CHAPTER TWO
2.4 Research Design
2.4.2 The Research Process
2.4.2.4 Research Instruments
In ISKCON this means that the disciple, in a formal ceremony, vows to chant on his rosary a minimum of 16 rounds67 of the maha-mantra daily, and vows to follow four religious principles, viz. no gambling, no intoxication (including cigarettes, tea and coffee), no meat eating (including fish and eggs), and no illicit sex, i.e. outside of marriage and only for procreation (Subhananda das, 1990). There are three levels of initiation; viz. the first is called harinam initiation. After his progress is monitored and certain levels of "advancement" are achieved, the disciple may be awarded second initiation, receiving the Brahma Gayatri. A third category of initiation is the sannyasa or renunciant status. To explain renunciant, it is understood that in the Vedic socio- cultural system called varnashrama there are four spiritual orders, and four social orders. The spiritual orders are: brahmacari (celibate student), grhastha (householder/married life),
vanaprastha (retired householder life), and sannyasi (renounced order). To enter into renunciant status, very specific mandatory and spiritual norms are in place about conduct, spiritual
astuteness, proficiency in scripture, and history of devotee's commitment and participation. The sannyasi takes a vow to remain totally celibate for the remainder of his life and simply dedicate his life to the cultivation of spirituality and becomes a traveling preacher (Bhaktivedanta Swami,
1968). The four spiritual masters interviewed belong to this category of renunciants. In the case of the spiritual masters interviewed, except one, all have received initiation from Bhaktivedanta Swami. These features have implications for my study on identity as each of these categories have different social and spiritual role functions which will impact on the identity of the devotees.
well as produces greater researcher confidence about the findings when various methods produce corresponding data (Cohen, Manion and Morrison, 2001). Thus triangulation is an important measure of validity. The triangulation of methods in my research involved semi-structured interviews, institutional documentary analysis and participant observation (including personal walkabouts/field notes) and visual data by way of photographs of salient features.
• Semi-structured Interviews
According to Cohen, Manion and Morrison (2001) all interviews require some form of given structure. The semi-structured interview is positioned between a total open-ended questionnaire and a totally closed completely structured questionnaire. In the semi-structured interview, the questionnaire employed had a series of questions that had a clear focus, sequence and structure, but an open-ended format allowed the interviewee lexical latitude.70
The low rigidity offered with the use of semi-structured interviews benefited the study by creating a flexible framework which allowed the devotees to "tell their stories', or personal narratives. Semi-structured interviews created a less formal ambience in which the participant was at ease to speak, provided emic rather than etic descriptions71 and allowed the interviewer to be open to new phenomena as they derived from the interview process (Cohen, Manion and Morrison, 2001; Flyvbjerg, 2001).
• Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the researcher using interview schedules developed for this purpose.
• At the outset of the interview, the confidentiality statement was read to the participant and his/her voluntary participation confirmed.
• The interview was recorded for the purposes of transcription, discourse analysis and interpretation.
69 The interview transcripts consisting of 120 pages have not been included, but are available on request
70 see Appendix 4
71 emic descriptions concern the subject meanings placed on situations by participants, and etic refers to the objective or researchers' meanings and constructions of a situation. (Cohen, Manion and Morrison, 2000: 139)
Interviews were conducted with the following respondents:
• 4 resident devotees for the narrative data elicitation (resident sample);
• 3 visiting spiritual masters on questions of identity and notions of truth in spiritual literature (elite informers);
• the Head of the Institution (GBC)72 to clarify/confirm information extracted from organisational documents, spiritual literature and canonical works;
• the Temple President on issues of institutional identity
I initially made verbal contact with the proposed interviewees and explained the process to them.
When they agreed to participate I set up an appointment, and then presented the confidentiality statement and information about the interview process information in writing, allowing them to peruse through the document at leisure before we began the interview.731 have already discussed the issues of confidentiality earlier.
