This course helps students develop skills in conducting fieldwork in the social sciences, with a focus on working internationally and in conflict-affected or non-western country contexts. The course will provide students with theoretical and conceptual tools to understand fieldwork and its unique contribution to knowledge production, as well as practical tools to prepare them for the often challenging and unpredictable nature of fieldwork. Students will also have the opportunity to develop skills related to the practice of academic research, including topics such as developing equitable partnerships, conducting ethically-sound research, pursuing impact, and contributing to an inclusive research culture.

Lecture 1 hr; Seminar 1hr (10 weeks, Tuesdays)

None

None

A three-part portfolio (4500words, 100%).

Programme / course convenors and teaching staff will ensure that due consideration is given to students with disabilities, and that reasonable adjustments are implemented wherever possible, in consultation with relevant support services. 

A Flexible Assessment approach will be applied, in line with Disability Service recommendations. This includes:  

■ Consideration of alternative assessment formats where appropriate (e.g., adaptations to oral assessments) 

■ Implementation of reasonable adjustments on a case-by-case basis

The aims of this course are to provide students with theoretical and practical understanding of fieldwork in the context of social science research, with a particular focus on non-western or conflict-affected contexts where fieldwork can raise particular political, technical, ethical, and practical challenges. Through scholarly literature, case studies, and guest lectures, students will learn how to conduct fieldwork in the social sciences, including developing a conceptual understanding of "the field" as a methodological approach; learning fundamentals of research design such as case study and comparison; gaining an understanding of commonly used methods, such as interviews, archival work, and field experiments; grappling with the ethics of this kind of research; and attaining practical know-how on the types of opportunities and challenges that can arise. The course will draw across key disciplines such as political science, political sociology, anthropology, area studies, and development studies, and reflect on the relationship between academic and policy research in these complex contexts.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Critically discuss the concept of fieldwork, including opportunities and limitations of this approach in a continually changing and globalising world;

■ Critically engage with and assess the unique political, technical, ethical and practical challenges of social science research that uses fieldwork;

■ Develop plans for conducting social science research in the field that anticipate and grapple with likely challenges, while remaining attuned to the necessary unpredictability of fieldwork;

■ Prepare plans for policy engagement and impact, considering various entanglements between academic research and real-world implications;

■ Discuss these topics critically and constructively, and cultivate an appreciation for interdisciplinary, ethical, and inclusive research culture within themselves and others.