CONFERENCE: Social Science Research Methodologies CALL FOR PAPERS
International Conference on Social Science Research Methodologies September 1-5 2008
Call for papers
Deadline for the abstracts is 17 February 2008.
Session: Postcolonial/Indigenous Research Methodologies: Global and African Perspectives
Session Organizers: Bagele Chilisa; email chilisab@mopipi.ub.bw University of Botswana, Botswana; Van Der Weshuizen; email gertvdw@uj.ac.za; Johannesburg University, South Africa; Donna Mertens; email donna.mertens@gallaudet.edu; Gallaudet University, USA
The international community of researchers is increasingly emphasizing the need to sensitize graduate students and all researchers to diverse epistemologies, methods and methodologies, especially those of former colonized societies, indigenous people, historically oppressed communities, women, minority groups, economically oppressed groups and people with disabilities that have been excluded from mainstream epistemologies (Pallas 2001). Scholars writing from the vantage of former colonized historical marginalized groups Scheriuch (1997), Smith (1999), Mertens (2005), Law (2004) voice concern over the domination of Western philosophies, theories, concepts, techniques and rules in social science research methodologies.
We invite papers that explore and critique dominant research paradigms using arguments based on postcolonial and indigenous societies’ philosophies, ways of knowing and experiences with colonization, imperialism and globalization.
We invite studies that illustrate the challenges of applying mainstream research approaches across cultures and suggest other ways of doing research that accommodates the diversity of cultures. The studies could demonstrate challenges in either conceptualizing the research problems in the context of mainstream theories, concepts and methods of analysis and or challenges in using mainstream data gathering instruments, sampling procedures and language translations as for example, linguistic and conceptual equivalence. Sub-Saharan Africa is for instance, predominantly an oral society. Most of the literature is stored in texts such as folklores, proverbs, poems, songs artistry and so on. We welcome papers that demonstrate how these texts can inform research inquiry.
Details for submission and conference information:
RC33 2008 NAPLES CONFERENCE
The next RC33 meeting will be held in Naples, Italy, from September 1 to 5, 2008 (for actual updates of the conference, see http://www.rc332008.unina.it/). In addition to great pizza, pasta, and wine, we already can announce that we will have approximately 100 sessions; that is, we expect a similar number of papers as we had in Cologne in 2000 and Amsterdam in 2004. The sessions will cover all topics from qualitative and quantitative methods of empirical research, including sessions on applied statistics — and if there is a topic missing, we are still able to open an additional session. By the end of October 2007, the Scientific Committee will meet in Naples again, this time to take stock of proposals by RC33 members and define the Conference topics. Afterward, we will publish the list of sessions and their organizers via our conference cite.
Rules and Call for Papers
Here are the rules for paper givers; they are the same as for the previous RC33 meetings:
1. Every paper must contain a methodological problem (any area is fine, qualitative and/or quantitative); applications are quite welcome, however, they are not sufficient.
2. Speakers can only have one talk per session. This is also true for joint papers: it will not be possible for A and B to present one paper while B and A present another one during the same session. This would just extend the time allocated to a paper.
3. We will have sessions of 90 minutes with four papers, and sessions of 120 minutes with six papers. It is up to the session organizer to allocate the time for discussion.
4. Please sent your abstract either direct to the session organizer (see the list on the Web site) or to Simona Balbi (Simona.Balbi@unina.it) who is the conference chair. Please do not send your abstract twice; for example, to two of the session organizers or to one of the session organizers and to Simona Balbi.
5. If you send your abstract to Simona Balbi and if the abstract sounds good, the organizing committee will offer the paper to one of the session organizers. The same holds for abstracts you send to the session organizers whose session is already full or where your paper does not fit in well. In these cases, the session organizers will forward your abstract to the organization committee and we will forward it to a session where we think it fits into.
6. Although the session organizers are responsible for their sessions, the final acceptance of a paper is after registration for the conference.
7. It will be not possible for anybody to present more than two papers; however, one paper is strictly preferred. If you are the co-author of a second or third paper, please take care that your co-author(s) register for the conference.
8. Please send your abstract as soon as possible to have a good chance that your preferred session has place available.
Deadline for the abstracts is 17 February 2008. The session organizers or the organization committee will inform you concerning acceptance at the latest by the end of March.
Conference Information
Location of Conference: Università “Federico II” di Napoli, one of the most ancient universities in Europe. It was created in 1224 by the Holy Roman Emperor and King of Sicily, Frederick II, and founded in Naples as the first publicly-funded university. The conference itself will take place in the modern campus known as Monte Sant Angelo.
Date: 1-5 September 2008. The first and the last half-days will be devoted to tutorials.
Further information: http://www.rc332008.unina.it/
The fees:
RC33-Members 160 euros + 5 euros (administration costs)
RC33-Non members 190 euros + 5 euros (administration costs)
Students 100 euros+ 5 euros (administration costs)
Participants from countries in transition 100 euros
+ 5 euros (administration costs)
Non Academic 200 euros + 5 euros (administration costs)
Later registrants + 40 euros
We hope to see all of you in Naples 2008.
On behalf of the board of RC33,
Simona Balbi, Vice President for Conferences
Jörg Blasius, President
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