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    Welcome to...

    the course room of the EC2U Online Course

    Research Methodologies in European Cultures and Societies – Autumn Semester 2026/27


    Here you will find general and current information about the course as well as accompanying material and documentation.

    Content:

    This internationally oriented online course will give an introduction to research methodologies in the social sciences and humanities. Drawing especially on culture and social studies, we will obtain an overview of different research methodologies in European Cultures and Societies and their application. Different sessions will also address different methods of analysis that allow the application of the appropriate scientific methodology to cover different types of cultural and societal studies.

    How to Use This Course Room...

    • This course room is divided into 26 sections. Each section corresponds to a session. Each section provides you with all the relevant information for each session such as the the access link to the online classroom, a description of the content, literature or learning material.
    • Every lecturer/university will manage their own sessions. The content will only be visible when the respective lecturer/university opens the session. This might differ from session to session.
    • In the general Forum which we invite you to consult regularly, you will find the latest news or updates about the course. 
    • For general information regarding the course, please contact the local contact person of your home university. 
    • For any questions regarding a specific session, please consult the local contact person (see below) of the respective university or the respective lecturer.
    • For questions regarding grading or examination, please contact the local contact person of your home university.

    • Icona Forum
      Latest news and updates Forum

    • Timetable:

      The lessons are held twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays. The course starts on 17 September 2026. The course ends on 14 December 2026.

      • Mondays
        • 10-12 WET (Portugal)
        • 11-13 CET (France, Germany, Italy, Spain)
        • 12-14 EET (Finland, Romania)

      • Thursdays
        • 14-16 WET (Portugal)
        • 15-17 CET (France, Germany, Italy, Spain)
        • 16-18 EET (Finland, Romania)


        Please notice that the course follows the academic quarter (cum tempore) practice, meaning that a session will not start punctually on the hour but 15 minutes later.


        Access Information:

        You will find the access information directly in the respective "session" and they will be sent to you via e-mail in advance. 

        For this reason, please consult this course room and information in the respective sessions here on Glocal Campus regularly. In case of doubt, please contact the main coordinator or the contact person of the respective university:


        Language:

        • English
        • Presentation of work/evaluation in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, German, Romanian

        Character:

        • Compulsory

        ECTS:

        • 10


        Completion Requirements:

        • Attendance is required in at least 20 sessions
        • Active participation
        • The final paper of 10 pages

        Contact Person at Each University:


        Learning Objectives:

        Students will...

        • acquire advanced knowledge of research methodology in contact linguistics, in the study of European literatures and in the study of European societies in contact

        • acquire the ability to locate and manage specialised bibliographic sources on contact linguistics, comparative literatures, societies in contact, interculturality, intertextuality and intercultural communication, knowing how to locate and manage on- and offline documentary collections and applying information and communication technologies to the field of specialised philological research.

        • develop the ability to apply the appropriate scientific methodology to cover the different types of linguistic, literary, cultural and European society studies.

        • acquire advanced theoretical and practical knowledge of the different situations of contact between European languages, literatures and cultures, also using information technology mechanisms for this purpose.

        • acquire theoretical and practical knowledge that will enable the study of heritage languages and cultures to be incorporated into contrastive and comparative research into European languages, literatures, cultures and societies.

        • acquire the necessary skills to carry out original research work in one of the philological fields covered by the Master's degree.

      • Icona Cartella
        Essay Guidelines and Template Cartella
      • Icona Compito
        Hand in Final Paper by 15 Jan 2027 Compito
        Apre: sabato, 12 dicembre 2026, 00:00
        Data limite: venerdì, 15 gennaio 2027, 23:59
      • Icona Forum
        Announcements Forum
      • Icona Forum
        Latest news and updates Forum

      • Timetable:

        The lessons are held twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays. The course starts on 22 September 2025. The course ends on 11 December 2025.

