scholarly journals Applied Research, Diffractive Methodology, and the Research-Assemblage: Challenges and Opportunities

2021 ◽  
pp. 136078042110299
Author(s):  
Nick J Fox ◽  
Pam Alldred
Keyword(s):  
Analytical Approach ◽  
Applied Research ◽  
Social Research ◽  
Research Data ◽  
Critical Assessment ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Or Practice ◽  
Representational Approach ◽  
Oriented Research

This article offers a critical assessment of the challenges for policy- and practice-oriented social research of ‘diffractive methodology’ (DM): a post-representational approach to data analysis gaining interest among social researchers. Diffractive analyses read data from empirical research alongside other materials – including researchers’ perspectives, memories, experiences, and emotions – to provide novel insights on events. While this analytical approach acknowledges the situatedness of all research data, it raises issues concerning the applicability of findings for policy or practice. In addition, it does not elucidate in what ways and to what extent the diffractions employed during analysis have influenced the findings. To explore these questions, we diffract DM itself, by reading it alongside a DeleuzoGuattarian analysis of research-as-assemblage. This supplies a richer understanding of the entanglements between research and its subject-matter, and suggests how diffractive analysis may be used in conjunction with other methods in practice- and policy-oriented research.

scholarly journals Rapid, remote and responsive research during COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 205979912110085
Author(s):  
Jane Richardson ◽  
Barry Godfrey ◽  
Sandra Walklate
Keyword(s):  
Criminal Justice ◽  
Social Science ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Applied Research ◽  
Data Gathering ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Research And Innovation ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Practical Recommendations

In March 2020, the UK Research and Innovation announced an emergency call for research to inform policy and practice responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. This call implicitly and explicitly required researchers to work rapidly, remotely and responsively. In this article, we briefly review how rapid response methods developed in health research can be used in other social science fields. After outlining the literature in this area, we use the early stages of our applied research into criminal justice responses to domestic abuse during COVID-19 as a case study to illustrate some of the practical challenges we faced in responding to this rapid funding call. We review our use of and experience with remote research methods and describe how we used and adapted these methods in our research, from data gathering through to transcription and analysis. We reflect on our experiences to date of what it means to be responsive in fast-changing research situations. Finally, we make some practical recommendations for conducting applied research in a ‘nimble’ way to meet the demands of working rapidly, remotely, responsively and, most importantly, responsibly.

scholarly journals Researcher perspectives on challenges and opportunities in conservation physiology revealed from an online survey

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine L Madliger ◽  
Oliver P Love ◽  
Vivian M Nguyen ◽  
Neal R Haddaway ◽  
Steven J Cooke
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Stakeholder Involvement ◽  
Reference Ranges ◽  
Conservation Science ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Conservation Action ◽  
Conservation Physiology ◽  
Biodiversity Crisis ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Multi Stakeholder

Abstract Conservation physiology represents a recently emerging arm of conservation science that applies physiological tools and techniques to understand and solve conservation issues. While a multi-disciplinary toolbox can only help to address the global biodiversity crisis, any field can face challenges while becoming established, particularly highly applied disciplines that require multi-stakeholder involvement. Gaining first-hand knowledge of the challenges that conservation physiologists are facing can help characterize the current state of the field and build a better foundation for determining how it can grow. Through an online survey of 468 scientists working at the intersection of physiology and conservation, we aimed to identify characteristics of those engaging in conservation physiology research (e.g. demographics, primary taxa of study), gauge conservation physiology’s role in contributing to on-the-ground conservation action, identify the perceived barriers to achieving success and determine how difficult any identified barriers are to overcome. Despite all participants having experience combining physiology and conservation, only one-third considered themselves to be ‘conservation physiologists’. Moreover, there was a general perception that conservation physiology does not yet regularly lead to tangible conservation success. Respondents identified the recent conceptualization of the field and the broader issue of adequately translating science into management action as the primary reasons for these deficits. Other significant barriers that respondents have faced when integrating physiology and conservation science included a lack of funding, logistical constraints (e.g. sample sizes, obtaining permits) and a lack of physiological baseline data (i.e. reference ranges of a physiological metric’s ‘normal’ or pre-environmental change levels). We identified 12 actions based on suggestions of survey participants that we anticipate will help deconstruct the barriers and continue to develop a narrative of physiology that is relevant to conservation science, policy and practice.

scholarly journals Dyads in Dementia Care: An International Perspective on Research Challenges and Opportunities

