Currently, biographical-narrative inquiry has its identity within qualitative research, and it merits attention. This article reviews and describes the biographical-narrative research origin, development and variants in the social sciences of Iberoamerican countries. It offers a broad overview of this field of investigation, defining the main areas of narrative and (auto)biographical inquiry. In this context, it is opted to do a synchronic and a diachronic approach to the current situation. It is based on development and experienced training in this field: 1) It offers a biographical-narrative research characterization about diverse and heterogeneous modalities, methodological variants, forms and dimensions 2) It highlights the roots and the reasons for the current relevance of this approach in social research in the Iberoamerican setting. 3) It describes the main questions and the approach progression, adopting a prospective point of view. 4) It describes the most relevant orientations, the most noteworthy instruments and the key characteristics that must be present in this type of investigation.
biographical narrative research, narrative inquiry, (auto)biographical, ethnographic, qualitative research, historical and epistemological development, methodology, characterization, review, panoramic view, Iberoamerican setting
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