Inhoud

The Autumn School takes place at Fachhochschule Dortmund (Germany).

The Autumn school introduces students to the methodology of ethnographic research. Students will learn how to apply ethnographic research methods to understand the challenges of studying love and the cultural context in which it is experienced.

The Autumn School covers different theoretical perspectives on love and considers how love can be understood both as an emotion and a social relationship. It highlights the limitations of empirically observing love and introduces the concept of ethnographic research as a way to overcome these limitations. Students will learn how to collect ethnographic data through observation and participation. Specific attention will be paid to the interpretation of this data, comparison with existing theories and concepts, and writing an argumentative text based on the research findings. Students will also be encouraged to critically reflect their own experiences and assumptions within the research process.

Studiemateriaal

PowerPoint presentations and articles will be made available during the Autumn School

Toelichting onderwijstaal

Lectures are conducted in English. Students are required to do assignments and presentations in English.

Toelichting werkvorm

The Autumn school will take a practical and pragmatic approach to familiarising students with ethnographic research. Students will be guided through a condensed but complete research process. This includes collecting ethnographic data through observation and participation, methodically interpreting these data in groups, and comparing the interpretations developed with existing theories and concepts. Students will also prepare a short written argument based on their research findings. The subject also encourages personal engagement, where students share their experiences, suspend their everyday understanding, critically reflect on themselves and their basic assumptions, and engage with sociological theories.