Biographical method in everyday political sociology

In modern sociological theories the global research is interwoven with everyday life study. The scientific interest to everyday life is provoked by changing borders of public and private space, appearing new forms of political participation. Everyday life sociology actively uses qualitative methods of research. Address to biographies as a method of collecting socially important information is a reflection of individual modern life. Sociologists characterize biography as a social construction which reflects everyday life event structure. Using a biographical approach in the political and sociological researches allows us to understand at least two points. First, is political activity a form of processing the specific biographical experience? And second, what is the status of political everyday life in an individualized life project? The article is devoted to the review of biographical method potential study in political sociology of everyday life. The author discovers two research traditions in everyday political sociology and shows the opportunities of applying biographical analysis in given directions. In political sociology of everyday life there are two alternative approaches in everyday world analysis: frame and practice theory. The frame is considered as a matrix of possible events and scheme of events interpretation. In frame-analytic tradition of everyday political sociology the biographical method is used for public movement study. Framing is defined as an activity of the movement to create a semantic framework, which ensures public support. According to the framing concept social movements comprise various biographical types participating in collective actions frame production in different ways. Biographic method allows us to study not only what (frame) and how (framing) but also why keying of frame form the corresponding process. In political sociology of everyday practice a discussion of methodological ''combination'' of biography research and discourse-analysis dates back to criticizing Michel Foucault's human sciences. The philosopher puts forward a thesis about new fragment subject appearance. He emphasizes that an individual has become an object of scientific discourse due to appearing discipline control mechanism. In Foucault's theory of subjectivity the individual is made as a subject and individuals construct their own identity themselves. Foucault's works stimulate biographical study. Biographical study and discourse analysis are methodologically interrelated as discourse is a part of biographical background knowledge, subjects take part in discourse reproduction. Discourse and biography can be regarded as order concepts within authority relations.

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