Research projects within the social realm offer us glimpses into unique journeys and insights of the participants we work with. Both the data and the approach to data require an appetite for nuance, attention to detail and multiple layers of synthesis to form real takeaways. Thematic Analysis provides an avenue for this approach to data synthesis. Thematic analysis is a widely used qualitative method for analyzing data, which entails thoroughly reviewing a dataset and finding patterns within it. These datasets consist of direct data collected from stakeholders, such as transcripts from in-depth interviews or focus groups, emphasising the importance of authentic data synthesis.
Thematic analysis is built on the foundation of breaking down large data sets into the smallest possible ‘data bites’. These ‘data-bites’ are referred to as codes, and are done by recognising relevant bits of information from the body of data. Information that reflects similar meanings can be clubbed under the same code. Sets of similar or related codes are then grouped together into themes. These themes start providing us glimpses of patterns and trends emerging from the data. We then follow a review process, which consists of revising the themes, dropping themes that don’t have enough data to back them up, and merging themes that may be similar. Groups of themes that point towards a similar deduction can be grouped to form a global theme. Sets of global themes then create the narrative for our research.
Given that songs are such a personal reflection of the artists’ state of mind and the message they want to put out into the world, I wanted to practice thematic analysis on a song by Kendrick Lamar. Kendrick, undoubtedly one of the greatest artists of our generation, crafts songs that are not only rhythmically captivating but also thought-provoking in their depth and resonance. The song used here is ‘FEAR’ from his album DAMN, which won him the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2018. This song was chosen as it depicts the artists’ inner dialogue and the way he views himself, in the process revealing several socio-political factors that affect his personal journey. Here goes:
This exercise was surprisingly challenging, given the artist's nuanced approach to weighty concepts. Kendrick Lamar's lyrics, deeply personal in nature, revealed a deliberate structure where each verse embodied a preconceived theme. The distinct themes that emerged were: Immobility, Escapism, Distrust, Feeling Cornered, Insecurity. This careful crafting led to the emergence of a global theme, suggesting that the underlying essence of the song is, perhaps provocatively, none other than FEAR itself? Maybe Kendrick did a thematic analysis of his own before coming up with the song title.
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