IFRA training workshop: Qualitative Methods: "Constructing your research object, choosing your cases" by Come Salvaire

Date: Monday 3rd of June  

Place: IFRA library (the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan). 

On June 3^rd, Côme Salvaire hosted a 4 hours workshop (divided into two parts) at IFRA-Nigeria, entitled “Qualitative Methods: constructing your research object, choosing your cases”. This workshop aimed at students of sociology or political science looking to develop qualitative methods skills.

Côme Salvaire is a lecturer at Sciences Po Urban School in “Doing qualitative research on urban policies”, he is also a PhD student at the CERI (Centre of International Research) at Sciences Po Paris.

Kole kole in Mushin, Lagos, 2018

Participants of the workshop at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan

This workshop provided an introduction to qualitative research methods in research. It aimed at developing research skills particularly for students interested in sociology and policy analysis.

Part 1 – Constructing your research object 

The morning session of the workshop offered insights on how to construct a research object in a qualitative perspective. Through an analysis of "Tricks of the Trade: How to Think about Your Research While You're Doing It" from Howard Becker (1998), students discussed how researchers have images and imaginaries which they can not detach themselve from and eventually how sociological observations are never "pure", but shaped by the concepts and sociological imaginaries through which we see them.

 

Part 2 – Choosing your cases studies 

The afternoon session provided the students with the main principles of case-study selection in qualitative methods. They looked at the issue of representativeness to better understand what qualitative methods are useful for, as well as other central principles in working with qualitative case studies. Come Salvaire and the students also discussed the main differences in objectives and applications between qualitative and quantivative methods. 

18 students in masters and PhD attended the workshop. Alain Akpass was also present to film and record the event and the main discussions between the sudents and Come Salvaire