Writing in the Dark : Phenomenological Studies in Interpretive Inquiry

Bestselling author Max van Manen’s Writing in the Dark brings together a wide range of studies of relevance to qualitative researchers and professional practitioners. Each of the sixteen original chapters by an accomplished scholar serves as an example of how a different kind of human experience may be explored, and of how the methods used for investigating phenomena may contribute to the process of human understanding.

Bestselling author Max van Manen’s Writing in the Dark brings together a wide range of studies of relevance to qualitative researchers and professional practitioners. Each of the sixteen original chapters by accomplished scholars serves as an example of how a different kind of human experience may be explored, and of how the methods used for investigating phenomena may contribute to the process of human understanding. Van Manen provides the opening and closing chapters for the book, and also an introduction to each selection. This book is a valuable and rich resource for people who would like to learn more about phenomenological reflection and writing.

Van Manen and his contributing authors:

-Show how the challenge of doing qualitative research can be pursued through the process of inquiry, reflection and writing
-Are from a variety of fields such as education, health sciences, psychology, arts and design, communication technology, and religious studies
-Include numerous recognizable human experiences including common ones, forgotten ones, and ritualized ones