This series will consist of four stand-alone Demand-Led Qualitative Innovations sessions, delivered between May and July, to up to 300 students online.
Find the information for our four sessions below:
1. Feminist Methodologies
- Presenters: Bryan Clift, Ellie O'Connell, and Jessica Francombe-Webb
- Date: 19th May 2022
- Time: 1pm - 2:30pm (BST)
Session Overview: Taking inspiration from the epistemological and theoretical critiques and developments in feminisms, feminist methods and methodologies are about more than just including women in research or women studying women. Feminist methods tend to offer a challenge to knowledge production itself interlinked with feminist political intent, ethical processes, egalitarianism, and the examination of power, dominance, inequality, or discrimination. This webinar will provide an introduction to the history of feminist methods in concert with the growth of feminist thought. We illustrate both specific methodologies developed in and through feminist thought, and how feminist thought can be brought to bear on other methods and methodologies (e.g., interviews, fieldwork, ethnography, media studies), as well as on other aspects of the research process (e.g., ethics, representation).
2. “Let me tell you a story…”: Creative Nonfiction as a way to make research relevant to different audiences
- Presenters: Francesca Cavallerio
- Date: 23rd June 2022
- Time: 10am-12pm (BST)
Session Overview: Creative nonfiction (CNF) is type of creative analytical practice that presents research findings through a story, drawing on literary techniques. Therefore CNF offers scholars the opportunity to share research in a way that aims to evoke emotional responses in readers and has potential to reach audiences beyond academia.
In this webinar we will explore some theoretical aspects related to CNF, such as when to use it and how to maintain a balance between facts and fiction, reflecting on possible ethical challenges and doubts. We will then move onto the practical side of it, the “how to” of CNF, looking at what makes a good CNF and engaging in applied exercises to support participants in the process of writing a CNF.
3. Creative Approaches to Ethical Qualitative Research: Space for Everyone?
- Presenters: Shona McIntosh and Rachel Wilder
- Date: 6th July 2022
- Time: 1pm - 2:30pm (BST)
Session Overview: Dr Shona McIntosh and Dr Rachel Wilder will discuss their recent work experimenting with creative, inclusive and alternative ways to do ethical qualitative research. Drawing from the example of an online seminar series exploring methodologies for epistemic justice, the speakers reflect on the issues of working collaboratively within hierarchical, patriarchal and Euro-centred research traditions. They reflect on the potentials and limitations of creative approaches to foster ethical, inclusive practice. This work is underpinned by a commitment to and interest in epistemic justice theory (Fricker, 2007) which focuses on whose knowledge is valued and whose voices are heard and listened to (e.g. Masaka, 2019).
4. "Take it easy on me”: juggling power and the ethics of knowing as an early career qualitative researcher
- Presenters: Helen Williams
- Date: 27th July 2022
- Time: 10am-12pm (BST)
Session Overview: What, you might ask, do Adele - the singer - and I - an early career researcher - have in common? Apart from being similar in age, gender, and questionable drinks choices, we also happen to use our work as a means to understand ourselves, and the worlds we inhabit. We are also required to do this in a responsible way, albeit for different reasons. But what does it really mean to make sense of ourselves, and indeed, other’s worlds responsibly?
In this session, we will be exploring this question and focusing on ethics of sense making. As qualitative researchers, we are expected to be reflexive, and this is often regarded as a virtuous means to account for sensibilities inherent to qualitative research. In short, we are responsible because we are reflexive. But do we go far enough in exploring what shapes our own, and our participant’s understandings, and if so, what might prevent us from doing so? To frame discussions, I draw on Fricker’s (2007) work on epistemic injustice, and in particular, the concept of hermeneutic injustice. Wherein, according to Fricker (2007, p.155), someone has a significant area of their social experience obscured from understanding due to prejudicial flaws in shared resources for interpretation.