Research on the impact of significant events on an individual's life

On Tuesday, 31 March, at 10:00, in an open meeting of the Promotion Council of Sociology of Rīga Stradiņš University which was held in the Hippocrates Lecture Theatre (16 Dzirciema Street, Rīga), Maruta Pranka defended her doctoral thesis “The Biographical Approach in the Analysis of the Individual and Social Aspects of Biographical Disruption”.

A sociological analysis of the individual and social aspects of biographical disruption is conducted in the doctoral thesis. The concept of biographical disruption is related to the influence of a significant, sudden event or events in an individual's life that significantly change the course of their life and plans.

There are different causes of biographical disruption, among them – a high risk of hereditary severe chronic diseases – breast and/or ovary cancer.

The author obtained empirical data while working on the interdisciplinary research project “Creation of a new interdisciplinary research team to investigate breast cancer and to increase the efficacy of therapy and the patient’s quality of life” (Agreement No 2009/0230/1DP/1.1.1.2.0/09/APIA/VIAA/070) conducted at the Institute of Oncology, Rīga Stradiņš University.

The second cause for biographical disruption analysed are profound social changes due to historical events, namely, the Second World War and Soviet occupation. The author used empirical data from a study performed by the National Oral History project of the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology at the University of Latvia.

The author used the biographical approach – methodology that includes a total of qualitative methods. Means of overcoming biographical disruption are analysed in the thesis, namely, biographical work and social support.