Fieldwork Thesis

Faculteit der Cultuur- en Maatschappijwetenschappen

Fieldwork Thesis

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Fieldwork is designed for students who aim to pursue a research-oriented career and/or to gain research experience in a developing country. Students will gain hands-on research experience, learn how to apply fieldwork methods and collect and analyze field data, relevant for answering their particular research question. Students should familiarize themselves with the existing academic debates in the field of globalization and development studies with a focus on the Global South. The fieldwork thesis should contribute to the relevant academic debates and may, ideally, form the basis of an academic publication. FASoS faculty staff in the Globalisation and Development Studies programme have ongoing research programs or projects in developing countries. To facilitate a good and fruitful fieldwork period, students are encouraged to choose their field site from among the places where research programmes lead by FASoS faculty staff are located. In exceptional cases, where students have access to their own research networks, students may organize their own fieldwork site, in close collaboration with their FASoS fieldwork supervisor. Fieldwork can only be done when a local contact is in place who agrees to facilitate the student's stay.

Doelstellingen van dit vak

Upon completion of the Fieldwork Exam Option students will • be able to formulate an independent research question, and engage with it as the primary investigator • have learned and practiced field methods such as participant observation, interviews, surveys, network analysis and/or ethnographic data analysis • be able to apply/use the relevant knowledge and skills acquired during the MA GDS • be able to translate theoretical and “classroom” knowledge to real-life situations • have gained practical knowledge and understanding of institutional and social actors involved in processes of globalization and development • (when relevant:) be able to work and live, in a respectful and professional way, in a different culture with different sets of values and expectations • have acquired the academic and personal skills to conduct and reflect upon field research in an ethical and socially responsible fashion Regarding the MA Fieldwork Thesis, students will • be able to identify and formulate a research question and build an academic argument • be able to conduct a comprehensive literature search and bibliographic analysis, and assess the quality of the sources • be able to find, assess and critically make use of secondary and primary data • be able to critically reflect upon the relations between theory, methodology, and empirical findings and use these insights to build an academic argument • be able to use theoretical perspectives from a variety of academic fields for a chosen research topic • be able to apply knowledge, theories and methods to written work • be able to write a full, well-referenced academic thesis and position themselves in an academic debate • be able to deal with and incorporate critical academic feedback • be able to carry out a study within a fixed time-frame and meet deadlines

Voorwaarden

The courses: - GDS4000, - GDS4001, - GDS4002, - GDS4003 or GDS4004, - GDS4005
GDS4801
Periode 4
3 feb 2025
20 jun 2025
Vakbeschrijving afdrukken
Studiepunten: 
29.0
Taal van de opleiding: 
Engels
Coördinator:
Onderwijsmethode: 
Skills, Training(s), Research
Evaluatiemethoden: 
Final paper
Trefwoorden: 
Fieldwork, independent research, theory, methodology, data collection.