150092 UE Cultural Studies Research Methods in Chinese Studies (2023S)

INTRODUCTION
Interviews are a regular feature of our society. From TV news to YouTube, from documentary films to telephone surveys, interviews are so ingrained in everyday life that we tend to assume we know “how they work”. This practice-oriented course is designed to question these preconceptions, acquire a nuanced understanding of interviews, and learn to conduct them independently.

A solid grasp of interview as a method is a necessary skill in a researcher’s toolbox: structured or unstructured, qualitative or quantitative, interviews play a crucial role in cultural studies. Not only are they an invaluable source of information, they also question the roles of both interviewer (i.e. knowledge producer) and interviewee (i.e. informant), and the complex dynamics between them.

The course highlights the interactive/dialectic character of interviews, as a method of knowledge (co)production among equal subjects, rather than a technique for extracting information from “objects” of knowledge.

COURSE AIMS
By attending this course participants will acquire a well-rounded understanding of interviews, their function in academic research and use in artistic practices. At the end of the course participants will have a solid foundation in interviews as a method, and will be able to plan and conduct qualitative interviews independently. Under the supervision of the lecturer, participants will connect with artists and cultural workers directly, carry out interview(s) with them, and produce a written report to present their results.

- PART 1 of the course will start with an overview of research methods in cultural studies, and then focus on interviews. Participants will familiarise with ethnographic approaches, different kinds of interviews, and learn to incorporate them in a research project. Special attention will be paid to issues topical to Chinese studies.

- PART 2 will zoom in on interviews as a methodology in artistic practices. Creatives from China and the sinosphere (i.e. directors, producers) will join our sessions, in-person and on-line, to present their work and engage in conversations. Participants will observe how interviews are employed in the arts (i.e. film, theatre, etc) and reflect on their use as a tool for social engagement.