GIDR organizes Research Methods Workshop: Challenges in Field Research | February 26-27 |

Research Methods Workshop: Challenges in Field Research

Co-Organisers: University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada; Gujarat Institute of Development Research, Ahmedabad, India

Venue: Gujarat Institute of Development Research, Ahmedabad, India

February 26-27, 2018

Core Team: Sharada Srinivasan & Josie Wittmer (University of Guelph) | Tara Nair & Keshab Das (Gujarat Institute of Development Research)

The two-day workshop on research methods aims at emphasizing the importance of reflecting on issues around power dynamics between researchers and human research subjects as these unfold on ground in primary surveys in social science research in India.

Objectives:

- To share knowledge and insights related to research processes, especially, those related to power relations within and without the fieldwork;

- To provide learning resources (e.g., readings, activities) to participants to facilitate their engagement with key principles to undertake ethical and socially responsible research;

- To engage participants in individual and group activities/discussions that foster their understanding and use of these ideas and concepts in their own research.

Format:

The workshop will be deeply-interactive and will include short presentations by experienced researchers, panel discussion, activities, and group discussions to reflect on readings and activities. Topics to be covered:

- Why ethical and socially responsible research? How reflexive research methods can facilitate ethical research

- How power, identity, and positionality manifest in field research

- What mediating strategies can be deployed towards reflexive/ethical research?

Selection of Participants:

Up to 15 participants will be selected based on suitability of their project/program and interests for the workshop. PhD students in any of the social sciences currently enrolled in an Indian university who are initiating or in the midst of primary data collection through

fieldwork may apply. Participants must have completed at least one course in research methods and/or attended a research methods workshop.

Interested candidates, please submit the following:

1. A letter from the Supervisor or head of department confirming the stage of your PhD research and details of attendance of research methods course/workshop

2. A brief statement of interest in participation in the workshop (250 words)

3. A brief summary of dissertation research (max. 500 words) that explains

- Working title of your research

- Which institution/university are you enrolled at?

- Which program/fellowship are you part of? Year of study?

- Objective/Question (What is your research focus?)

- Significance of the study (Why is this research important?)

- Methodology (How do you plan to approach and execute this research?)

- What kind of data/ information do you plan to use?

- Respondents (Who will you gather information from?)

- Research location (Where will the research be carried out?)

- Time line of your research plan (When?)

- What ethical issues are you likely to encounter in the course of your research?

- Provide four keywords that explain your research, one of which could be geographical

Application with attachments should be sent to: reflexivityworkshop@gmail.com by 10 February, 2018. Selected participants will be contacted by 15 February 2017. Outstation participants are expected to pay for their travel costs to Ahmedabad. Accommodation, food and study materials for the two days will be provided by the organisers.