Asylum from the Field: Borders, Struggles, and Integration Practices
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The Lab Asylum from the field aims to provide students with specific technical knowledge in the collection and analysis of qualitative data in order to give them the opportunity to scientifically understand the various issues related to contemporary social phenomena. Specifically, the Lab will be based on empirical research conducted in the field of migration for asylum, focussing on issues such as bordering processes, resistance and solidarity struggles, and "integration" practices.
In the first part, the Lab will foster the acquisition of knowledge about the distinctive features of the qualitative research; the research design; the use of the principle methods; the access to the research field; and the analysis of qualitative data. In the second part, the Lab will focus on the ethnographic approach, notably on two methodological tools like the qualitative interview and participant observation. Students will learn how to build an interview's structure and the field notes; how to conduct interviews and participant observation (dealing with the complex and related ethical and methodological issues); how to deal with the interviews' transcription process and the field notes' writing process; how to analyse interviews' and field notes' data; how to write a scientific paper with qualitative data based on interviews and participant observation. The Lab will be carried out through an alternation of frontal lectures and exercises through which students (alone or in groups) will experiment themselves with the methodological tool of the interview.
In the first part, the Lab will foster the acquisition of knowledge about the distinctive features of the qualitative research; the research design; the use of the principle methods; the access to the research field; and the analysis of qualitative data. In the second part, the Lab will focus on the ethnographic approach, notably on two methodological tools like the qualitative interview and participant observation. Students will learn how to build an interview's structure and the field notes; how to conduct interviews and participant observation (dealing with the complex and related ethical and methodological issues); how to deal with the interviews' transcription process and the field notes' writing process; how to analyse interviews' and field notes' data; how to write a scientific paper with qualitative data based on interviews and participant observation. The Lab will be carried out through an alternation of frontal lectures and exercises through which students (alone or in groups) will experiment themselves with the methodological tool of the interview.
Expected learning outcomes
By the end of the Qualitative Data Lab, students will be able to:
· Identify appropriate qualitative methodological tool in relation to the specific research question;
· to build an interview's structure and to produce field notes;
· to conduct an interview and a participant observation (and to deal with the related ethical and methodological issues);
· to analyse interviews' and field notes' data;
· to present research results in oral and written form.
· Identify appropriate qualitative methodological tool in relation to the specific research question;
· to build an interview's structure and to produce field notes;
· to conduct an interview and a participant observation (and to deal with the related ethical and methodological issues);
· to analyse interviews' and field notes' data;
· to present research results in oral and written form.
Lesson period: Third trimester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Third trimester
Course syllabus
LESSONS 1-2 - Introduction to qualitative research: the research question; the research design; the ethnography; introduction of the two principle methodological tools like participant observation and the qualitative interview.
LESSONS 3-4 - Focus on the methodological tools of the qualitative interview and the participant observation: how to construct the structure of the interview and the field notes; the access to the field; how to conduce the interview and the participant observation; the ethical and methodological issues.
LESSONS 5-6 - Practice exercise 1: how to construct and conduce an interview
LESSONS 7-8 - Analysis of qualitative data: analysis of the interviews and of the ethnographic data. How to communicate the research results: ethnographic writing.
LESSONS 9-10 - Practice exercise 2: presentation of the research results by the students
LESSONS 3-4 - Focus on the methodological tools of the qualitative interview and the participant observation: how to construct the structure of the interview and the field notes; the access to the field; how to conduce the interview and the participant observation; the ethical and methodological issues.
LESSONS 5-6 - Practice exercise 1: how to construct and conduce an interview
LESSONS 7-8 - Analysis of qualitative data: analysis of the interviews and of the ethnographic data. How to communicate the research results: ethnographic writing.
LESSONS 9-10 - Practice exercise 2: presentation of the research results by the students
Prerequisites for admission
The Lab is open to: first-year and second-year students who have already the basic knowledge of social research methods, notably qualitative and quantitative research. The Lab will be especially useful for those students who plan to conduct (or are conducing) empirical research for their dissertation with qualitative methods.
Teaching methods
The Lab alternate frontal lessons, which will include an interactive part, with practical exercises through which the students will experiment the technique of semi-structured interview. The lessons will take place in the class and there will be individual or group activities; students will have the opportunity to practically implement the knowledge learned during the Lab. At the end, students will prepare a small presentation and data analysis based on the few interviews collected during the Lab.
Teaching Resources
Lectures will be based on diverse sources, among which (not compulsory for students):
- Cardano, M., 2020. Defending qualitative research: design, analysis, and textualization. Routledge.
- Holstein, J.A. & J.F. Gubrium 1997. "Active Interviewing", in D. Silverman (Ed.), Qualitative Research: Theory, Method and Practice, London, Sage, pp. 116-129.
- Emerson, R.E., R.I. Fretz, & L.L. Shaw 1995. Writing Ethnographic Fieldnotes. Chicago, The University of Chicago Press.
- Cardano, M., 2020. Defending qualitative research: design, analysis, and textualization. Routledge.
- Holstein, J.A. & J.F. Gubrium 1997. "Active Interviewing", in D. Silverman (Ed.), Qualitative Research: Theory, Method and Practice, London, Sage, pp. 116-129.
- Emerson, R.E., R.I. Fretz, & L.L. Shaw 1995. Writing Ethnographic Fieldnotes. Chicago, The University of Chicago Press.
Assessment methods and Criteria
There will be no final exam.
In order to obtain the 3 ECTS associated to the Lab,
· Students should take part in at least 80% of the Lab (16 hours out of twenty) and do the in-class activities and the suggested assignments;
In order to obtain the 3 ECTS associated to the Lab,
· Students should take part in at least 80% of the Lab (16 hours out of twenty) and do the in-class activities and the suggested assignments;
SPS/10 - URBAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIOLOGY - University credits: 3
Laboratories: 20 hours
Professor:
Fontanari Elena
Professor(s)