Bodø Regional University, the Department of Social sciences, offers a PhD[1] course in:

The Analysis of Narratives

 25^th - 27^th April 2005

Place: Bodoe Regional University.

People are living their lives through telling stories about themselves where they express what they value, how they present themselves and how they are trying to construct others opinion about themselves. These stories may be performed in different ways, from a fluent to a chaotic narrative being presented. The way of telling a story may be a sign of how people are coping with their lives, crisis and stressful episodes. On a micro level a therapeutical process may also be seen as creating a life story out of their human experiences, which they can cope to live with. On the macro level stories about societies and cultures may create common identity processes among people living in specific contexts or stories about the images of selves within a society may create contradictions and/or disintegration within the society.

In this course the understanding of what is regarded as a narrative, within the social sciences, is scrutinized. We will discuss the data sampling process, but the main focus of the course will be on how to analyse and make sense of narratives and on how research on narratives can be mediated through films, reports and articles.

In this course empirical data from different countries will be analysed. This may create some insight into what is general in stories and what may be more culturally specific. By analysing narratives from specific life situations we will try to focus on the general challenge in doing research, and even more in doing comparative micro studies: What can be generalized and what, actually, does generalisation of research results mean in qualitative studies analysing narratives?

The course is intended for PhD students within the social sciences, but others may also apply. To obtain 5 credits PhD students must attend the course and hand in a 10-15 pages paper for evaluation. The paper will be commented and given the final accreditation by two among the lectures and course leaders. Depending on the focus of the paper, this course can qualify as either a methodology course or a subject specific course for the PhD degree. Students are advised to confer with their supervisor if in doubt.

Lectures:

• “Studying narratives” by Professor Lars-Christer Hyden, Lindköping University, Sweden.

• How to study psychiatric help in and outside hospital in qualitative approach – by Professor Per Måseide, Bodoe Regional University.

• “Narratives beyond the words” – by Professor  Tarja Poso, Tampere University, Finland

• “Analysing narratives through visual media” by Professor Lisbeth Holtedal, Tromsoe University.

• "The order of nature as the order of God.   Narratives and conception of nature in traditional Saami world" by Professor Jens-Ivar Nergård, Bodoe Regional University /Tromsoe University.

• “The ethics of the narrative” What are the particular ethical issues the researcher is likely to confront when using a narrative approach?  by Professor Steven Shardlow, Salford University, England

Course leaders:

Professor Dr. Johans Sandvin, e-mail: johans.sandvin@hibo.no

Associate Professor Dr. Siv Oltedal, e-mail:siv.oltedal@hibo.no

Professor Dr. Tarja Poso, e-mail: tarja.poso@uta.fi

Administrative responsible:

Berit.A. Bakken e-mail: berit.a.bakken@hibo.no

Telephone: + 755 17328

Application deadline for this course: 15^th of February 2005

Send application on e-mail: Berit.a.bakken@hibo.no

When sending the application please inform if you are PhD student or not and if you are planning to hand in a paper.
 

Monday 25^th of April

10.15-10.30                Opening and introduction to the course

10.30-11.30    “Studying narratives” by Professor Lars-Christer Hyden, Lindköping University, Sweden.  

12.00 -14.00   “Studying narratives” by Professor Lars-Christer Hyden, Lindköping University, Sweden.

14.30-16.00    A qualitative approach to the study of psychiatric help in and outside hospital” by Professor Per Måseide, Bodoe Regional University.

Thuesday 26^th of April

9.00 –11.00     “Narratives beyond the words” by Professor Tarja Poso, Tampere

University, Finland. 

12.00 –14.00   “The ethics of the narrative” What are the particular ethical issues the

researcher is likely to confront when using a narrative approach?” By Professor Steven Shardlow, Salford University, England

14.30- 16.00   Paper presentations

Wednesday 27^th of April

9.00-12.30      “Analysing narratives through visual media”  and “Practical analysis of visual narratives “.by Professor Lisbeth Holtedal,

Tromsoe University. 

13.00-15.45    “The order of nature as the order of God.   Narratives and conception of

nature in the traditional Saami world” by Professor Jens-Ivar Nergård, Bodoe Regional University/Tromsoe University.

15.45 -16.00   Closing of the seminar