The Center for Interpretive & Qualitative Research (CIQR -- "seeker")
Thursday, November 30, 2006
3:00-4:15 : CIQR Certificate graduate student presentations
4:15-5:45: Faculty presentation
Berger Gallery 207 College Hall, Duquesne University.
All interested faculty, graduate students, and other parties are invited.
Refreshments will be served.
CIQR Certificate Graduate Students:
3:00-4:15 p.m.
Katy Sampsonk (Psych.): Mental Health Care at the Margins: Ethnographic Reflections on a Community Clinic.
Rodney Teague (Psych): Gathering Around the Text: Reading Together as Emancipatory Community Therapeutic.
Daniel Norm Warner (Psych): One the Use of Clinical Research Methods in Institutional Research.
Faculty Presentation: 4:15-5:45 p.m.
Dr. Sarah Louise MacMillen (Sociology):
"Ethnography of Suffering and Situated Seeing:
'The Infinity of the Other', Feminist Methods."
Abstract:
In an ethnography of suffering one compromises validity in making any claims toward objectivity in methods. Ethnographys methodological tasks,
outlined by methods authors Hammersley, Atkinson, Schwartz, and Jacobs of
remaining objective and immersing in the subject matter are a
contradiction in goals. With an ethnography of suffering, however, the
researcher MUST commit herself to something beyond objectivity, to
value-relevance and empathy (nacherleben und verstehen via Weber), which
means that the researcher much encounter the other ethically. Lévinas
first philosophy suggests a mechanism whereby sociology can find renewal
in qualitative methodology with respect to a research comportment which
regards suffering as substantial in the infinity of the other and the
possibility of phenomenological transcendence and hiddenness of the other/
research subject. For as feminist methodologists suggest, being ethical
peoplei s how we encounter others and how they let us into their
phenomenological worlds (Oakley 1981).
MINUTES of Nov. 30, 2006:
CIQR members were first treated to presentations by three graduate students in the CIQR certificate program who has just finished the program pro-seminar under the direction of Prof. Matt Schneirov of Sociology. The students and their presentation titles were Katy Sampson (Psych), "Mental Health Care at the Margins: Ethnographic Reflections on a Community Clinic,"Rodney Teague (Psych), "Gathering Around the Text: Reading Together as Emancipatory Community Therapeutic," and Daniel Noam Warner (Psych), "One the Use of Clinical Research Methods in Institutional Research." The presentations were provocative as well as skillfully articulated, and we all lamented that we did not have more time for discussion. This event was followed with a presentation by Prof. Sarah Louise MacMillen (Sociology), "Ethnography of Suffering and Situated Seeing: 'The Infinity of the Other', Feminist Methods." The discussion of qualitative method was rejoined in light of her interesting and systematic remarks on suffering.
