Video analysis and knowledge on rewind : An introduction

Abstract

This chapter introduces the central topics of the volume. By highlighting the transformative role of video analysis for sociological research, the introduction underscores how the use of video advances the study of social interaction and how its results contribute to social theory. By exploring video as a medium that captures the unfolding of social and communicative processes in real time, this chapter emphasises a unique capacity of video data to preserve nuanced sensory and embodied aspects of interaction. Based on a sociology of knowledge perspective that builds on phenomenology, ethnomethodology, symbolic interactionism, and communicative constructivism, the introduction traces the methodological and epistemological roots of video analysis, detailing particularly its evolution as an interpretive tool for insights into social reality beyond the micro-level. A notable focus is the material and sensory dynamics of sociality, showcasing how knowledge, bodies, spaces, and digital interfaces shape and mediate interactions. The introduction argues that video-based research not only enriches empirical understanding but also facilitates theoretical development, engaging with broader sociological debates on knowledge, materiality, and the relational nature of social reality.