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 757-757
Author(s):  
Marie Boltz ◽  
Karin Wolf-Ostermann ◽  
Katie Maslow
Keyword(s):  
Daily Practice ◽  
Well Being ◽  
International Perspective ◽  
Dementia Care ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Ethical Challenges ◽  
Research Strategies ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Informal Carers

Abstract Dementia poses a societal challenge that is life-changing not only for persons with dementia (PWD) but also for family members and friends (informal carers) directly involved in the care arrangement. Informal carers (IC) have typically poorer outcomes in terms of well-being, quality of life (QoL), health status, and use of health care resources. Dyads of PWD and IC living with dementia are characterized by strong reciprocal relationships and complex living contexts. Therefore, research should investigate home based dementia caregiving from a dyadic perspective to yield interventions that support the PWD, the IC, and the unit as a whole. However, it is an ongoing challenge to investigate dyadic needs and preferences in daily practice and develop effective interventions. Challenges are related to incomplete understanding of dyadic characteristics, attitudes and beliefs within the dyad, as well as how to adapt research approach to engage and retain the dyad in research. This international symposium will therefore address these issues. The first presentation will describe a typology of dementia care dyad characteristics and needs in Germany. The second presentation will examine the challenges and opportunities associated with recruiting and retaining dementia dyads. The third presentation will explore ethical challenges posed in communication with dyads and possible solutions for the researcher. The final presentation reports on the Meeting Centre Support Program as an example of an effective psychosocial intervention employing research strategies that transcend cultural barriers. Our discussant, Katie Maslow, will synthesize the presentations and lead a discussion of future directions for policy and practice.

scholarly journals WRITING MUSIC (AND MUSIC HISTORY): REFERENTIAL RAMIFICATIONS IN CLAUS-STEFFEN MAHNKOPF'S KURTÁG-ZYKLUS

Tempo ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 71 (279) ◽  
pp. 18-37
Author(s):  
Klaas Coulembier ◽  
Daan Janssens
Keyword(s):  
Analytical Approach ◽  
Music History ◽  
Critical Assessment ◽  
Musical Compositions ◽  
Literary Sources ◽  
Gyorgy Kurtag ◽  
Points Of View

AbstractOne of the most striking aspects of Claus-Steffen Mahnkopf's Kurtág-Cycle (2001), is the abundant use of intertextual references: Mahnkopf includes references to compositions of his own, as well as to works of other composers (e.g. Mark Andre). He also refers to literary sources, such as texts by Borges and Nietzsche. In first instance, this article provides a detailed inventory of these many musical and extra-musical references. Second, we highlight some of these interconnections by zooming in on the relationships between the different compositions within the Kurtág-Zyklus. A music analytical approach reveals the compositional strategies adopted by Mahnkopf in this work. Third, we examine the motivations behind Mahnkopf's specific choices: Why does Mahnkopf include references to certain composers such as Mark Andre and György Kurtág? And which underlying aesthetic, ideological or personal points of view guided the composer when establishing these specific connections? This paper presents a critical assessment of the interrelations between the two aspects of Claus-Steffen Mahnkopf's work: his theoretical writings and his musical compositions.

scholarly journals From Critical Thought to Emancipatory Action: Contradictory Research Goals?

1997 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Humphries
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Knowledge ◽  
Social Research ◽  
Will To Power ◽  
Critical Thought ◽  
Traditional Research ◽  
The Will ◽  
Forms Of Knowledge ◽  
Oriented Research

This article results from reading Lather's Getting Smart (1991) and Hammersley's The Politics of Social Research (1995). The theme is the debates between ‘traditional’ research approaches and ‘emancipatory’ research approaches. It is argued that these debates are based on stereotypical views which obscure important characteristics held in common, and both require to be interrogated. The article examines two of these characteristics, appeals to a metanarrative of emancipation and the will to power, and considers the implications of the privileging of scientific knowledge over other forms of knowledge. It concludes by considering the possibilities for a praxis-oriented research which may lead to possibilities for emancipatory action.

scholarly journals From Project to Strategic Vision: Taking the Lead in Research Data Management Support at the University of Sydney Library

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 253-262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Belinda Norman ◽  
Kate Valentine Stanton
Keyword(s):  
Data Management ◽  
Research Data ◽  
Management Support ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Roles And Responsibilities ◽  
Strategic Vision ◽  
Research Data Management ◽  
The Commons ◽  
The University ◽  
Project Partner

