Police records and rural crime in 1940s Ireland : the challenges of using historical documents as primary sources in sociological research /
This case study describes the research methods employed in an ongoing research project based on a volume of recorded crimes that were committed in an area encompassing three small rural villages on the east coast of Ireland between the years 1941 and 1953. The volume is a large handwritten record bo...
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| Format: | eBook |
| Language: | English |
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London :
SAGE Publications Ltd,
2025.
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| Series: | SAGE research methods. Cases
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | Connect to the full text of this electronic book |
| Summary: | This case study describes the research methods employed in an ongoing research project based on a volume of recorded crimes that were committed in an area encompassing three small rural villages on the east coast of Ireland between the years 1941 and 1953. The volume is a large handwritten record book compiled by members of An Garda Síochána (Irish Police) in the course of their duties. It was completed at a time when the Irish State and its police service were still in their infancy: Ireland achieved independence from Great Britain in 1921 and An Garda Síochána were established in 1922. The case study highlights the challenges of using historical documents as sources of data in sociological research. The types of challenges that have arisen during the course of this research include: demonstrating the authenticity of the volume; finding evidence to support the credibility of the volume; establishing the meaning of the data contained within; and, dealing with the limited amount of information provided in the volume. Despite these challenges, the volume offers a valuable insight into crime and life in rural Ireland at a time marked by economic hardship and war in Europe. The case study provides useful advice for those considering documentary research as part of either undergraduate or postgraduate research. It also highlights how documentary research can help students to develop critical thinking skills and, importantly, equip students with criteria for assessing the reliability and credibility of information available to them through documentary sources, including online documentary sources. |
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| Physical Description: | 1 online resource : illustrations. |
| ISBN: | 9781036209124 1036209121 |