Methods and ethics: Working with stakeholders in a context of change. Fall 2017

Objective and learning goals

The objective of this course is for PhD students to gain firm knowledge on how to conduct research in Arctic communities, and how to design their research in a way that allows stakeholders to influence, contribute to and make use of the research in a way that is mutually meaningful. Students will be trained both in different research methods aimed at this, and in ethic principles guiding these research methods.

Upon completion of this course the students should

understand the strength and weaknesses of common methodological approaches in Arctic research and thereby have the ability to discuss and defend the overall approach/es) chosen for addressing their major reserach question(s)
understand the ethical principles and rules that guide research practices and be able to critically assess the ethical dimensions of their own research
understand the role of stakeholder involvement and policy engagement in Arctic research in order to identify relevant outreach and co-production activities for their own research

Course plan

This course is held in the fall of 2017 and includes:

On-line introduction with explanation of course goal and assignment.
Workshop with lectures and seminars in Akureyri, Iceland, 27-29 September 2017
Written assignment with reflections on method choices and ethical issues in relation to the student’s own research and based on the course literature. This paper is due October 31.
Providing written peer comments on the written assignments from two other students, due November 15.