The data was analysed using thematic analysis. Many respondents spoke of their experiences of similar rituals, so these descriptions were compared to determine the typical process that each ritual followed and the meaning that it had. Similarly, themes were sought in the answers to the more general questions.
“Thematic analysis is a method for identifying, analysing and reporting patterns (themes) within data”. It is independent of theory and epistemology, and therefore can be applied across a wide range of approaches, and through its theoretical freedom and flexibility, it can provide a rich, detailed and complex account of the data (Braun &
Clarke 2006:78, 79). However, it is important to acknowledge the process and practice of the thematic analysis. In the past researchers have described immersing themselves in the data, when themes and concepts emerge or are discovered, but they have not explained the process whereby these were identified. Braun and Clarke (2006) therefore examine the specific steps that are necessary when using thematic analysis.
First it is important to examine what counts as a theme. Braun and Clarke define a theme as capturing “something important about the data in relation to the research question, and represents some level of patterned response or meaning within the data set” (2006: 82). The prevalence of a theme may occur both within each data item, and/or across the whole data set, but the relevance of the theme is determined by
Page | 89 whether it captures something important in relation to the research question. Thus in this study, I had to identify a possible theme according to whether there was a meaningful pattern in the respondents’ answers, as well as whether this contributed to answering the research question: does this particular belief or practice contribute towards a meaningful marriage in Zulu culture?
In this study, I used a theoretically based thematic analysis (Braun and Clark 2006) driven by my interest and readings in this particular area, rather than asking general questions with no previous knowledge or reading, and then inducing and identifying the themes only from the data. Thus when introducing myself to the respondent/s at the beginning, I explained the history of my interest in Zulu marriage, its beliefs and practices. My experience with all the participants was that they appreciated this explanation as it was honest and upfront, and they could understand the reason why I was asking such questions.
Braun and Clarke (2006) describe six phases or steps that are necessary when doing thematic analysis. The first step was to actively immerse myself in the transcriptions of the data, looking for patterns and meanings. It was very time consuming, though very interesting, to read the interviews and refresh my memories with the notes I took at the time. The next step was to generate initial codes for potential themes. I used different colours to differentiate potential codes, and cut and pasted the relevant segments of the transcript underneath. If a part of the transcript fitted in more than one code, it was repeated under the relevant coloured heading. The next step was to sort the different codes into different themes. I found their suggestion of the use of thematic mind maps useful as it assisted me to look at the relationship between the codes, the sub themes and the themes. I looked at what words were used frequently, checking the transcript by using the search function on the computer. At the same time it was very confusing; I processed several thematic mind maps until I eventually found one that fitted the themes at both a practical and at a metaphysical level. After a lot of trial and error, intuitively the mind map was developed- see Diagram 2 below.
Once this was done, I reviewed the themes to ensure that “data within themes should cohere together meaningfully, while there should be clear and identifiable distinctions between themes” (Braun and Clarke, 2006:91).
Page | 90 After re-examining the set of data, it was possible to name and define the themes.
Braun and Clarke (2006) had a relevant warning – when identifying the essence of each theme it is important not to just paraphrase the content of the extracted data, but to identify what is interesting about the themes and sub-themes; and why this was so, linking it back to the research question, as well as with the broader theoretical assumptions. Finally, in the report it was important to provide evidence of the themes using interesting extracts of the data. However, it is important for the analysis to “go beyond description of the data, and make an argument in relation to your research question” (Braun and Clarke, 2006:93).
4.6 – Data analysis - Discourse analysis of in depth interviews
“All the forms of social constructionism take the constructive force of language as the principal assumption, and it is therefore the analysis of language and other symbolic forms that is at the heart of social constructionist research methods.” (Burr, 2003: 24). As this research is based on social constructionism, the interview is seen as
“an arena within which particular linguistic patterns ….can come to the fore” (Terre Blanche and Durrheim, 2006:153). They also stress that whatever meanings come forth in these interviews, they are not only co-constructed by the interviewer and interviewees, and presumably the translator with the first and second sample, and the interviewer and social workers with the third sample, but are also the product of the larger social context. As Gray (2009) indicates the analysis looks at the structure and organisation of the language used in the interviews because these do not come forth only from the individual, but are viewed as being embedded in the culture. “The specific requirements of a social constructionist approach to such work has led to the development of a range of methods of analysis, referred to as discourse analysis”
(Burr, 2003:24).
Thus when doing the discourse analysis I needed to reflect on the text by searching for things like recurrent terms, phrases and metaphors; who (which subjects) is being spoken about; and who is the “author” and who is the “listener” in the text (Terre Blanche and Durrheim, 2006:159). Discourses construct or manufacture particular truths through their narrative; and so discourse analysis tries to deconstruct the
Page | 91 narrative, looking at the effect of the narrative – what happens as a result? This is an important part of the analysis as the discourse may limit the opportunity for various actions. The context is also taken into consideration, both at a micro level within the interview or conversation, as well as at a macro level of the context of society and ideology. Finally, the effect the analyst has on his/her own analysis also needs to be taken into consideration through the process of reflexivity described below. (Terre Blanche and Durrheim, 2006:167).
Thus after I had analysed the themes, I re-examined the transcripts at a micro level in terms of metaphors that were used; as well as words, phrases and topics that were skirted around or avoided, such as sexuality. I also looked at the macro view of the discourse in terms of gender issues, age related issues and power issues.