(IMAESCII521) Forum Short Notes: Module 1 - Reflections on Assumptions and Beliefs in Social Research (Ontology and Values Systems)
Here are my short notes and contributions to my classmates' discussion in class. The link to my personal blog post is linked above. This way, the blog posts will not be too wordy and long.
All my 8 short discussion posts are in PINK text! Enjoy!
================================
PART I
Re: Reflecting on our assumptions and beliefs in
relation to social research
by Nhi Nguyen - Monday,
25 January 2021, 8:54 PM
Hi Kirstern!
Though I am quite struggling to start with Research methods, I'd like to
contribute to your amazing post with my own view.
I shared similar views with your about the link between the quantitative
approach and objectivity, link between qualitative approach and subjective
experiences.
However,
I think that:
- For your interpretation on Candidate 3 and 4: feminist epistemology is not
limited to research topics/themes about feminism/gender issues. In my opinion,
feminist epistemology is more like a philosophy that influences/manipulates ones'
beliefs, conceptions and the constructing process of reality. "Feminist
epistemology and philosophy of science studies the ways in which gender does
and ought to influence our conceptions of knowledge, knowers, and practices of
inquiry and justification. It identifies how dominant conceptions and practices
of knowledge attribution, acquisition, and justification disadvantage women and
other subordinated groups, and strives to reform them to serve the interests of
these groups." (Feminist Epistemology and Philosophy of Science: in
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). In other words, research about
feminism/gender issues can be associated with Feminist Epistemology while
Feminist Epistemology is not necessarily associated with research about
feminism/gender issues. ( I'm not sure it make sense with you haha).
- For Candidate 1: "understanding the ways in which individuals interpret
their decisions and choices" is referred to the aim of the research, which
might be for explanation, rather than an approach to research. For me, the
participatory approach means that both the researcher and the target
groups/participants involve in the process of research. The researcher, rather
than works on the participants, but works with them to co-construct the reality
and accordingly the research design.
Sorry if my language is confusing as I tried to explain but I lack "exact
words" to deliver my thoughts in a scientific way :D
Re: Reflecting on our assumptions and beliefs in relation to social research
by Mc Ronald Ι Banderlipe - Monday, 1 February 2021, 4:34 PM
Hi Nhi,
Don't apologise for the lack of scientific terminologies. We are all on the
same page.
I wonder though whether there is a difference between 'influencing' and
'manipulating. Not that I found yours to be intriguing. But I question whether
the 'influencing' act of research and meaning-making could actually
'manipulate' behaviours/policy responses as a result of analysis. In the same
way, I wonder whether research data can be heavily influenced and manipulated
if one has the necessary discipline (Isn't it we are encouraged to clean the
data first before performing any analysis?)
Thank you for this thought, Nhi. This will make me think more. 😉
Re: Reflecting on our assumptions and
beliefs in relation to social research
by Nhi Nguyen - Wednesday, 3 March 2021, 11:34 PM
Hi
McRhon,
Sorry for this late reply because I have just seen it now. And thank you for
your thought-provoking question although I'm not sure I got your point
correctly :d !!!
Well I just tried to give you my answer based on my own guess.
I think that research data can be influenced by researcher's paradigms,
disciplines or preferences. This can be manifested during the interview
process, for example, where the conversation is controlled and developed by the
researcher through his/her questions. Another example might be the process of
the researcher analysing or "coding" the data ( the transcripts from interviews).
Also, the literature used to be the framework that forms the research can also
be heavily influenced by the researcher's own preference. As the literature
then is used to analyse the findings, it accordingly influences the results and
implications of the research. In other words, I think that the research data
can be heavily influenced and manipulated by the reseacher's beliefs,
philosophies, disciplines or paradisms, in all phases of the research ( choice
of literature, data collection process, data analysis, etc).
How does it sound? Omg now it's my turn to question myself and think more haha.
But so happy to engage with your insightful perspective McRhon ^^
===================================
PART II
Re: Reflecting on our assumptions and beliefs
in relation to social research
by Andreas Kollias - Friday, 29 January 2021, 9:25 AM
Dear Sego and Kirsten in our 2nd meeting I tried to offer some ideas about how to design a research project from an intersectionality lens. Here is my presentation pptx but you have also to check our 2nd meeting recorded video (last part, maybe 10 to 15 mins). I also attach a paper which I used for my presentation.
