Target Audience: All
Presenters: Sheila McNamee, PhD and Dian Marie Hosking, PhD
Location: The Netherlands

Description:
This workshop will focus on modes of inquiry that blur the traditional distinction between research and social change (e.g., consultation, program development, etc.). We will explore what research from a constructionist orientation looks like, how is it different and similar to traditional, empirical modes of inquiry, and how research informs the everyday practices of all participants. Emphasis will be given to the transformative potential of inquiry. In particular, participatory research, appreciative inquiry, action research, and autoethnography will be used to make the case for widening participation and involvement in research in order to maximize the relevance and accessibility of studies. This theme resonates with the constructionist call to recognize the ways in which all social action rests within a matrix of relationships with other actors.

During this workshop, time will be spent exploring participants’ own “contexts of inquiry” and designing relational forms of practice that both serve the members of those contexts while contributing to our general understanding of a wide range of social practices. In other words, we will consider workshop participants’ “research topics” and design methods for “producing research results” as importantly contributing to the process of local change and development. To that end, this workshop will redefine research as an everyday practice with relevance beyond professional, scientific communities. This workshop is a valuable opportunity for students and practitioners engaged in research to engage in conversation about alternative modes of inquiry and what the process of inquiry, overall, can contribute to our daily lives.

For details and registration, contact Dian Marie Hosking at d.m.hosking@uu.nl

Book your own hotel in Utrecht near the USBO, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
by going to either of these links:
www.nh-hotels.com
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