Universität Wien

400009 SE Methodological challenges in doing qualitative research with vulnerable groups (2024W)

Methods seminar

5.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 40 - Doktoratsstudium Sozialwissenschaften
Continuous assessment of course work
Moodle

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 15 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

If you are interested in participating, please contact the lecturers (katharina.heimerl@univie.ac.at) before the beginning of the seminar. You will then receive the text:

Browne Victoria, Danely Jason, Rosenow Doerthe (2021): Vulnerability and the Politics of Care: Transdisciplinary Dialogues. In: Browne Victoria, Danely Jason, Rosenow Doerthe (eds.): Vulnerability and the Politics of Care. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1-21

to read in advance.

  • Friday 04.10. 08:00 - 12:30 Seminarraum 8, Kolingasse 14-16, OG01
  • Thursday 12.12. 08:00 - 17:00 Seminarraum 12, Kolingasse 14-16, OG01
  • Friday 13.12. 08:00 - 16:30 Seminarraum 12, Kolingasse 14-16, OG01

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

Lehrende: Elisabeth Reitinger, Katharina Heimerl

Vulnerability is part of being human. Some persons are extraordinary vulnerable, such as young children, people with disabilities, refugees, people with dementia, or people at the end-of-life, to give only a few examples. Research with vulnerable groups presents certain challenges and requires special attention to the participants and to research methodology and ethics. Qualitative research methods therefore have to take these characteristics into consideration.

In the interdisciplinary seminar, we will discuss concepts and theories of vulnerability, of research ethics and of care ethics and their relevance for research with vulnerable groups. We will make experiences in the seminar with photo voice and storytelling café - two methods suitable for research with vulnerable groups - in order to better understand: What makes the research participants in my PhD-project extraordinarily vulnerable?

Students will be offered extensive opportunities to discuss methodological and ethical issues embedded in their own specific PhD research. The lecturers will present examples from their own research practice, particularly with people with dementia and people at the end-of-life.
We will work on and discuss the following questions depending on the interests of the students:
- What are the methodological prerequisites for participation of vulnerable groups in research?
- What are specific challenges for communication with vulnerable groups in research and how can they be encountered?
- How can we as researchers secure informed consent of vulnerable participants?
- What are the relevant ethical issues based on research ethics and care ethics?
- How do we best care for our own vulnerability as researchers and our emotions involved in research?
- How can we provide reflexivity in the research process and the qualitative methods that are applied?

Assessment and permitted materials

The seminar is 'prüfungsimmanent', i.e. the monitoring of the performance of the students is embedded in the seminar.
The participating PhD students will be invited to take photos and exchange their thoughts, ideas, experiences and emotions with other students and with the lecturers. Together, we will read and discuss relevant academic literature. Students will be expected to individually read relevant literature to a specific topic and prepare for discussion and presetation in small groups.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Students are expected to attend to all units of the seminar, maximum half a day attendance can be missed. Attendence of unit 1 is compulsory. Students will contribute to discussions, present their own research and discuss the research of the other participants (33%)
Individually read the literature provided by the lecturers and prepare a short literature based discussion input in small groups (preparation time is provided during the seminar) (33%)
as well as perform short exercises (e.g. taking photos) between the modules (33%).

Examination topics

Reading list

Association in the course directory

Last modified: We 04.09.2024 15:06