- Misra, J., Curington, C. V., & Green, V. M. (2021). Methods of intersectional research. Sociological Spectrum, 41(1): 9-28. DOI:10.1080/02732173.2020.1791772
Here are some more papers on this issue.
Quantitative research strategies
- Else-Quest,
N. M., & Hyde, J. S. (2016). Intersectionality
in quantitative psychological research: II. Methods and techniques. Psychology
of Women Quarterly, 40(3), 319-336.
- Bauer,
G. R., & Scheim, A. I. (2019). Advancing
quantitative intersectionality research methods: Intracategorical and
intercategorical approaches to shared and differential constructs. Social
Science & Medicine, 226, 260-262.
Qualitative research strategies
- Christensen,
A. D., & Jensen, S. Q. (2012). Doing
intersectional analysis: Methodological implications for qualitative
research. NORA-Nordic Journal of Feminist and Gender
Research, 20(2), 109-125.
You can also check the papers in
Social Issues, 76(4). Special Issue: Applications of
Intersectionality to Critical Social Issues. https://spssi.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/15404560/2020/76/4
Re: Reflecting on our assumptions and beliefs in relation to social research
by Mc Ronald Ι Banderlipe - Monday, 1 February 2021, 4:37 PM
Thanks
for these useful pieces of info on intersectionality research, Andreas. I did
particularly liked the last part of our class when we discussed this. There's
so much to tackle. Yet, intersectionalities also operate in tiers when it comes
to analysis. Which intersections could reflect more significant observations
and linkages? How do we act on those and how do we ensure that those
intersections, though still valid could be pursued for future research?
Thank you.
=====
Re: Reflecting on our assumptions and beliefs
in relation to social research
by Andreas Kollias - Monday, 8 February 2021, 9:44 AM
Dear McRhon, your questions are very challenging.
As Misra et
al (2020) argue, "one misunderstanding about the
comparative nature of intersectional research is the implication that intersectional
researchers must incorporate variation on all potential socially constructed
dimensions of difference in their sample and in their analyses. Exploring all
of the possible intersections of race, gender, class, educational attainment,
relationship status, parenthood, sexuality, gender identity, nationality,
ability, etc. is simply not feasible in a practical sense."
(p. 5)
Therefore, researchers have to identify and focus upon "... the
intersections that are most salient for her particular argument, reducing the
complexity of the analysis, while still leveraging the insights of
intersectionality." (ibid).
In particular, "researchers should consider which intersections matter most for the research question being posed, focusing on the intersections that seem most salient based on the research focus ... No one project can cover every base; yet, they can be designed creatively to consider how simple additive categories may not fully uncover the social processes of interest. Intersectional researchers work to analyze the most salient statuses for their research question, recognizing that exploring other socially constructed dimensions of difference might lead to different insights." (ibid., p. 5-6).
From my perspective, I think that in this discussion we should also consider the issue of who chooses which intersections matter most for the research question being posed. One answer to this question is "the researcher chooses which intersections matter most" because he or she is the one who states the research questions in the first place. This is quite reasonable because the researcher(s) have, or should have, a very well articulated theoretical framework and a good overview of the relevant literature in the field that can guide them in their efforts to identify the intersections that matter most.However, this can be problematic. What if the people under study think that other intersections than the ones identified by the researcher(s) matter most in their lives? Should we involve research participants in such discussions in order to inform how our research questions are stated? If yes, then how can we ensure that some crucial intersections are not neglected because these are not considered to be salient from the research participants?
Ref
Misra, J., Curington, C. V., & Green, V. M. (2020). Methods of
intersectional research. Sociological Spectrum, 1-20. DOI:
10.1080/02732173.2020.1791772
=====
Re: Reflecting on our assumptions and beliefs
in relation to social research
by Mc Ronald Ι Banderlipe - Wednesday,
10 February 2021, 4:15 PM
This is a provocation Andreas. The note you provided
poses a challenge for a researcher to know what the purpose of reseach is and
who is this researcher trying to serve. In many ways, I am privy to some
researchers directed towards profit-making, and I wonder sometimes whether
these motivated researches could be trusted.
