Professor Nami-su (College of Social Science, Department of Journalism and Mass Communication) has attracted attention by publishing the book Qualitative Methodology for Media Research (CommunicationBooks), one of the rare works by domestic media scholars that approaches media research from a qualitative methodological perspective.

  Until now, domestic mass communication research has tended toward quantitative approaches grounded in positivism. Books on qualitative methodology—an effective alternative to quantitative approaches—written by domestic media scholars have been hard to find.

  This book focuses on media actors, especially media audiences, and explains qualitative research methodology in two parts. Part 1 discusses the meaning and methodological characteristics of qualitative research methods in the field of media research. Methodological issues such as research validity, researcher reflexivity, and research ethics are also included.

  In particular, to provide practical and concrete assistance to readers, the procedures and research strategies for in-depth interviews and participant observation are explained in detail. The methodological significance and limitations of ethnographic audience research are also examined.

  Part 2 presents three research case studies applying the qualitative audience research methods discussed in Part 1. These are studies the author conducted with fellow scholars, demonstrating how qualitative methodology is applied to actual media phenomena. Chapter 1 examines gender and technology research through family computer use. Chapter 2 investigates cultural localization and audience subcultural research by examining adolescents' reception of Japanese popular culture. Chapter 3 is a producer study addressing local press and gender discrimination. Because qualitative research often provides important leads for follow-up studies, these cases will be more helpful than theoretical or abstract discussions.

  Professor Nami-su said, "In teaching, I often felt many limitations in using qualitative research methodology books published abroad or in other disciplines," and added, "I expect that the domestic case studies on mass communication phenomena included in this book will show how qualitative methodology is being used and can be applied."

  Professor Nami-su graduated from Ewha Womans University with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and received her M.A. and Ph.D. from the same graduate school. She has served as a researcher at the former Broadcasting Commission and as a research fellow at the Korea Press Foundation.

  Her publications include Media's Achievements (2003, co-author), Media Culture and Society (2009, co-author), and Understanding Public Broadcasting (2012, co-author).