Course info

Feminist methodologies: Workshop on field relations and methodological reflections

Description:
This course on feminist methodologies addresses both those explicitly employing a poststructuralist feminist methodology, but also those simply curious about how such an approach may inform concrete fieldwork. The target group for the course includes both those about to do fieldwork and those who would like to engage in further reflection on the outcome of already accomplished fieldwork.

The starting point for thinking in terms of feminist methodology is that as researchers we can never be simply ‘flies on the wall’ during fieldwork. Accepting this as a premise for doing fieldwork, how can such consciousness about our own position in the field be thought into our research design, analyses, and the entire research process?

We wish to engage with PhD students who are producing/have produced qualitative material (e.g. in the form of interviews, observations, ethnographic field work etc.) and discuss how this aspect of their PhD work relates to their theoretical framework. Wishing to establish the link between the concrete fieldwork and more abstract theoretical and methodological assumptions, the course takes its starting point in two questions:1) What was/is my own position vis-à-vis my research participants in my own concrete fieldwork? 2) How do my methodological reflections establish the premises for producing qualitative material?

Teaching format:
The course has a workshop format combined with lectures. This means that participating PhDs will be required to present and discuss each other’s work. A reading list will be distributed in advance of the workshop and all are expected to read and be prepared to discuss the readings in relation to concrete examples from their own and others’ work presented during the workshop. Each participant will need to send a 2-3 page ‘pre-reflection paper’ outlining initial ideas for answering our questions “1) What was/is my own position vis-à-vis my research participants in my own concrete fieldwork? 2) How do my methodological reflections establish the premises for producing qualitative material?”

These pre-reflections will be the basis for forming groups for the group work planned during the workshop.

After the workshop, participants will have the opportunity to submit at ‘post-reflection paper’ (5-10 pages) outlining their methodological consideration for their PhD thesis. Deadline for submission will be 3 weeks after the end of the course, and written feedback will be provided by one of the course teachers.

Organizer:
Associate Professor Marlene Spanger, Dept. Politics & Society, Aalborg University.

Senior researcher Helene Pristed Nielsen, Veterancentrets Videnscenter.

Lecturers:
Senior research fellow Kathy Davis, Dept. of Sociology, VU University, Amsterdam, will teach together with the course coordinators Marlene Spanger and Helene Pristed Nielsen.

ECTS:
Participation and preparation for the workshop (reading + pre-reflection paper): 2 ECTS.

Submission of post-reflection paper: +1 ECTS.

Time:
March 29-30, 2023

Place:
Aalborg University, Campus Copenhagen, A.C. Meyers Vænge 15, Copenhagen, room: tba

City:
Copenhagen

Number of seats:
Minimum 12 participants, maximum 18 participants

Deadlines:
Application deadline:  January 16, 2023.

Pre-reflection papers: March 5, 2023.

Please note that to participate, you will need to send a 2-3 page ‘pre-reflection paper’ outlining initial ideas for answering our questions “1) What was/is my own position vis-à-vis my research participants in my own concrete fieldwork? 2) How do my methodological reflections establish the premises for producing qualitative material?”. Deadline for this is March 5, 2023.

Participation fee:
The course if free of charge

No-show fee:

We have over some time experienced problems with no-show for both project and general courses. It has now reached a point where we are forced to take action. Therefore, the Doctoral School has decided to introduce a no-show fee of DKK 1,000 for each course where the student does not show up. Cancellations are accepted no later than 2 weeks before start of the course. Registered illness is of course an acceptable reason for not showing up on those days. Furthermore, all courses open for registration approximately three months before start. This can hopefully also provide new students a chance to register for courses during the year. We look forward to your registrations.