Past event Part of series: Researching Youth – Methods Seminar Series
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This first session in our Researching Youth Seminar series will explore talking and listening approaches to research with young people. We will be enjoying short presentations as a stimulus for discussion from the following:
Alistair Ross will share his own strategies of ‘deliberative discussion’. This approach engages young people in discussion around socio-political issues in a largely non-directive manner, using their own vocabulary, in response to very open questioning from the researcher. The technique does not prompt with particular terms and vocabulary, and allows a discussion that is largely responsive to their comments and observations. It does not therefore assume that participants have already formed particular opinions, and gives them a sense of ownership over the process.
Karenza Moore discusses her research with People Who Use Drugs (PWUDs). Much research to date focuses on talking at young people about illicit drugs, whilst pretending they don’t take them. In contrast, through listening to young people about their drug use experiences, drug education programmes can improve efficacy, “give voice” to marginalised drug users, and reduce related risks and harms.
Frances Howard discusses the importance of listening in research with young people. Drawing on her previous background as a Youth Worker, she reflects on the importance of spending time with research participants, knowing when to ask questions and relational ethics. Drawing on an ethics-of-care approach to research (Noddings 2013), that listening can be the most challenging role in a conversation.
Following these short presentations, there will be space for event attendees to share questions, ideas and their own approaches to talking and listening to young people.
| 10:00 | BERA Intro & Welcome |
| 10:05 | Listening and Talking to Young People Who Use Drugs Dr Karenza Moore, Newcastle University |
| 10:25 | Deliberative Discussions as a listening strategy Professor Alistair Ross, London Metropolitan University |
| 10:45 | Provocation Dr Frances Howard Nottingham Trent University |
| 10:55 | Discussion in breakout rooms |
| 11:30 | Conclusion and event close |
Watching a BERA Virtual event
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Senior Lecturer - Youth Studies at Nottingham Trent University
Dr Frances Howard is Course Leader for BA (hons) Youth Studies at Nottingham Trent University. She has previously worked in local authorities, arts education and youth work and continues to conduct research on young people, youth work, the arts...
Lecturer in Sociology of Crime at Newcastle University
Karenza is a Lecturer in Sociology of Crime at Newcastle University, UK, and co-convenor of the British Sociological Association’s Youth Study Group. Karenza has researched drug use, markets and policies for 18 years. She focuses on alcohol,...
Higher Education Lecturer. Teacher education/research, Coordinator European CICE Thematic NetWork Project, University Academic Coordinator for Research Degrees at London Metropolitan University
Alistair Ross is Senior Professor in Politics and Education at London Metropolitan University (part-time). He has a PhD in Politics from the University of London, a DLitt from London Metropolitan, and is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences.
Does your research involve working with young people? Are you interested in youth-led, creative or culturally-responsive methodologies? The British Educational Research Association (BERA) special...
The special interest of the SIG is in research and scholarship relating to theory, policy and practice issues in Youth Studies and Youth and Community Work. These include: youth transitions and...
Founded in 1951, the British Sociological Association (BSA) is the national subject association for sociologists in the UK and its primary objective is to promote sociology. The BSA is the largest sociological network in the UK and is the public face of sociology in Britain.
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Since 1950, the objectives of our Association have been ‘to promote the development of political studies and to encourage education and the advancement of learning in the art and science of government and in other branches of the political sciences’. From democracy to dictatorship and local councils to international organisations, Political Studies examines how power is obtained, kept, lost, mobilised, divided, used and abused. It asks who gains and who loses from these processes and why. Politics is studied in theory and in practice, often using scientitic methods.
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Young people are the primary constituency of most educational institutions. Questions of socialisation, the transition into economic participation and the duties of citizenship are important...
Continue reading blog postIn the Breakout rooms, event attendees were task with discussing their own approaches to talking and listening and how they would deal with sensitive topics or potentially unsayable stories. Trust...