This paper explores three stories, each occurring a year apart, illustrating an evolution toward a strategic vision for Library leadership in supporting research data management at the University of Sydney. The three stories describe activities undertaken throughout the Seeding the Commons project and beyond, as the establishment of ongoing roles and responsibilities transition the Library from project partner to strategic leader in the delivery of research data management support. Each story exposes key ingredients that characterise research data management support: researcher engagement; partnerships; and the complementary roles of policy and practice.

scholarly journals Unsustainable measures? Assessing global competence in PISA 2018

2021 ◽  
Vol 29 ◽  
pp. 122
Author(s):  
Harsha Chandir ◽  
Radhika Gorur
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Science And Technology Studies ◽  
Global Citizenship ◽  
Student Assessment ◽  
Global Competence ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Documentary Analysis ◽  
Or Practice ◽  
Development Goals

In the context of rising fundamentalism, urgent threats to the environment, and the persistence of poverty and deep inequities in the world, 193 nations have pledged to work towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) crafted by UNESCO in 2015. Education is seen as key to attaining all the other SDGs. Within the ‘education goal’ (Goal #4), there is an explicit target, SDG 4.7, which focuses on ‘sustainable development and global citizenship’. Nations are expected to incorporate a focus on SDG 4.7 into their curricula, policies, teacher education programs, and student assessment. PISA has now developed an assessment of ‘global competence,’ which is presented as a way to assess SDG 4.7. Through this assessment, it seeks to inform policy, curricula, and pedagogies and catalogue ‘best practices’ for developing students’ ‘global competence’. Given this ambition and the centrality of ‘sustainable development and global citizenship’ within the globally endorsed SDGs, it is important to analyze the extent to which the PISA assessment of global competence is usefully able to inform policy and practice and contribute to fulfilling SDG 4.7. We build upon the work of other scholars examining this question, taking a material-semiotic approach inspired by Science and Technology Studies. Empirically, our study is based on documentary analysis, interviews, and ‘survey encounters’ in which we administered a curated part of the assessment to 15-year-olds and followed this exercise with interviews. We explore how the hard-won stability gained around the notion of ‘global competence’ through its inscription into the standardized survey instruments is again threatened when the survey instrument encounters diverse 15-year-olds. The survey encounters provide an opportunity to ‘test the test’, and we conclude that the PISA test of global competence is not as yet in a position to provide useful direction to policy or practice in the promotion of SDG 4.7.

scholarly journals Symposium: Distributed Networks of Federated Secure Research Data Environments – Enabling Analytics Across Multiple Platforms

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Schneider
Keyword(s):  
Population Data ◽  
Data Access ◽  
Distributed Networks ◽  
Research Data ◽  
Data Governance ◽  
Virtual Database ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Storage Location ◽  
Time Required

IntroductionUsers of linked data require access to an increasing number of heterogeneous datasets from diverse domains, often held in different secure research data environments, especially for multi-jurisdictional projects. Under the traditional model of data access, projects are required to transfer and harmonise the necessary datasets in one central location before analysis can be undertaken, increasing the time required for data acquisition and preparation. Objectives and ApproachIn a federated data environment, analysts query distributed datasets held in a network of multiple secure data environments via a central virtual database, without requiring the data to move. Instead, the data is analysed as close as possible to its storage location, minimising the amount of data transfers and giving data custodians more control over their data. This symposium explores the challenges and opportunities of establishing and operating a distributed network of federated secure research data environments. Leading organisations operating data platforms in various jurisdictions present for 15 minutes each the current capabilities of their platforms, the landscape of data environments in their jurisdictions and potential approaches to key questions such as: Harmonising/federating data sources Data security Data governance Discoverability/metadata Performance The audience is the then invited to participate in discussing the topic for the remaining 30 minutes. The following individuals have been approached to represent their organisations in this symposium: Professor David Ford, Swansea University: UK Secure eResearch Platform (UK SErP) Charles Victor, Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES): ICES Data & Analytic Virtual Environment (IDAVE) Professor Louisa Jorm, Centre for Big Data Research in Health, University of New South Wales: E-Research Institutional Cloud Architecture (ERICA) Professor Kimberlyn McGrail, Population Data BC: Secure Research Environment (SRE) Results / Conclusion / ImplicationsThis symposium will help formulate requirements for and barriers to distributed networks of federated secure research data environments, and create a foundation for data analytics across multiple platforms.

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