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Antarctic mosaic: Mixing methods and metaphors in the McMurdo Dry Valleys

Chapter of: The Field Guide to Mixing Social and Biophysical Methods in Environmental Research(pp. 355–376)

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Title	Antarctic mosaic
Subtitle	Mixing methods and metaphors in the McMurdo Dry Valleys
Contributor	Stephen M. Chignell(author)
	Adrian Howkins(author)
	Andrew Fountain(author)
DOI	https://doi.org/10.11647/obp.0418.18
Landing page	https://www.openbookpublishers.com/books/10.11647/obp.0418/chapters/10.11647/obp.0418.18
License	https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Copyright	Stephen M. Chignell; Adrian Howkins; Andrew Fountain;
Publisher	Open Book Publishers
Published on	2025-02-25
Long abstract	Different methods use different metaphors, and the way we write can reflect our underlying philosophical assumptions, positionalities, and values. To mix methods, it follows, is also in a very tangible sense to mix metaphors. In this chapter, we use the metaphor of a mosaic, as well as several others, to help us reflect on our experiences of working together on a decade-long historical research project about the McMurdo Dry Valleys Long Term Ecological Research site in East Antarctica. We describe our process of ‘going with the flow’, using whichever methods we thought might help produce insights. We also describe the challenges and benefits of collaboratively writing together and offer several practical takeaways that may be useful for others conducting interdisciplinary mixed-methods research.
Page range	pp. 355–376
Print length	22 pages
Language	English (Original)

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Contributors

Stephen M. Chignell

(author)

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8277-4338

Adrian Howkins

(author)

Reader in Environmental History at University of Bristol

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9615-2337

Andrew Fountain

(author)

Professor Emeritus of Geography and Geology at Portland State University

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5299-2273

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Different methods use different metaphors, and the way we write can reflect our underlying philosophical assumptions, positionalities, and values. To mix methods, it follows, is also in a very tangible sense to mix metaphors. In this chapter, we use the metaphor of a mosaic, as well as several others, to help us reflect on our experiences of working together on a decade-long historical research project about the McMurdo Dry Valleys Long Term Ecological Research site in East Antarctica. We describe our process of ‘going with the flow’, using whichever methods we thought might help produce insights. We also describe the challenges and benefits of collaboratively writing together and offer several practical takeaways that may be useful for others conducting interdisciplinary mixed-methods research.