Corsi di Studio del Dipartimento di Culture, Politica e Società

QUALITATIVE METHODS IN GLOBAL SOUTH STUDIES A-L

Qualitative Methods in Global South Studies A-L

Anno accademico 2020/2021

• DOING RESEARCH AND FIELDWORK IN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION (CPS0372)

Sommario insegnamento

• Obiettivi formativi
• Risultati dell'apprendimento attesi
• Modalità di insegnamento
• Modalità di verifica dell'apprendimento
• Attività di supporto
• Programma
• Testi consigliati e bibliografia
• Note
• Strumenti didattici

Obiettivi formativi

The overall purpose of this course is to prepare students for designing, managing and carrying out qualitative research projects in the Global South. In so doing the course aims at providing the skills and research competences required to operate in the context of international development, theme which is central to the Master's degree in Area and Global Studies for International Cooperation.

To achieve this there are three related aims: i) to develop the theoretical understanding and practical skills needed to define appropriate research questions, and make effective design and methods choices ii) to equip them to competently manage the organisational, technical, logistical, ethical, communication and safety aspects of research partnerships in the Global South iii) to embed the knowledge and skills through practice, and planning, critically reflecting on and communicating about real-world projects and applications.

Risultati dell'apprendimento attesi

By the end of the course, students are expected to be able to:

1)      Understand and use a range of qualitative fieldwork methods

2)      Develop a research project - identify a research topic, problem and context, ground it through literature review, and define focused research questions

3)      Plan qualitative research strategies - select a research design and appropriate methods, and know how to apply them in fieldwork collaborations in the Global South

4)      Organise research fieldwork - plan, schedule, prepare for and manage project partnerships and activities including: materials, resources, equipment, and travel in reference to safety, language, environment, cultural context, finances and logistics

5)      Prepare for fieldwork challenges and risks - anticipate likely problems and mitigate risks, critically reflect on ethical issues and responsibilities, prepare for ethical review, and consider how to adapt responsively as the research processes unfold

Communicate/pitch a research proposal - present research plans including rationale and case for focus, design, methods, organisation and risk management and mitigation.

Modalità di insegnamento

At the moment, given the uncertain situation, it is planned to develop the program as follows:

- On Mondays and Tuesdays, online lessons will be offered through the Moodle platform. I will upload pre-recorded videos a few days in advance. In addition to the videos, some files with articles relevant to the lessons and other materials will be uploaded. All relevant information will be available on the Moodle platform, as well as a forum for questions and answers.

- Wednesdays will be dedicated to the collective discussion of the topics of the week. If physical attendance of the classrooms will be possible, the discussion will take place on Campus, otherwise, it will take place online via the Webex platform. Again the information will be constantly updated on the course's Moodle platform.

- Alternatively, for those who can’t follow the online course, it is possible to simply study the text indicated in the section Recommended texts and bibliography (as non-attending students). If you opt to study the text without following the lessons and debates, it will not be necessary to study the materials uploaded on Moodle: the texts will be sufficient to study for the final exam.

This course is designed as active learning, to maximise the potential for students to successfully carry out research projects in real-world contexts. This means each topic will include introductory input, but will be largely delivered through workshops and participatory exercises in small groups. Knowledge and awareness will be developed through considering concrete qualitative research projects. Their skills in using methods and convening/facilitating participatory exercise will also be developed through experience during the classroom activities (or via webex in case of Covid-19 restrictions) and exercises and reflection afterwards. Students will be expected to prepare for discussions and practical activities through undertaking key readings and tasks beforehand. They will also be required to continue and complete activities outside class time. In the second part students will be divided into groups, and will work together on planning a research project in the global South for the final exam. 

All activities will be carried out in order to encourage students' self-evaluation and to reinforce the transversal skills indicated in the "Risultati dell'apprendimento attesi /Expected learning outcomes".

The illustrated teaching methods require frequent attendance by the students.

Modalità di verifica dell'apprendimento

NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS

The final examination will consist in an oral examination (via webex if Covid-19 restrictions will make it necessary) based on the textbook "Sophie Laws, Caroline Harper, Nicola Jones, Rachel Marcus, Research for Development. A practical guide. Sage, 2013, second edition. During the oral examination students will be asked to answer to three questions (10 points for each answer). In answering to the three questions, the student must demonstrate a thorough and critical knowledge on the topic. The questions will be aimed at verifying the comprehension of the themes and concepts explored in the textbook and to assess and promote students' capacity to analyze, interpret and creatively discuss concepts.

ATTENDING STUDENTS:

Attending students will use the same textbook as NON-attending students "Paul Haslam, Jessica Shafer, Pierre Beaudet, Introduction to International Development: Approaches, Actors, Issues, and Practice, Oxford University Press; 3 edition, 2016". Nevertheless, their knowledge will be evaluated through ongoing exercises and activities.

More precisely, attending students will be evaluated through:

- an assignment carried out during the course which will receive an individual evaluation.

