American sociologist
Leon Anderson is an American sociologist, academic and researcher. He is a Professor Emeritus of Sociology at Ohio University[1] and Utah State University.[2]
Anderson's primary scholarly contributions fall in social inequality and qualitative social science research methods. Among these, he has focused on sociology of deviance, qualitative research methods, homelessness, and auto-ethnographic methods. Anderson has authored or coauthored several books including, Down on Their Luck: A Study of Homeless Street People, Analyzing Social Settings: A Guide to Qualitative Observation and Analysis 4th Edition and Deviance: Social Constructions and Blurred Boundaries.[3] Down on Their Luck has been translated into Portuguese and Analyzing Social Settings has been translated into Polish.[4]
In 2012 he co-edited an issue of the journal American Behavioral Scientist on mental health courts.[5]
Early life and education
Anderson was born in Snohomish, Washington, in 1950. He graduated from Portland State University in 1980. He then studied at University of Texas at Austin and received his master's degree and Doctoral degrees in 1985 and 1987, respectively.[2]
Career
Following his Ph.D. degree, Anderson joined Ohio University as an Assistant Professor in 1988. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 1993, and to Professor in 2000.[1] In 2011 he joined Utah State University as a Professor of Sociology. He retired as Professor Emeritus in 2019.[2]
Research
Anderson's research is primarily focused on social inequality, sociology of deviance, qualitative research methods, homelessness, and autoethnographic methods. He is recognized for articulating analytic autoethnography, a genre of autoethnography focused on extending theoretical understandings of broader social phenomena.
Qualitative research methods
Anderson has collaborated with numerous researchers to promote and expand qualitative research methods. He and his coauthors have examined the information yield of fieldwork roles,[6] facilitative dynamics in research with deviant street populations,[7] distorting tendencies in research with the homeless,[8] strategies for linking of ethnographic research to sociological theory, and challenges in social service ethnographic research.
Anderson's contributions to qualitative research methods also include his co-authorship of the fourth edition of classic ethnographic methods textbook, entitled, Analyzing Social Settings: A Guide to Qualitative Observation and Analysis, which was published in 2005. The book was reviewed as an "excellent" book that "introduced the reader to the three broad tasks of gathering, focusing and analyzing data with clarity and appropriate complexity." The reviewer also stated that "the direct and clear writing reminds one of a truly useful handbook in a favorite subject field".[9]
Autoethnography
In 2006, Anderson introduced the term 'analytic autoethnography' as an alternative to the more widely known genre of 'evocative autoethnography'. Anderson presented five features of analytic autoethnography, including complete member researcher status, analytic reflexivity, narrative visibility of the researcher's self, dialogue with informants beyond the self, and a commitment to theoretical analysis.[10] While he has since acknowledged analytic features in some evocative autoethnography, Anderson continues to advocate for optimizing theoretical contributions of analytic autoethnography. Anderson has also explored the wide variety of leisure settings and activities that have been approached through auto-ethnographical research.[11]
