The Centre for Narrative Research

Short Courses in Life Histories, Narrative Analysis, Genealogical Research Strategies

The Centre for Narrative Research offers three postgraduate-level short courses, in Life Histories, Narrative Analysis and Genealogical Research Strategies. These normally run over 10 weeks but can also be run over shorter periods. All courses are aimed at people with work-related or research interests in life history, narrative, and genealogical research. The courses integrate study of relevant theories and methods with building skills through workshop exercises.

The courses are scheduled on a demand basis to complement the MA modules.

The Life Histories course aims to develop understandings of the relationship between personal and social dimensions of identity, through the exploration of life stories. The course will examine similarities and differences of life stories across cultural contexts. It will also explore the commonalities of life stories, and how they change, across spoken, visual and textual media. Participants will learn to interrelate and criticise different frameworks of life history study, and to work with life history research in applied contexts. They will also plan and implement a small-scale life history research project. The course involves lectures, seminars, and demonstration exercises conducted within the group. Exercises include telling personal and other stories; personal and other storywriting; autobiographical interviewing; analysis of participants' own and other interview data; visual data analysis (photos and video diaries) and analysis of textual data (autobiographies, diaries and letters).

Tutors: Dr. Molly Andrews, Dr. Corinne Squire and Dr. Maria Tamboukou, UEL

The Narrative Analysis course will provide an introduction to narrative analysis in the social sciences,
and will demonstrate its value for research and policy. Participants will develop skills in analysing short spoken narratives, long spoken narratives, 'lived narratives', and the impact of cultural narratives. By the end of the course, participants will be able to identify, contrast, and use different theoretical and methodological perspectives on narrative analysis, and will understand their possible applications. Participants will also plan and conduct a piece of research related to their work or academic interests, that uses appropriate narrative-analytic techniques. The course will involve lecture presentations of theory and method, seminar discussions, and practical work on data provided by teachers and by course members.

Tutor: Dr. Corinne Squire, UEL, and guest speakers

The Genealogical Research Strategies course's aim is to offer the participants the opportunity to consider the significance of using Foucauldian methodological strategies in contemporary research social sciences research. Themes that will be explored include biographical, historical and philosophical contexts framing Foucauldian analytics, the archaeological method and its relation to the genealogical turn, the power/knowledge couplet, the spatialization of power and the notion of the technologies of the self. Methodological encounters with feminism, ethnography and life narratives will also be explored. The course will be of relevance to researchers in the social sciences and graduates considering continuing graduate level education through Masters or Ph.D programmes.

Tutor: Dr Maria Tamboukou, UEL

The fee for each course is £600. Some bursaries are available for graduate students and applicants receiving benefits.

If you want to enrol on the course/s, or would like more details, please contact:

Corinne Squire, Research Leader,
School of Social Sciences, Media & Cultural Studies,
University of East London,
4-6 University Way,
London
E6 2RD
Email: c.squire@uel.ac.uk

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