- a group work (which will take place even in case of distance learning as already experienced last year) common to the module Research tools and Methods in socio-cultural anthropology. Each group will produce a written report. The written report will receive an assessment (a group evaluation, not an individual one) which will average with the evaluation of the above mentioned exercises and activities undertaken during the course which will be also evaluated.

Attending students who will not accept the final grade (group work and assignment during the course) can undertake an oral examination based on the texts and readings the teacher will provide).

Therefore, for attending students understanding of methodological theory and practice, and ability to manage a qualitative research collaboration in the global South will be assessed both through an assignment undertaken during the course and through a group project. The group project will consist of a writing a research project in the global South and will take place also in case of Covid-19 restrictions (via skype/webex as already experienced during last year Covid-19 lockdown). The research project will receive a group evaluation. Students will have to work together, the individual contribution will not be extrapolated. The evaluation of the group research project will average with the evaluation of the above mentioned exercises and activities (with rounding up if the arithmetic mean is equal to .5). A self-evaluation of the group processes, will also be assessed. The group project will be run jointly with the module Research Tools and Methods in Socio-cultural Anthropology (and also coordinated with the course International Cooperation for Development: Practices and Project Design).

THE FINAL EVALUATION OF THE COURSE DOING RESEARCH AND FIELDWORK IN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION:

FOR NON ATTENDING STUDENTS: ITWILL CONSIST IN THE ARITHMETIC MEAN OF THE FINAL EVALUATION OF THE TWO MODULES QUALITATIVE METHODS IN GLOBAL SOUTH STUDIES AND RESEARCH TOOLS AND METHODS IN SOCIO-CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY (WITH ROUNDING UP IF THE ARITHMETIC MEAN IS EQUAL TO .5).

FOR ATTENDING STUDENTS: IT WILL CONSIST IN THE ARITHMETIC MEAN OF THE FINAL EVALUATION OF THE TWO MODULES QUALITATIVE METHODS IN GLOBAL SOUTH STUDIES AND RESEARCH TOOLS AND METHODS IN SOCIO-CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY AND OF THE EVALUATION OF GROUP WORK (COUNTING 1/3 EACH). 

Attività di supporto

In order to stimulate the acquisition of the identified transversal competences, guided readings and debates on research methods and on the research process will be proposed. Students will also be asked to present and defend specific positions within role plays (if possible), and to present their reading and interpretation of specific themes to the classroom.

Researchers with key experties in the field of development research will be invited  (via webex if necessary) to share their experiences and materials and help students to carry on their research activities. During group work each group will also be supported individually by the teacher in elaborating its analysis (some lessons will be devoted to group work under the supervision of the teacher).

Programma

• Introduction to fieldwork in global South contexts, including researcher positioning, reflexivity and diaries
• Qualitative research questions, research designs and methodological choices
• Literature review and texts as data
• Focus group methods - organisation, facilitation skills and topic guides
• Participatory, visual and performative methods, and documentation
• Intro to triangulation, qualitative analysis and quality evaluation
• Intro to innovative participatory research processes such as participatory video, digital story-telling, ground level panels, reality checks
• Intro to multi-country research partnerships and challenging research such as with highly marginalised groups or in unaccountable or contested contexts
• Developing and planning a research project
• Organising and managing fieldwork including building partnerships and research relationships, and technical and logistic aspects
• Ethics and ethics review
• Preparing for fieldwork challenges and mitigating risks

The textbook for both attending and non-attending students is: Sophie Laws, Caroline Harper, Nicola Jones, Rachel Marcus, Research for Development. A practical guide. Sage, 2013, second edition.

Non-attending students will study the text for the final oral examination, attending students will consult the text in order to prepare for activities and group work.

Note

ATTENTION:

LECTURES OF THE 22nd 23rd and 24th OF FEBRUARY WILL TAKE PLACE ON PROF. BIGNANTE'S WEBEX ROOM: https://unito.webex.com/meet/elisa.bignante

UPDATE:

The course will start on the 12th of April (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 2 p.m.-4p.m.).

On Mondays and Tuesdays lessons will be streamed via webex, from 2 p.m to 4p.m).

On Wednesdays (if the health situation will allow it) lessons will be in person, on campus (2 p.m.-4p.m). On Wednesday classes will also be streamed for students unable to attend on campus.

Please register on the course moodle page (all materials and information will be uploaded on the course moodle page)

JUNE-JULY AND SEPTEMBER 2021 EXAMINATION SESSION: The final examination for non attending students will consist in an oral examination VIA WEBEX. During the oral examination students will be asked to answer to three questions (10 points for each answer). 

On the day of the exam, at the scheduled time, students will have to access my webex personal webex room at the following link: https://unito.webex.com/meet/elisa.bignante

I will send students who signed up for the exam a reminder the day before the examination.

• Materiale didattico
• Bacheca appelli
• Vai a Moodle
• Visita i forum