Re: Reflecting on our assumptions and beliefs
in relation to social research
by Kenneth Nkumire - Thursday, 28 January 2021, 3:20 AM
Reflection on assumptions and beliefs in relation to
social research
Dear all,
In my opinion, the first candidate emphasises on the principle of informed
consent of the participant by explaining the objective of the research study
and methodology adopted during data collection. This will help in designing the
most appropriate data collection tools for the respective participants under
study. Explaining to the participants the purpose of the study. This would help
investigator to generate the most appropriate actions to be undertaken
throughout the research process and what specific relevant theories can adopted
if the research is to contribute to meaningful knowledge building (Hellen O,
2007). Collaborative paradigm becomes imperative during the research process
where gender differences involving both men and women can help the investigator
to hold different dialogues with different social groups in the community in order
to construct ideas and opinions in the research process (Kollias &
Anastasopoulou, 2021). This can also enable the investigator to obtain informed
consent, protect and ensure the safety of study participants throughout the
research process.
In my opinion the third candidate is closer to my assumption because I also do
believe that education of women and lifelong learning which has a lower
socio-economic background (Hellen O, 2007). The feminist theories become a key
in conducting research considering the role women play in the in the society
and bringing them on the research agenda. As social beings, we must constantly
understand our environmental factors, circumstances and facts that are related
to our personal and social needs. In this discussion I will highlights that why
social research is so important and provide my assumptions and beliefs related
to social research and compare it with all the candidates and will also refer
to illustrate how we can use the knowledge we have acquired for the benefit of
humanity. The human mind seeks knowledge to improve and maintain our personal
happiness now and in the future. We do this through social research methods
that represent openness and experimental cycles. Research can be an educated
guess or it can depend on scientists' perceptions of human behaviour and
climate and how we can best understand our environment. Social research also
poses "why" questions, including how deviations, poverty, illegal
behaviour and prejudice manifest themselves and how socially beneficial
outcomes can be achieved.
We all know knowledge I vital aspect in research. We also know the use
effective methods would help in understanding the most appropriate tools which
can be designed and adopted throughout the research process. These will always
help us in collecting data from different categories of respondents during
interviews. The use of ethnographic observations in research would be
imperative in future when carrying out research. This means living within a
particular community, trying to understand their socio-cultural beliefs,
practices and ways of doing certain things. Through such ethnographic
observations and experience we can discover new knowledge that can validate
qualitative data especially using Focus Group Discussions. Through our
interaction with human beings in their natural settings, we discover encounters
in our own personal experience. Although techniques can transform social
research, we can use the above methods, but the following research techniques
give us a more interesting understanding of human behaviour and why we do our
own things. Whether it's based on our experience with a person's insights,
their position on the scale, or a tick entered in a survey, every observation
is qualitative from the start. However, these functions are neither qualitative
nor quantitative.
All in all, I think the third candidate also outlined the need for social
research and discussed some of the methods social scientists can use. Research
will always be needed to get people to focus on social issues and the
characteristics of human activity. There are several aspects to consider.
Well-being, illegal behaviour, aging and poverty. To mention but a few
examples, constant research will always be needed to change social problems
affecting humans in their natural environment, and even some reasons can be
left out. When this is done, policy makers and stakeholders can be informed of
the next course of action especially in programming for the local communities.
In future when carrying out my dissertation titled “The Perception of
Individuals on Adult Education towards Career Advancement “under the IMAESC
program will adopt a combination of both qualitative and quantitative
approaches of data collection. However, much emphasis will be on the qualitative
research design mainly focusing on knowledge and perception towards adult
education. The rationale for choosing a qualitative approach will be to obtain
a more comprehensive exploration of individual experiences in line with the
study approach. This will also be intended to gain deeper understanding of
people’s opinions concerning adult education and develop potential hypothesis
based on the research objectives.
