Jingdezhen Porcelain Cluster Datasets 2008/2014
Description
The Jingdezhen Porcelain Cluster Datasets were collected for the owner's master's and Ph.D. projects in 2008 and 2014. The inductive approach with classic grounded theory methodology determines it is not out of a research question, but problems and puzzles why a cultural cluster such as Jingdezhen can survive over 2200 years in history experiences disasters and wars. Prior historiography in 2007 indicates a departure of the Jingdezhen culture cluster from Porter's CAN model and cluster life cycle. Even though there were multiple cluster life cycles presented by field researchers post-Porter's, none strives like Jingdezhen - a prominent climbing curve made of many normal distribution curves. My first dataset was collected with a group of anthropologists in Jingdezhen. They showed me the art of conducting ethnography research, interviewing techniques, and the slang in porcelain production. I stayed in Jingdezhen for a month, sinking in data to explore the secrets behind its sustainability. Data collection in 2014 mixed exploration and exploitation. From the 2008 data analysis, I have arrived at some conclusions; yet to be confirmed. The 2014 data collection was quite intensive, which generated a lot of data in a shorter time frame and fewer fieldnotes. I embedded my concerns during the interviews. Jingdezhen has become my life-long "friend," which I visit every year or every two years to witness its growth, reaching out to many new fields – eco-tourism, museums, ceramic tours, and camps.
Files
Steps to reproduce
The governing methodology is grounded theory. The data is collected with qualitative research methods, including observation, interview, focus-group interviews, visual anthropology, and historiography. The research has a particular interest in developing a formal grounded theory framework to enable comparison across datasets. Reproducing these datasets is difficult for two reasons: it requires preparation in relevant social sciences to have a theoretical sensibility (essential to carry out grounded theory research); second, the variation of individual opinions and attitudes towards the local porcelain industry evolves in time, and they are personal. However, collecting new data on the Jingdezhen porcelain cluster could build an interesting conversation with the owner of the datasets and relevant publications.