TY - JOUR
T1 - Cricket and the Beechworth Asylum, 1910–1915
T2 - A collective biography
AU - Clark, Eileen
AU - Munday, Jennifer
AU - Watts, Alison
N1 - Includes bibliographical references
PY - 2023/6
Y1 - 2023/6
N2 - Prosopography, otherwise known as collective biography, is a method that has been widely used by historians but is less well known as a sociological research technique. In this article, we review definitions and uses of prosopography, its advantages and limitations. We describe steps in the method with reference to a study of the Beechworth Asylum cricket team in rural Victoria, Australia, and show the extent of members’ involvement with activities in the town. Prosopography is shown to be a useful tool for sociological research, while findings of the study add to the limited literature about staff in Australian asylums.
AB - Prosopography, otherwise known as collective biography, is a method that has been widely used by historians but is less well known as a sociological research technique. In this article, we review definitions and uses of prosopography, its advantages and limitations. We describe steps in the method with reference to a study of the Beechworth Asylum cricket team in rural Victoria, Australia, and show the extent of members’ involvement with activities in the town. Prosopography is shown to be a useful tool for sociological research, while findings of the study add to the limited literature about staff in Australian asylums.
KW - Prosopography
KW - Pilot study
KW - historical sociology
KW - collective biography
KW - Beechworth Asylum
KW - asylum staff
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85119135502&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85119135502&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/14407833211048242
DO - 10.1177/14407833211048242
M3 - Article
SN - 1440-7833
VL - 59
SP - 437
EP - 453
JO - Journal of Sociology
JF - Journal of Sociology
IS - 2
ER -
