Abstract

Despite being central to the foundation of a critical leisure studies tradition, due to the sport-focused work of the Leicester School the sociology of Norbert Elias remains a largely ignored perspective in the critical event studies terrain which has emerged from within this field. This chapter will focus upon Elias' contribution to research philosophy, primarily his work on involvement and detachment :226–252, 1956; Elias, What is sociology? London: Hutchinson University Library, 1978). This strand of Elias' work attempts to resolve the dualism of induction and deduction and problematises the search for 'objectivity' in social research. The chapter uses Elias' work here in order to address an issue often prevalent in student research projects in the events terrain, namely, how to maintain analytical insight into issues of significant personal interest. Drawing on two case studies of significant personal interest to the authors, namely, live music events and Scotland national team football matches, the chapter considers how students can maintain distance from their subject without losing the rich understanding that comes from personal involvement. The chapter begins by outlining the basic, broad positivist versus interpretive debate which underpins many introductory discussions regarding research philosophy and strategy before outlining Elias' attempts to move beyond this in his discussions of 'involvement and detachment' :226–252, 1956; Elias, Involvement and detachment. Oxford: Blackwell, 1987). The above-mentioned case studies are then introduced to demonstrate how it is possible, by taking a 'detour via detachment', to create a methodology for the investigation of live event experiences. The chapter concludes with the assertion that, whilst an understanding of detailed methodological processes and practices is vital when successfully conducting research into the live event experience, it is a nuanced understanding of research philosophy which guarantees that such practices and processes are selected appropriately in the first instance.