CfP Doctoral Workshop on Fieldwork in Contemporary Audience Studies

FIELDWORK IN CONTEMPORARY AUDIENCE STUDIES
A doctoral workshop co-organized by the Young Scholars Network of ECREA and the COST Action IS0906 Transforming Audiences, Transforming Societies, and presented in collaboration with the Audience and Reception Studies section of ECREA

University of Ljubljana, February 8, 2014

(PDF available in attachment to this webpage)

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OVERVIEW

This workshop will explore the joys and challenges of fieldwork. Fieldwork describes a stage in empirical research and is an essential component of audience research.
The workshop addresses issues of doing fieldwork (especially methodological questions) as well as practical challenges (e.g. how to plan and finance a project).

We would like to invite PhD students (doing fieldwork) based on a short description of their research project and aiming to answer questions that they face doing so. They will have the opportunity and platform to talk about their experience in fieldwork and to address problems they have/had to face. They will benefit from the experiences and support of their peers and of established and proficient scholars in the field. A further aim of this workshop is to optimize exchange and networking between PhD students and experts in the respective fields of research.
Contributions from PhD students dealing with issues including, but not restricted to the following, are welcome:

- What is meant by FIELD? It is a metaphoric term that can relate to many different actual meanings - A geographically defined locality, a socio-political location, a network. Is this traditional concept still valid?

- The internet as a new FIELD? Which interesting aspects do the new forms of communication and interaction offer? What are the challenges of fieldwork without face-to-face contact with the FIELD?

- What is to be considered when conducting interviews? Which aspects should the researcher take into account when constructing questions? For example, how can the interviewer enable the participant to fully articulate how or why he interprets a film, music video etc. in a particular way?

- How can be dealt with the complexity of data? How can data of complex observations be analyzed in fine detail? Which possibilities exist to combine different kinds of data?

- Fieldwork can be expensive. What should be considered in terms of preparing fieldwork? Which funding possibilities are available for research projects?

FORMAT

The workshop tries to address the whole process of fieldwork - from start to finish. It aims to give PhD students a platform to present and discuss their ideas.

Established researchers will give short talks about certain aspects of fieldwork. Following this, each participant will have the opportunity to present his/her research project and will get detailed feedback and advice by peers and experienced researchers.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

- The workshop is open to all PhD students interested. PhD students are invited to submit a brief outline of the research project (no more than 500 words).
- The outline should also address questions or problems regarding the methodological approach and practical issues that the applicant would like to be discussed during the workshop.
- The application should include a short CV.
- Please indicate if you are a member of the COST Action “Transforming Audiences, Transforming Societies”.
- Applications should be sent to: Julia Hünniger and cc to Helena Bilandzic ; Geoffroy Patriarche
- Deadline for submissions: August 15, 2013
- Participants will be notified by: October 1st, 2013

APPLICATIONS FOR TRAVEL GRANTS (FOR COST ACTION MEMBERS ONLY)

There are 4 funded places available only for students who are members of the COST Action Transforming Audiences Transforming Societies (travel grants of up to 600 EUR). Applications for these travel grants should be sent along with the proposal to the workshop. The application should contain a motivation letter of 2 pages max. explaining (1) what the benefit of the participation in the workshop for the current research of the PhD student will be, and (2) in what way the research of the PhD student contributed to the work of his/her Working Group of the COST Action.

Contact: Julia Hünniger