Parallel Workshops Tuesday

Parallel workshops will run simultaneously, and you will have the opportunity to choose the session that best fits your interests or needs. You can register for your preferred workshop at the beginning of the Winter School.

Option 1: Yvonne Riaño

Option 2: Mirko Bischofberger

Working With or About a Population? Perspectives on Participatory Approaches Using the Example of Minga Methodology

This workshop explores how researchers position themselves in relation to the populations they study. We will begin by introducing approaches from from feminist and postcolonial theory that challenge traditional approaches to scientific knowledge production. These approaches question power relations that can exist between " research objects" and researchers when the latter have absolute control over the questions asked, the methods used, and over the interpretation and dissemination of the results. Feminist and postcolonial approaches call on us to "democratize" research practices in the social sciences.  

In a second step, we will present the Minga methodology, developed in 2014 by Yvonne Riaño in the context of a research project with migrant women in Switzerland and further developed in the context of other research projects. This methodology attempts to meet the challenge of feminist and postcolonial approaches by proposing a participatory approach that aims, on the one hand, to generate "spaces of mutual learning" and, on the other hand, to produce social science knowledge in collaboration with "experts and professionals of daily life". Issues of scientific validity, reflexivity, and positionality will be placed at the centre of this participatory research practice.

 In a third step, participants will be encouraged to reflect on the following questions based on their own research projects:  

•  How can we conduct socially responsible research that aims to collaborate with research partners, rather than engaging in an extractive practice? What participatory research methods are appropriate depending on the research context?  
• With which research partners and in which contexts should we collaborate? What inclusive spaces can we create to co-produce knowledge with our research partners?
• How can participatory research contribute to better scientific understanding? How can it lead to social and personal change?

These reflections will be followed by group work, the results of which will be presented to the plenary of participants, followed by a general discussion on the limits and possibilities of participatory methods.

More about Yvonne Riaño on this subpage: Speakers & Trainers

Science Communication and Writing

This workshop unites both beginners and experienced professionals seeking to enhance their ability to engage audiences and convey complex information, by concentrating on strategies and techniques for effective science communication and writing.

We will discuss common structures for organizing text, essential elements of a good writing and key communication rules. We will also reflect on the similarities and differences with participants' current writing practices. Based on this, attendees can start applying these principles to their own texts.

In addition to brief presentations, interactive exercises and group discussions will facilitate a comprehensive exploration of science communication and writing. Participants' specific contexts will be incorporated into the workshop, which may include research papers, grant proposals and outreach materials.

Learning objectives:

Participants

• discover methods to structure a text effectively
• learn the key elements that make a good text
• acquire the most important communication rules
• understand how to reach their audiences more efficiently
• apply learnings to improve their own texts

More about Mirko Bischofberger on this subpage: Speakers & Trainers