Re: Reflecting on our assumptions
and beliefs in relation to social research
by Mc Ronald Ι Banderlipe - Monday, 1 February 2021, 4:41 PM
Hi
Kenneth,
I liked your explanation on 'ethonographic observations' and you clearly hit
the nail's head perfectly. Situating this however in an adult education
research may be a bit problematic, especially if our intention is to understand
where the challenges of 'access', 'privilege' and 'priority' lies. And this is
where you rightly emphasised the need for a qualitative plus quantitative
approach to elicit various realities that either of these approaches could
provide.
Re: Reflecting on our assumptions and beliefs
in relation to social research
by Justyna Ataman - Tuesday, 26 January 2021, 8:53 PM
Reading the statements, I have instinctively felt
that the position of the third and fourth candidate reverberate my interests
and beliefs about social research. In my opinion, the third statement adopts
the paradigm of feminist epistemologies. I think that considering gender in
research is very important, as gender strongly affects how knowledge is
formulated in our human societies. The emphasis on the group analysis rather
than on the individual seems both the possible strengths and weaknesses of this
approach. In my opinion, the advantage of considering a group as the object of
research allows for an investigation of power relations, discrimination,
intersectionality. Nonetheless, on the downside, it may lead to certain
generalizations, which are not accurate in all cases.
The fourth statement represents the pragmatism paradigm and mixed social
research. It matches my beliefs in considering that one should stay open-minded
to worldviews and methodologies in the field of social science. Also, what I
liked about this statement is the researcher's awareness of his own interest in
the research. I think the advantage of this paradigm is openness, a range of
tools, and focus on the subject of the research that determines which paradigm
can be applied to best analyze the question. On the downside, I suspect that
wishing to adopt a variety of approaches makes the researcher unable to
conclude radical research, corresponding to a specific paradigm in depth. I
think that when a subject in social sciences is presented through various
paradigms in radical ways, the results form certain guidelines or borders
within which discourse can exist.
=====
In reply to Justyna Ataman
Re: Reflecting on our assumptions
and beliefs in relation to social research
by Mc Ronald Ι Banderlipe - Monday, 1 February 2021, 4:44 PM
Hi
Justyna,
I wonder why when I read the profile of candidate number 4, you were the first
person who came to my mind. Perhaps our conversations shaped my impression of
your inclination towards education as a 'playground' to experiment. On another
note, I am also interested to find out more about some research activities (not
necessarily IMAESC) where participatory actions have been done. We can share
notes when we find one.
===============================
PART V
Re: Reflecting on our assumptions and beliefs
in relation to social research
by Khadija Batool - Sunday, 31 January 2021, 10:30 AM
Thank you all for contributing the forum with
thoughts, I was late in reading the text. But I was able to comprehend was the
similarity of my ideas with Kirsten.
I believe, the first candidate has adopted quantitative approach along with
feminist perspective. He uses methods and objective assumptions, impartial
approach where he validates his ideas. But he is mindful of gender roles in
social research. But I am still confuse whether there is use of Positivism
approach also. It is combination of productive reasoning and then observations
are the means by which knowledge of the laws of nature and society is acquired.
Second candidate has used qualitative methodology including motivations,
barriers to research, decisions, experiences and choices to be made in order to
carry out research. There is focus on subjective experiences and socio-cultural
context which highlights the use of observations and constructivist approaches.
The third candidate positions his research on feminism, role of socio-economic
context in lifelong learning. How the political, historical and social context
affects women participation in economic life. The candidate uses variety of
tools so I believe he may have use mixed methodology in his research. Moreover,
there was emphasis on role of researcher which I think may be highlights the
Pragmatism approach also. The qualitative methods includes the perspectives and
power relations in society highlighting socio-cultural context of research.
The fourth candidate has focus on effectiveness of research which is mostly
attach to value of research by have personal meanings and values. I think, here
qualitative methods is solely used as its main focus is values, and meanings
rather particular methodology adoption. So the candidate has use qualitative
along with perspective from feminist theories.
I am more aligned with using mixed methodology in research because in order to
carry out research we want to have interviews, questionnaires along with
methodology to find out did our research was successful in getting out
something useful. So, I think candidate three is more aligned with my thinking.
Re: Reflecting on our assumptions and beliefs in relation to social research
by Mc Ronald Ι Banderlipe - Monday, 1 February 2021, 4:48 PM
Hi
Khadija,
I also tend to gravitate that mixed methods might be the balancing act for an
adult education research module. I think there needs to have a deeper
discussion on where a researcher reflects their positionality before
identifying what approach needs to execute. I am beginning this research
journey and the mere thought of creating my position makes me believe that
adult education is really an interesting and an intersecting journey.