• Institutional Documentary Analysis
A voluminous amount of literature was available to me for interrogation. Firstly, ISKCON is extremely focused on and places a pronounced emphasis on scriptural texts and authoritative commentaries by the founder, Bhaktivedanta Swami. Secondly, his lectures, written instructions, conversations and interviews have been carefully recorded, transcribed and archived by the devotees internationally, in particular by Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.74 Thirdly, much of the management of ISKCON is conducted via correspondence. Fourthly, writing being strongly encouraged in ISKCON, most of the prominent disciples of Bhaktivedanta Swami have written
72 The Governing Body Commissioner in this case is also a spiritual master.
73 See Appendix 2.
74 To facilitate the printing of his books, Bhaktivedanta Swami formed the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT) in 1972, which has since become one of the "world's largest publisher of books on consciousness, and the philosophy, religion and culture of the Vedic tradition of India". The BBT oversees all aspects of publishing, and funds
generated support further printing and temple projects, particularly the project in Mayapur which is the headquarters of ISKCON worldwide. A further significant development of BBT was the creation of Bhaktivedanta Archives in
1978, two months after the passing away of Bhaktivedanta Swami which preserves his legacy. The Archives make available digital records of more 40 volumes of translated Vedic scriptures, communication by mail to and from disciples, taped lectures and conversations, film footage and photographs (http://www..com/main.php?id=22, undated, page 2).
and published numerous books, essays and articles, as well as presented various papers in academic forums (Ketola, 2001). Such writing of books by disciples is not inconsistent with other Western religious traditions. Hopkins (1977) contends that all Christian churches, Talmudic commentaries, rabbinical interpretations, have depended upon a "continuing renewal of ancient authority on the basis of new spiritual insights" (Hopkins, 1997: x).
The written sources that I consulted may be classified as follows:
(i) Books by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami:
• Translations and purports (commentaries) of scripture, viz. Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Srimad Bhagavatam, and Caitanya Caritamrita
• transcribed lectures
• transcribed conversations and interviews;
(ii) Historical Works: official biography of Bhaktivedanta Swami;
(iii) Books, essays, and academic articles by disciples;75 (iv) Temple Daily Schedule as given in official handbook;
(v) Food for Life feeding schedules and Articles of Association;
(vi) Temple constitution.
Knowledge issues of identity, its meaning and features, as well as notions of Truth and the explanation of the social, cultural and religious dynamics that operate within the ISKCON formed the unit of analysis for these texts: the major canonical works, viz. Bhagavad-gita As it Is; Srimad Bhagavtam; and Caitanya Caritamrta, the biography of Bhaktivedanta Swami, and several other books by his disciples. The selective analysis of other documents enabled me to access institutional structures and hierarchies, devotee schedules and the extent and scope of projects, and activities such as Food for Life with a view to determining institutional identity.
75 A comprehensive reference of categories i to iii listed has been captured on electronic database called Bhaktivedanta Vedabase, by BBT.
• Participant observation (including Personal Walkabouts/Field Notes)
Since the physical context and temple in which the devotees live and operate was part of my investigation, descriptions of the physical context, and activities of the devotees were significant to my study. Field notes contained the results of my observations. According to Cohen, Manion and Morrison, (2001) these could be written at several levels, viz. quick, fragmentary jotting of key words/symbols; transcriptions with greater detail; a fuller description giving an account of what has occurred; pen portraits of participants; reconstruction of conversations; descriptions of the physical settings of events; and descriptions of behaviours, events and activities. As a deep- insider I was already familiar with the lifestyle and ethos of ISKCON Durban Temple, and what remained was to systematically record the features of the context, for which I relied on
photographic evidence of prominent features of the physical context, as well as written
descriptions of the physical context and descriptions of events, behaviours and activities of the ISKCON Durban Temple devotees. This helped to understand the salient points of the written sources in their proper context. Furthermore, participant observation allowed me to crystallize the descriptions of the ritual features of the devotees' life which included the daily worship, lectures, festivals and seminars, rites of passage (initiations and weddings), and dress codes (Ketola, 2001) for the purposes of understanding how and why devotees create their identities.
Thus the participant observer status had the advantage, especially in my position of deep-insider, of being unobtrusive in the recording of naturally occurring data, and providing rich descriptions of a peoples' cultural world.