Research Plan Overview: Soulful Pathways: A Phenomenological Odyssey into African American Religious

Research Plan Overview: Soulful Pathways: A Phenomenological Odyssey into African American Religious and Spiritual Experiences

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Research Plan Overview: Soulful Pathways: A Phenomenological Odyssey into African American Religious and Spiritual Experiences

RESEARCH PLAN OVERVIEW TEMPLATE

Name:

Stage of Completion: Stage 1.

Introduction:

Problem Statement

What is/are the problem(s), issue(s), or topic(s)?

The lack of comprehensive understanding of the unique religious and spiritual experiences of African Americans creates challenges in understanding and perceiving African American cultures.

Related literature source: Lincoln, C. E., & Mamiya, L. H. (1990). The Black Church in the African American Experience. Duke University Press.

Related literature source: Raboteau, A. J. (2004). Slave Religion: The “Invisible Institution” in the Antebellum South. Oxford University Press.

Why is it important to study? What difference can it make?

Understanding these experiences and their depths and influences shape broader religious and cultural studies, contributing to more inclusive practices within religious communities and paving the way for African American involvement in American society.

Related literature source: Barnes, S. L. (2005). Black Church Culture and Community Action. Social Forces, 84(2), 967-994.

Related literature source: Taylor, R. J., Chatters, L. M., & Levin, J. (2004). Religion in the Lives of African Americans: Social, Psychological, and Health Perspectives. SAGE Publications.

The problem is the inadequate qualitative research exploring the depth, layers, and nuances of African American religious and spiritual experiences.

Purpose (focus of inquiry)

What is the purpose of this study?

The purpose of the study is to explore, investigate, and document the religious and spiritual experiences of African Americans, through a phenomenological approach.

General research questions (remember that qualitative questions are usually

broader and become narrowed down as you move into the actual data

collection/analysis process)

First question: What fundamental components characterize the religious and spiritual experiences of African Americans?

Second question: How do African Americans’ spiritual activities affect their daily lives?

Third question: How significant are communal religious activities in African American’s spiritual lives?

Research Plan

How will the study be conducted? Qualitative or quantitative (has to be

qualitative for this class)

The research will be carried out via qualitative techniques, particularly phenomenology.

Justify your approach choice and why it is appropriate for your research.

Explain why this method choice is the right one for your study

Understanding the intricate and very personal nature of religious and spiritual experiences requires an in-depth examination of people’s lived experiences and the meanings they assign to them, which is made possible by phenomenology.

Review of Related Literature

Theoretical Framework

What philosophical assumption(s) led to your choice of research?

(Ontological, epistemological, axiological, rhetorical, and/or

methodological.) Include citations

Ontological: The belief that reality is subjective and constructed by individuals’ experiences.

Epistemological: Knowledge is gained through individuals’ subjective experiences.

Citation: Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.

What is your worldview or a theory that helped shape this study?

(Biblical, Postpositivism, Constructivism, Moral Realism, Behaviorism,

Critical Theory. The theory does not have to come from your textbook

reading) Include citations

Constructivism: The acknowledgment that humans architect their reality according to their experiences, cultures, and interactions.

Citation: Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic Inquiry. SAGE Publications.

Important Thinkers/experts/theorists in this field of study (At this point

you will find and list them. The literature review will be interwoven, like a

quilt, later.)

Citation: Citation: Lincoln, C. E., & Mamiya, L. H. (1990). The Black Church in the African American Experience. Duke University Press.

Why? Seminal work on the role of the Black Church in African American communities.

Why? It is frequently cited in studies of African American religious practices.

Citation: Raboteau, A. J. (2004). Slave Religion: The “Invisible Institution” in the Antebellum South. Oxford University Press.

Why: Foundational text on the historical development of African American religious practices.

Why: Provides a crucial historical context for contemporary studies.

References

Barnes, S. L. (2005). Black Church Culture and Community Action. Social Forces, 84(2), 967-994.

Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.

Lincoln, C. E., & Mamiya, L. H. (1990). The Black Church in the African American Experience. Duke University Press.

Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic Inquiry. SAGE Publications.

Raboteau, A. J. (2004). Slave Religion: The “Invisible Institution” in the Antebellum South. Oxford University Press.

Taylor, R. J., Chatters, L. M., & Levin, J. (2004). Religion in the Lives of African Americans: Social, Psychological, and Health Perspectives. SAGE Publications.