Happy to explore this conversation.
=================================
PART VI
Re: Reflecting on our assumptions and beliefs
in relation to social research
by Andreas Kollias - Sunday, 31 January 2021, 11:57 PM
My
thoughts on this activity
...can
you identify what are their assumptions and the scientific paradigms they adopt?
Candidate 1:
"I
think objectivity is a virtue for a researcher. A researcher needs to observe
the object of his/her study impartially, and to select the appropriate methods
and tools to check his/her hypotheses and questions in order to come to valid
and reliable results that will allow him/her to understand in depth the
reality...".
This candidate believes that objectivity is very important to researchers in
order to be able to observe the object of their study impartially. From this I
assume that this candidate believes that there is an objective social reality
which is independent of each individual's consciousness. Such a belief is
dominant in the positivist paradigm. Among some paradigms in the
post-positivistic tradition this is also commonly accepted. Critical realism,
for example, acknowledges the existence of an objective social reality. Other
critical paradigms also adopt this stance when, for example, they assume that
there is an objective social order, which is socially constructed (e.g. think
of the objectivity of the institutional world such as the education systems),
and that this reality is confronted by individuals in a manner analogous to the
reality of the natural world. In brief a social order is out there, external to
individuals, persistent to their reality, whether they like it or not. Feminist
and marxist approaches to social research, and various theoretical approaches,
frameworks or lenses informing social research, such as intersectionality,
postcolonialism, etc. also accept the existence of an objective social order
(e.g. power structures that create and recreate gendered, racialised, classed
or other differentiations in societies that result in pervasive social
injustices) which they seek to reveal, critique and ultimately change. Because
however researcher objectivity in social research is a principle drawn from
positivism, most likely this researcher is closer to the positivistic paradigm
than other paradigms that acknowledge the existence of objective social
reality. According to this tradition, researchers should distance themselves
from the object of their study so the research findings are not biased from the
personality, the beliefs and the values of the researcher. This view however is
not accepted by researchers adopting critical or interpretivist traditions.
"Throughout
my scientific career, I always follow this basic principle in my research on
gender differences in continuing education ... ".
Candidate 1 offers no information on his/her particular approach or framework
or worldview to the study of gender differences. In this case, the term
"gender differences" indicates a research topic not an underlying
research paradigm or worldview.
Candidate 2:
"My research focus is on adult motivations’ to participate in LLL and the
barriers inhibit adults’ participation in LLL."
The candidate just states his/her research interest on these issues (motivation
and barriers), as candidate 1 stated "gender differences".
"I am
interested in understanding the ways in which individuals interpret their decisions
and choices, the criteria they formulate, how they experience and evaluate
their participation in education and training programs. In my research I try to
highlight the subjective experiences of adults participating in LLL... ".
Strong emphasis on qualitative research. Most likely this candidate adopts a
constructivist perspective and, in terms of research strategies, a
phenomenological approach.
Candidate 3:
"I am particularly interested in the position of women in continuing
education and lifelong learning, and especially in women coming from lower
socio-economic backgrounds (unemployed, underemployed, mothers with many
children, etc.). I have studied the opportunities and chances they have to
improve their position in the labor market by taking advantage of typical
lifelong learning education. I believe that knowledge is defined within a
particular historical-political-social context and that the role of a
researcher is to highlight issues with social impact and raise awareness. In my
research, I try to use a variety of methods, tools, and different data sources
in order to highlight multiple perspectives and power relations ..."
The terms "position" and "power relations" that this
candidate uses as well as his/her reference to "particular historical-political-social
contexts" makes me think that maybe he or she adopts some critical
approach. The candidate most likely believes that there is an objective social
order at play here which is oppressing these women. Moreover the candidate
clearly views his/her role not as a mere "objective" observer of
these realities (as candidate 1 does) because he or she wants to somehow change
this reality through his/her research (raise awareness). Although he or she
studies different groups of women coming from lower socio-economic backgrounds,
there is no indication that the candidate adopts an intersectional lens.
