Required prerequisite knowledge

Admission to the Master of Intercultural Studies program is based upon completed bachelor–s degree/cand. mag. with a minimum of 80 ECTS in Intercultural Studies or equivalent specialization, and with the average grade C or better in this field of study. Admission to this master course, IKF302 is based upon completed bachelor's degree/cand. mag. with a minimum of 80 ECTS in Intercultural Studies, in social sciences, cultural studies or religion studies, and with the average grade C or better in this field of study.

Relevance within study programme

Compulsory course in the ICSM-program

Learning outcomes descriptors

Knowledge

The candidate has

• thorough knowledge of the different methodologies, research methods, and sources of knowledge in Intercultural Studies.
• thorough knowledge of qualitative interviews and ethnographic research methods across cultural and world view boundaries.
• knowledge of basic challenges of intercultural communication, cultural tensions and the generating of trust.
• advanced knowledge and awareness ofchallenges of cultural interpretation and representation and scientific standards.

Skills

The candidate

• can critically assess and apply different theories, research methods and sources of knowledge in Intercultural Studies.
• can write clearly, concisely, correctly, and in an appropriate style for the communication objective.
• demonstrates appropriate ethical and reflexive awareness in research methods as well as in academic writing.
• can demonstrate dynamic, effective, and persuasive oral communication skills.

General competence

• The student has knowledge of scientific and ethical standards for academic analysis and writing, and can make valid methodological and ethical choices and assessments. 

Content

The students will be introduced to basic principles of scientific theory and research methods enabling them to recognise ethical, logical and methodological dimensions of research and consequences of research choices. The students will be given an introduction to different methods that are available within qualitative research methodology and acquire knowledge of how to assess different kinds of register data and other sources of quantitative and qualitative information. The students will be acquainted with different kinds of methodology, including epistemological and ontological dimensions in approaches such as hermeneutics, phenomenology and realism, and will be especially be trained to acquire knowledge and skills in qualitative research work, which aims to prepare them to carry out ethnographic fieldwork and collect data on a selected topic. They will also be prepared to train cultural sensitivity and awareness of challenges of cultural interpretation and representation and to assess the validity and reliability of academic writings.

Teaching and learning methods

Varying forms of teaching will be employed, including lectures, seminars, workshops and tests with opportunities to train methodological assessment and communicative skills. The combination of teaching, seminars and assessments during course are aimed at assisting the student–s acquisition of the methodological theories and methods, and helping the students apply what they learn working with their own and their fellow students– preparation for the Master Theses. In sum, this systematically trains the students in a processual peer-review work-method fundamental within academia, and important for their future work with the Master Thesis.

Scope

300 hours

Coursework requirements

• Attend a compulsory introductory course in research ethics, including an online multiple choice-test on research ethics, where the score needs to be at least 80% to be approved.
• Participate on at least three methodological seminars
  • Present a first draft of the methodological outline for the Master Thesis/a tentative research question on a methodological seminar for discussion
  • Act as a prepared discussant on at least one co-student–s methodological presentation

Grading, coursework requirements

Approved / Not approved

Final assessment

5 hours written exam in an examination location.  

Permitted aids under examination

Bilingual English dictionary or an English-English dictionary

Grading, examination

ECTS grading scale from A to F, in which E or better is necessary in order to pass

Assessment language

Scandinavian or English

Progression requirements

Master students in ICSM must have followed IKF301 and IKF302 to continue on IKF303

Practice

None.

Course evaluation

Annually course evaluation in accordance with the quality assurance system for NLA University College. Students may also give their feedback on the course in the student group/ in class.

Available for Course Students

No.

Syllabus

Curriculum IKF302 Autumn 2017

Curriculum: 752 pages

Books can be ordered at the library or bought.

* Literature found on It's learning - to be read online or printed out.

** Electronically accessible articles through NLA–s library service. Can be read online or printed out.

Books

Benton, T and I. Craib (2011): Philosophy of Social Science, The philosophical foundation of social thought. 2nd ed. New York: Palgrave.  Chap. 4 (50-74), chap. 7 (108-119), and Chap.11 (177-182) (40)

Kvale, S. (2007): Doing interviews. London, Sage (145)

Madden, R. (2010): Being Ethnographic. A Guide to the Theory and Practice of Ethnography. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications. Chapter 1 (p 16-55), chapter 6-9 (117-191) (113 p)

Maxwell, J. A.  (2011): A Realist Approach for Qualitative Research. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications. Chapter 1-8 (1-148). 148

*Articles to be found on Itslearning

*Barth, F (1999): Comparative Methodologies in the Analysis of Anthropological Data. In J.H. Bowen & R. Peterson (eds.): Critical Comparisons in Politics and Culture. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 78-89 (12)

*Carter, S. M. & M. Little. (2007). Justifying Knowledge, Justifying Method, Taking Action: Epistemologies, Methodologies, and Methods in Qualitative Research. In: Qualitative Health Research, Volume 17 Nu. 10. P. 1316-1328 (12 p).

*Dewalt, K.M., B. R. Dewalt & C.B.Wayland. (1998). Participant observation In: Handbook of Methods in Cultural Anthropology. Ed. H. Russell Bernard. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, INC: Walnut Creek, Lanham, New York Oxford. 259-279 (20 p)

*Farnell, B & L.R. Graham. (1998). Discourse-centered methods. In: Handbook of Methods in Cultural Anthropology. Ed. H. Russell Bernard. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, INC: Walnut Creek, Lanham, New York Oxford. 411-437 (26 p)

*Gupta, A. and J. Ferguson (1997): Discipline and practice: «The field» as site, method, and location in anthropology. In Gupta and Ferguson (eds.): Anthropological Locations. Berkeley: Unive rsity of California Press;1-46. (45)

*Rabiee, F. (2004). Focus-group interview and data analysis. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 63, 655-660. (5 p)

*Schweizer, T. (1998). Epistemology. The nature and validation of anthropological knowledge. In: Handbook of Methods in Cultural Anthropology. Ed. H. Russell Bernard. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, INC: Walnut Creek, Lanham, New York Oxford. 39- 87 (48 p)

*Trotter, R.T. & J.J. Schensul. (1998). Methods in applied anthropology. In: Handbook of Methods in Cultural Anthropology. Ed. H. Russell Bernard. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, INC: Walnut Creek, Lanham, New York Oxford. 691-735 (44 p).

**Articles online – the NLA library service

Asad, T (1994): Ethnographic representation, statistics and modern power. In Social research Vol. 61, no 1; 55-88 (33). 

http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=2&sid=c4bab609-6dad-4e60-94f5-1bbabae9e1c2@sessionmgr115&hid=106&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ==#db=aph&AN=9410123208

**Marcus, G.E. (1995). Ethnography in/of the World System: The emergence of Multi-Sited Ethnography. In: Annual Review of Anthropology, Vol. 24, 95-117 (26 s.) http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?sid=5f01fa43-a3fa-4b4d-9a45-4491640439bb%40sessionmgr4006&vid=0&hid=4112&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=9511201353&db=aph

NESH (2016): Guidelines for research ethics in the social sciences, humanities, law and theology. (35) (https://www.etikkom.no/en/ethical-guidelines-for-research/guidelines-for-research-ethics-in-the-social-sciences--humanities-law-and-theology/