he has not done classic grounded theory but a conceptual description influenced by constructivist approaches. This is...

A Commentary on Ekins (2011)

Vivian B. Martin, Ph.D. Early in his article Richard Ekins concedes that the work before us is “inimical” to classic grounded theory. Unlike many who fly the flag of grounded theory, Ekins, the author of a well-regarded study of what he calls male femaling, or male cross dressers, is a student of grounded theory, but it appears that in his latest phase of research, jazz historiography, he is grappling with combining grounded theory with some of the strictures of his new substantive area. He offers what is in effect a case study of the rediscovery of New Orleans jazz...

Response to Hans Thulesius and Vivian B....

Richard Ekins, Ph.D., FRSA I appreciate the valuable comments from Hans Thulesius and Vivian Martin. Both reviewers usefully and most helpfully pinpoint salient issues to be considered in forging future routes for my ongoing research in jazz historiography. I agree with Vivian Martin that ‘authenticating’ works better for early jazz and first wave USA revivalism (including Bunk Johnson) and would like to say that at the time I wrote the abstract, I was favouring ‘managing authenticity’ over ‘authenticating’ as the core category in order to provide a more embracive...

Book Review: Grounded Theory: A practica...

[Birks, M. & Mills, J. (2011). Grounded Theory: A practical guide. London: Sage Publications.] Astrid Gynnild, Ph.D. What is grounded theory and how is a grounded theory study carried out? Several recent publications have been trying to answer these questions, building on a literature list on the topic that covers more than 40 years of research and scholarship. According to the authors, this book is aimed at beginner researchers, research students and experienced researchers from a variety of disciplines who are unfamiliar with grounded theory. The first three...