Although the candidate states that he or she tries "to use a variety of
methods, tools, and different data sources" this does not mean that he or
she uses mixed methods. A researcher can use a variety of methods, tools, and
different data sources in a multi-method quantitative research (e.g. both
survey research and quantitative content analysis of texts) or multi-method
qualitative research (e.g. in-depth interviews and focus group discussions).
Candidate
4: "... The basic criterion that determines the quality of a research is
its effectiveness, whether it answers the initial question(s) and/or purpose(s)
set by the researcher beforehand. It is important for me to be engaged in
research projects that have a personal meaning and value. In my studies I
choose each time the appropriate methodology that will allow me to achieve my
aims and goals. I have studied various issues, such as the profiles and career
paths of people attending second chance schools, the effectiveness of different
policies applied in adult education, the role of gender in choosing vocational
training programs, on the job training and performance in the workplace,
different definitions and understanding of the concept of continuing education,
education and training in detention centers, economics of adult education, etc
... »
Well, I am not convinced that this candidate adopts pragmatism as a social
research paradigm. Because the candidate states that in research not just the
purpose but also the research question(s) are set by the researcher beforehand
he or she is likely to adopt mainly deductive, theory-driven approaches to
social research. Therefore although the candidate later states that "I
choose each time the appropriate methodology" he or she is unlikely to do
qualitative research because in such research the questions are seldomly stated
beforehand and in any case these are open to modifications at later stages of
the research. Most likely this candidate is flexible in his/her (quantitative
mainly) methodological choices given also that the candidate has been involved
in research in many different thematic areas and contexts. Engaging in many and
sometimes thematically unrelated research projects can be a really
challenging endeavor. Researchers sometimes engage in many different
projects, some of which may not really interest them, because this is how they
can get funding. Most probably he or she states that "it is
important for me to be engaged in research projects that have a personal
meaning and value" not because he or she is selfishly
interested only about his her own personal and professional development but
because in the past he or she has been engaged in projects that were not really
meaningful to him/her and he or she knows how disillusioning it is to do
research only because you have to pay your rent.
=====
Re: Reflecting on our assumptions
and beliefs in relation to social research
by Mc Ronald Ι Banderlipe - Monday, 1 February 2021, 5:18 PM
Hi
Andreas,
These were useful explanations! Thanks so much. Now, I will revise my matrix
and add your insights too.
In fact, the profiles of the 4 candidates were vague that it was difficult for
me to assess their propensity to be involved in other types of research. You
mentioned candidate number 4 to be more immersed in qualitative, but can also
perform quantitative as needed. This candidate 4 prefers a research that can
provide meaning (or meaningful) otherwise it may be a 'test of character'. But
when reality sits in, and research as utilised for wide variety of purposes,
does the researcher still have this kind of agency to decide what method to
approach this endeavour? How do we deal with this kind of situation?
Sometimes, I also question the existence of research think-tanks, because they
have an agenda to push, and their funding rests partly on whether their
research responds to this kind of objective. I don't know really, and I can
only surmise.
Thanks again for this. I will revisit my post below.
=====
PART VII
Re: Reflecting on our assumptions and beliefs
in relation to social research
by Francisco Jr. Bautista - Thursday,
11 February 2021, 11:01 AM
Hi McRhon,
I really do appreciate your evaluation sheet. I like the sophistication of the
themes or aspects that you feel important in classifying these candidates. And
yes, we share the same thought about Candidate No. II. It requires some level
of "objectivity" on the part of the researcher as constructivist
approaches usually "describe" rather than "explain." When
the two are used interchangeably then the whole research endeavour becomes
propaganda. I have a feeling though that working for think-tanks in a sense is
a lot like this, which is happening in the United States!
Re: Reflecting on our assumptions
and beliefs in relation to social research
by Mc Ronald Ι Banderlipe - Saturday,
13 February 2021, 9:32 AM
I think so too. And therefore, I would approach this applicant's candidacy with caution. The candidate needs to identify objective qualifiers to prove an argument. In reality, this can only tap one's emotive agreement. But I am afraid we are only making conclusions based on emotive/subjective assumptions alone. I still think there must be some objectivity to be included into it.
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