Research Design and Methods

The second Specialized Intensive Course on Research Design and Methods in Political Ecology took place on June 3-7, 2013 and was hosted by the Institute for Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA) of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB). The aims were to: introduce Fellows to a variety of methodology approaches within the field of political ecology; train Fellows in the essential skills and tools for conducting interdisciplinary political ecological research; and further dialogue and social networking between the fellows, helping them collaborate in conducting fieldwork research. The course included lectures in general research design and interdisciplinary work, as well as presentations on discourse analysis and interview techniques. Invited speaker Rebecca Lave, from Indiana University, shared with fellows her experience with doing critical physical geography. The courses followed a “hands-on” approach. Instructors Giorgos Kallis and Rebecca Lave worked in small groups with the fellows, helping them refine their research questions. The course closed with an event at the social centre of “Can Mas Deu” in the outskirts of Barcelona, where ICTA researchers Claudio Cattaneo and Giacomo D’Alisa discussed their experience with activist research.