Call for papers

ESA RN20 Qualitative Methods

CALL FOR PAPERS

Conference:	Teaching Qualitative Methods
Conference venue:	Łódź University, Poland
Confirmed keynote speakers:	Anssi Peräkylä and Johanna Ruusuvuori Andrzej Piotrowski Brian Roberts Hans Georg Soeffner
Meet the authors:	Giampietro Gobo Ruth Wodak David Silverman
When:	September 15-17, 2008
Abstracts:	max 300 words + name(s), e-mail address(es), affiliation, and three keywords to be e-mailed to both Krzysztof Konecki (krzysztof.konecki@gmail.com) and Anne Ryen (Anne.Ryen@uia.no) within March 15, 2008.
Deadline:	March 15, 2008

Full call for papers:

The midterm of the ESA Qualitative Methods Research Network is aimed at broadening the discussion of the teaching process including lecturing and training in qualitative methods of social research. Papers should mainly concentrate on:

• the quality of the teaching process, its conditions and interpretation of concepts of didactic quality
• detailed description and analysis of methods and techniques of teaching, comparative analysis (workshops, lectures, seminars, participation in directed research, independent research, consultations, group analysis, triangulation of teaching methods, etc.)
• using multi – media technologies and computer assisted data analysis in teaching the methods of research and techniques of data analysis
• field explorations as a teaching opportunity. Learning from research practice and through practical application of the qualitative research techniques
• detailed ethnographic description and pragmatic/theoretical analysis of the teaching process, stages and their conditions and contexts, interaction processes
• analysis of the sequencing of the teaching process (stages and sub-stages) and concentration on the specificity of teaching different qualitative methods
• popularization the qualitative methodology and methods to the general in comparison with popular and dominating survey methods
• paradigms and basic assumptions of the methods and practical consequences for the teaching process
• use of multiple data (visual, textual etc.) and its importance in the teaching process
• perception and position of qualitative methodology in social sciences and/or academia and its influence on the teaching process and institutional contexts of methodological education (problem of sectarianism and openness)
• continual teaching and learning. Improving one’s own methodologies using new research experiences; sharing experiences in teaching practice.
• teaching qualitative methods as a craftsmanship, art, or procedural knowledge
• teaching and serendipity in the methodology of substantive research and research findings
• Influence of students on the teaching process; career coupling and feedback on teachers; Interaction between teachers and research students
• Teaching practitioners and practitioners teaching qualitative researchers
• Connecting quantitative methods’ teaching with qualitative thinking and analyzing quantitative data
• problems/handicaps emerging during the teaching process; what to teach first, quantitative or qualitative methods, both simultaneously?; critical moments in teaching/doing research projects, problem solving
• “patents” of teaching qualitative methods
• History of lecturing and teaching by “giants” and famous schools in social sciences (teaching by R. Park and scholars from Chicago School as H. Becker, E. Hughes; lecturing by H. Sacks, H. Garfinkel; consultation by A. L. Strauss, etc.)
• students` evaluation of Qualitative Methods teaching (interviews, natural occurring data, visual data, documents etc.): How well are (or were) you as a student prepared for going from the classroom or textbook till research practice when doing your own research? Here we want students to write up their own experiences from working with their own thesis (you can choose from focus on all/some/one stage(s) of the research process). What are the mismatches, and what are your suggestions to improving teaching Qualitative Methods? Points should be illustrated by examples from your own research practice.
• We would also appreciate description and analysis of experiences from counselling and receiving the advices during writing PH. D. thesis by using GT methodology etc.

All papers concerning the above mentioned topics and other themes associated with the problems of teaching of qualitative methods are welcomed. Broader topics also those loosely connected with teaching qualitative methods (but somehow connected), given they significantly improve our understanding of some of the problems listed above or others not yet mentioned, will also be considered for possible approval.

Conference Secretary Office
Contact person: Dominika Byczkowska
e-mail: Midterm-QN-ESA@soc-org.edu.pl