Do Better Research S4 E2: Decolonising Research Methods

In the final episode of Season 4, I am speaking with two great researchers, Dr Natalia Balyasnikova, and Spring Gillard, about their work on collaborative research projects. This conversation offers researchers an insight into how to build relationships for collaborative research. We also speak about their use of ethnodrama as a method for doing and conveying research ideas, and more generally about the opportunities that creative research methods offer.  You can discover more about the UBC Learning Exchange here: http://www.learningexchange.ubc.ca And you can find out more about the Natalia's work and research experience here: https://edu.yorku.ca/edu-profiles/index.php?mid=1901107 Canadian Association for the Study of Adult Education (CASAE): https://www.casae-aceea.ca/ David Diamond’s Theatre for Living: https://theatreforliving.com/ Credit: Music from https://www.purple-planet.com

This is the final of three episodes where I speak Dr Kaja Franck (https://twitter.com/kajafranck), Visiting Lecturer in English Literature and Creative Writing at the University of Hertfordshire. Throughout the three episodes, we cover a wide range of topics, including the research process, the importance of space, and the supervisory relationship while doing a PhD; how to develop your own methodology; and the importance of conferences and networks in developing your research ideas. In this third and final episode, we cover: The usefulness of conferences The role of the researcher in research and vulnerability Kaja received her PhD studentship through the 'Open Graves, Open Minds' research project (@OGOMProject): https://www.opengravesopenminds.com/  Her latest research project is 'Macabre Danse' (@dansegothic) which looks at #BalletGothic. Founded by Dr Karen Graham (@kar_took) and Kate Harvey (@harveygothick). Credit: Music from https://www.purple-planet.com

This is the second of three episodes where I speak Dr Kaja Franck (https://twitter.com/kajafranck), Visiting Lecturer in English Literature and Creative Writing at the University of Hertfordshire. Throughout the three episodes, we cover a wide range of topics, including the research process, the importance of space, and the supervisory relationship while doing a PhD; how to develop your own methodology; and the importance of conferences and networks in developing your research ideas. In this second episode, we cover: Developing a methodology Intersectionality of research areas Managing the supervisory relationship Kaja received her PhD studentship through the 'Open Graves, Open Minds' research project (@OGOMProject): https://www.opengravesopenminds.com/  Her latest research project is 'Macabre Danse' (@dansegothic) which looks at #BalletGothic. Founded by Dr Karen Graham (@kar_took) and Kate Harvey (@harveygothick). Credit: Music from https://www.purple-planet.com

This is the first of three episodes where I speak Dr Kaja Franck (https://twitter.com/kajafranck), Visiting Lecturer in English Literature and Creative Writing at the University of Hertfordshire. Throughout the three episodes, we cover a wide range of topics, including the research process, the importance of space, and the supervisory relationship while doing a PhD; how to develop your own methodology; and the importance of conferences and networks in developing your research ideas.  In this first episode, we cover: The research process, the importance of space and 'thinking time' Fear as part of research, and pushing yourself as a researcher Kaja received her PhD studentship through the 'Open Graves, Open Minds' research project (@OGOMProject): https://www.opengravesopenminds.com/  Her latest research project is 'Macabre Danse' (@dansegothic) which looks at #BalletGothic. Founded by Dr Karen Graham (@kar_took) and Kate Harvey (@harveygothick). Credit: Music from https://www.purple-planet.com

In this episode, I'm talking with free-range scholar and methodologist, Dr Janet Salmons (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jsalmons/) about using online methods to conduct research. We dig into considerations for how to use online methods, design, creativity, as well as the ethics of using these methods. Janet offers some excellent guidance and questions to think about when designing research - both for online and in-person methods. You can find her book, Doing Qualitative Research Online, from Sage Publishing.  You can also find Janet's work on https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/author/janet-salmons-0. Use the code MSPACEQ422 for a 20% discount on SAGE research methods books, valid until December 31, 2022. Credit: Music from https://www.purple-planet.com

In this, the second episode of Season 4, I talk to Sara de Sousa (https://twitter.com/sarag5), Student Success Lead at Hertfordshire Business School, University of Hertfordshire. Her work and research is on understanding and reducing the awarding gap between Black and Global Majority students, and white students, and increase retention and progression across the student demographic. We talk about undertaking using creative methods, decolonising research, and the importance of self-awareness and reflexivity in qualitative research.  Credit: Music from https://www.purple-planet.com

Welcome to Season 4 of Do Better Research!  In this episode, the first of Season 4, we dive into what it means to do a 'Professional Doctorate' with Janine Marriott (https://twitter.com/thejanine). Janine is undertaking her project, entitled ‘Dead Interesting: Public engagement in and with Sites of Cemeteries and Graveyards (UK , Ireland and Europe)' with the University of Hertfordshire. She is also the Public Engagement Manager at Arnos Vale Cemetery Trust, the case study for her doctoral research.  Credit: Music from https://www.purple-planet.com  

In this episode Dr Sebastian Cordoba (https://twitter.com/scordoban), a Lecturer in Psychology for the School of Social Sciences and Humanities at University of Suffolk, explains and explores queer research paradigms, and we discuss what being a queer researcher really means. Sebastian is currently turning his dissertation into a monograph for the Routledge Gender and Sexualities in Psychology series. He is also collaborating on a research project entitled AutOnoME which examines how neurodivergent gender minority youth experience online spaces. Credit: Music: https://www.purple-planet.com 

In this wide-ranging conversation with PhD researcher Victoria Holt (https://twitter.com/victoriabee27), we talk about feminist research, the importance of reflexivity and researching marginalised groups. Victoria is a doctoral researcher at the University of Roehampton (https://pure.roehampton.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/victoria-holt), exploring sex workers’ experiences of domestic and familial abuse. She is an activist with the Sex Worker Advocacy and Resistance Movement (SWARM) (https://www.swarmcollective.org/) in the fight for the decriminalisation of sex work, which is core to the work and research she undertakes. You can find Victoria's blog here: https://forgedintimacies.wordpress.com/ You can find Alison Phipps's blog here: https://phipps.space/ You can also find SWARM on Twitter: https://twitter.com/sexworkhive Credit: Music: https://www.purple-planet.com 

In the second half of a two-part episode 5, I speak to Diana Tremayne (https://twitter.com/dianatremayne) about netnography as an approach, and also the insights and challenges of being part of a community that you are researching.   Diana is a lecturer at the Carnegie School of Education at Leeds Beckett University, and she has recently completed her doctoral research into online teacher learning communities. You can find her blog here: https://anotherfeblog.wordpress.com/ Some further resources Costello, L., McDermott, M.-L. and Wallace, R. (2017) ‘Netnography: Range of Practices, Misperceptions, and Missed Opportunities’, International Journal of Qualitative Methods. doi: 10.1177/1609406917700647. Williams, M. L., Burnap, P. and Sloan, L. (2017) ‘Towards an Ethical Framework for Publishing Twitter Data in Social Research: Taking into Account Users’ Views, Online Context and Algorithmic Estimation’, Sociology, 51(6), pp. 1149–1168. doi: 10.1177/0038038517708140. Credit: Music: https://www.purple-planet.com