Decoloniality in Social Science Research Methods Part 2: Workshop 2

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This is the second in a series of three workshops, which extend last term's teaching on 'Decoloniality in Research Methods'. In each session, participants will be presented with a range of theoretical concepts as well as case studies from a variety of scholars who mobilise these concepts to shape their methodologies. At least half of each session will be dedicated to practical application – participants will be encouraged to engage in a range of individual and group reflections, discussions and exercises.

Participants will be encouraged to reflect on how decolonial thought affects each stage of their research project. Beginning with initial research design and literature reviews, and ending with dissemination and research impact, each session focuses on a different stage in the research cycle, bringing a range of decolonial thought and scholar-activism into conversation with our research methods. Please note: Participants can choose whether to attend a single session or multiple sessions, as each will be a 'stand alone' workshop. However, each workshop must be booked separately.

Session 2: The role of ‘the researcher’ & the importance of reflexivity

In this session, we’ll discuss the notion of ‘reflexivity’, considering our disciplines, our roles as researchers within the University, and our experiences as individual researchers with our own life experiences and histories. We’ll then explore seven commonly used research methods (the development of ‘social theory’, quantitative analysis, ethnography, autoethnography, qualitative interviews, digital methods and archival research). We’ll ask what happens to these methods when we place them into a wider frame of decolonial analysis and look to other scholars who are using these methods to advance the goals of decolonization.

In terms of practical skills, participants will be encouraged to bring their own reflexive writing to the session, and we’ll explore how different theories relating to standpoint, positionality and intersectionality help us make sense of the approaches we are taking. Participants will be encouraged to bring an outline of their research methods and will work in thematic groups to place their methods in conversation with decolonial thought.

University postgraduate students from participating Departments. Further details regarding eligibility criteria are available here: https://www.training.cam.ac.uk/jsss/info/eligibility

The course is suitable for participants at any stage of a research project, with all levels of knowledge/experience of decolonial scholarship. Participants who did not attend last term's intro module ‘Decoloniality in Research Methods’ are encouraged to familiarise themselves with a small number of lecture slides that will be shared ahead of each workshop.

Number of sessions: 1

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