Handbook

Note: This course has previously had the codes ARTS3875 and ARTS2822.

This course will challenge you to think about the origins of social research methods and how they shape projects seeking to investigate sociocultural issues. By exploring the links between methods and methodology, you will learn how research is a form of intervention across different contexts. You will understand the importance of historical, theoretical, and philosophical contexts from which western research methods have emerged. Researchers do not apply a set of neutral techniques to research topics, but rather research is part of a dynamic engagement with sociocultural worlds, with often deep connections to colonial thought and power. You will explore the importance of reflexivity among social researchers, that is, the capacity to reflect on who we are, what we bring to the research, and the ethics of accountability. You will develop an understanding of your subjective positioning and discuss how to decolonise your practice both through methods and methodologies. You will engage with diverse sources of knowledge and learn decolonising principles and praxis as an ethical approach in complex settings.