Was chatting with a friend who knows i'm a qualitative researcher, and was surprised to find that i had a background in sociology - when i told her i studied it through my post graduation she said i'm a sociologist !

Now that makes me wonder about 'labels', as i get down to re-writing my CV (something i haven't done in 15 years)  .... I have a Masters degree in Sociology, and studied the subject for 7 years. Then, i also studied Psychology and Anthropology for 3 years each.   I've read Kant and Durkheim, Marx, Weber and Simmel, Freud and Jung, Cooley and Meade, and Malinowski.  And am particularly interested in Durkheim's thoughts on religion and suicide, Marx's dialectic materialism, Weber's ideal types, and areas covering phenomenology, epistemology and conflict theory - does that make me a Sociologist ? 

I've applied a lot of these learnings as a qualitative researcher in observing human behaviour, culture, institutions and society. Its made me people centric, situation aware, sensitive to storytelling and insights driven.  And more recently in my explorations on the "social" face and aspects of technology, evident at this blog. 

Another angle - i have no formal MBA in marketing - but i've picked up concepts and the 'jargon' that B schools equip their graduates with, in 15 years of experience conducting projects related to products, services and brands for organisations.

I am so confused.  I hate labels - still need one for my CV.  Maybe, saying 'qualitative researcher' is easier? 

Of course, the CV would provide a sense of who i am and what my company is - a firm specialising in qualitative research in India - types of projects and types of outcomes -a list of clients and companies both Indian and International  - a summary of positions prior to my current status, with key achievements, finally schooling and affiliations as accreditation.

I'll probably keep the Sociologist in me for an 'about me' page at this blog :)

Any thoughts ?

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