The Phenomenology Collective
The Phenomenology Collective explores how phenomenology moves from philosophy to academic research. Each episode unpacks key concepts, hosts thoughtful conversations with researchers and practitioners, and reflects on how lived experience can reshape how we see the world. Whether you're new to phenomenology or deep in the field, this is where friends — and philosophy — meet research.
Episodes
No Simple Answers: Navigating Phenomenological Research Decisions
How many participants does a phenomenological study really need—and are practices such as pilot studies and member checking methodologically congruent?In this bonus Q&A episode of The Phenomenology Collective, Lewis and Sally respond to questions submitted by listeners. Rather than offering universal rules, they explore why phenomenological researchers must make thoughtful, transparent decisio
Crafted Stories: Interpretive Leaps in Hermeneutic Phenomenology with Professor Susan Crowther
How can a researcher shape a participant’s words without losing the meaning of their experience?In this episode of The Phenomenology Collective, we explore crafted stories as a creative, interpretive and philosophically grounded practice within hermeneutic phenomenology.We are joined by Professor Susan Crowther, Professor of Midwifery at Auckland University of Technology, whose work brings togethe
Seeing as if for the First Time: Practising Transcendental Phenomenology with Emma Collins
What does it mean to practise transcendental (or descriptive) phenomenology?In this episode of The Phenomenology Collective, we explore how Moustakas’ transcendental phenomenology moves from philosophical ideas into the practical realities of doctoral research.We’re joined by Professional Doctorate candidate Emma Collins, who is using Moustakas’ approach to explore student nurses’ lived experience
Supervising Phenomenology: Expertise, Curiosity and Shared Learning with Professor Hilary Engward
What happens when a doctoral student chooses phenomenology, but their supervisor’s own methodological expertise lies elsewhere?In this episode of The Phenomenology Collective, we explore the possibilities—and responsibilities—of supervising phenomenological research beyond one’s principal methodological specialism.We’re joined by Professor Hilary Engward, an experienced doctoral supervisor whose o
What Counts as a Voice? Working alongside non-verbal participants with Hannah McCormack
What does it mean to listen to a child who does not communicate through conventional speech?In this episode of The Phenomenology Collective, we explore how phenomenology can help us encounter experiences expressed beyond words.We’re joined by Hannah McCormack, a final-year PhD researcher at the University of Dundee whose hermeneutic phenomenological study explores the voices and lived experiences
Making Sense of Practice: IPA and the Double Hermeneutic with Dr Gillian Ferguson
What does it really mean for a researcher to make sense of a participant making sense of their experience?In this episode of The Phenomenology Collective, we explore Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) and its distinctive value within practice-based research.We’re joined by Dr Gillian Ferguson, an experienced social worker, educator and IPA researcher whose doctoral study explored how s
Switching Hats: Positionality and the Practitioner-Researcher with Ally Grant
What happens when we enter a research interview carrying professional ways of listening, responding and making sense?In this episode of The Phenomenology Collective, we explore positionality as something that is not simply declared in a methodology chapter, but actively negotiated within the research encounter.We’re joined by Ally Grant, an experienced social worker and Professional Doctorate rese
Following the Golden Thread: Beginning Hermeneutic Phenomenology with Professor Lesley Dibley
What makes hermeneutic phenomenology distinctive—and how do we carry its philosophy meaningfully into research practice?In this episode of The Phenomenology Collective, we explore what it means to begin, and continue, a journey with hermeneutic phenomenology.For many researchers, encountering Heidegger’s philosophy can feel both exciting and intimidating. How much philosophy do we need to understa
Send in Your Questions
If you have a question or suggestion, why not send us an email and join the conversation at phenomenologycollective@gmail.com
From Positivism to Phenomenology: Letting Go of Certainty with Jade Sampford
What happens when the numbers are no longer enough?In this episode of The Phenomenology Collective, we explore the philosophical shift from positivism to phenomenology—a transition many researchers make when they realise that measurement alone cannot capture the fullness of human experience.Moving from certainty, objectivity, and clear answers into a world of ambiguity, interpretation, and multipl
In the Weeds: The Lived Experience of Phenomenological Data Analysis with Liz Shaw
What does it actually feel like to analyse data phenomenologically?In this episode of The Phenomenology Collective, we step into one of the most challenging—and often isolating—phases of phenomenological research: data analysis.Without a step-by-step guide, researchers are left with rich, complex material and a deceptively simple question: what now? From transcripts and artefacts to meaning, inter
Creative Methods in Phenomenology: Ecomaps, Poetry and Plays with Dr Liz Jestico
In this episode of The Phenomenology Collective, we explore one of the most exciting—and unsettling—spaces in phenomenological research: the use of creative methods.Without a fixed “how-to” guide, phenomenological researchers are often required to think carefully—and creatively—about how to access and represent lived experience. But how far can we go? And how do we ensure that creativity remains g
What is Phenomenology?
In this introductory episode of The Phenomenology Collective, hosts Dr Lewis Barrett-Rodger and Dr Sally Goldspink offer a gentle but rigorous orientation to phenomenology for listeners who are new to the approach.Drawing on their experience as applied researchers (rather than philosophers), Lewis and Sally explore what phenomenology is concerned with, where it comes from, and what makes it differ
Trailer 2026
Welcome to The Phenomenology Collective - the new podcast where friends and phenomenology meet. New episodes coming very soon.