        • Mondays
          • 10-12 WET (Portugal)
          • 11-13 CET (France, Germany, Italy, Spain)
          • 12-14 EET (Finland, Romania)

        • Thursdays
          • 14-16 WET (Portugal)
          • 15-17 CET (France, Germany, Italy, Spain)
          • 16-18 EET (Finland, Romania)


          Please notice that the course follows the academic quarter (cum tempore) practice, meaning that a session will not start punctually on the hour but 15 minutes later.


          Access Information:

          You will find the access information directly in the respective "session" and they will be sent to you via e-mail in advance. 

          For this reason, please consult this course room and information in the respective sessions here on Glocal Campus regularly. In case of doubt, please contact the main coordinator or the contact person of the respective university:


          Language:

          • English
          • Presentation of work/evaluation in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, German, Romanian

          Character:

          • Compulsory

          ECTS:

          • 10


          Completion Requirements:

          • Attendance is required in at least 20 sessions
          • Active participation
          • The final paper of 10 pages

          Contact Person at Each University:


          Learning Objectives:

          Students will...

          • acquire advanced knowledge of research methodology in contact linguistics, in the study of European literatures and in the study of European societies in contact

          • acquire the ability to locate and manage specialised bibliographic sources on contact linguistics, comparative literatures, societies in contact, interculturality, intertextuality and intercultural communication, knowing how to locate and manage on- and offline documentary collections and applying information and communication technologies to the field of specialised philological research.

          • develop the ability to apply the appropriate scientific methodology to cover the different types of linguistic, literary, cultural and European society studies.

          • acquire advanced theoretical and practical knowledge of the different situations of contact between European languages, literatures and cultures, also using information technology mechanisms for this purpose.

          • acquire theoretical and practical knowledge that will enable the study of heritage languages and cultures to be incorporated into contrastive and comparative research into European languages, literatures, cultures and societies.

          • acquire the necessary skills to carry out original research work in one of the philological fields covered by the Master's degree.

        • Icona Cartella
          Essay Guidelines and Template Cartella
        • Icona Compito
          Hand in Final Paper by 15 Jan 2025 Compito
          Aperto: martedì, 23 giugno 2026, 00:00
          Data limite: domenica, 1 novembre 2026, 23:59
        • Icona Forum
          Announcements Forum
        • Icona Risorsa
          Course Plan 2026-2027 File

      • Session 1 – Thur 17/9 – Humanism and Hermeneutics (I) - MATTIA BIANCHI, Salamanca

        Zoom link

        https://utu.zoom.us/j/68376273225

        meeting ID: 683 7627 3225

        Abstract

        Starting from Gadamer’s work “Truth and Method” and after reviewing briefly some of the content from the course Research Methodology in European Languages and Literature, such as the concepts of “philosophical hermeneutics” and “intersubjectivity”, in this part of the course Research Methodologies in European Cultures and Societies, we will try to underline the significant connections between Humanism and Hermeneutics. In order to do so, we will go through an interpretive reconstruction of the origin and history of the term Humanism pointing out its polysemy. The final goal is to prove that hermeneutics is in fact the heir of the legacy of the humanist tradition.

        References

        • Bianchi, M. (2018). Humanista, demasiado humanista: katabasis a la pocilga pasoliniana para reflexionar sobre el concepto de humanismo, en RSEI 12, Salamanca: Ediciones Universidad de Salamanca.
        • Ferraris, M. (1988). Storia dell'ermeneutica, Bompiani; Milano.
        • Gadamer, H. G. (2000). Verità e metodo, Milano: Bompiani.

      • Session 2 – Mon 21/9 – Hermeneutics and the Non-hermeneutic (I) - PEDRO SERRA, Salamanca

        Google Meet

        meet.google.com/qxv-dskk-psb

        Abstract

        These interdisciplinary sessions examine the evolving relationships between media, interpretation, and philology through a series of conceptual frameworks that span from classical traditions to contemporary theory. It begins by exploring the foundations of textual engagement, including practices of exegesis, interpretation, and reading, and moves through inquiries into how meaning is structured and transmitted via language, metaphor, and cultural reference. We then turn to the rhetorical and symbolic dimensions of human expression, considering how figures, allegories, and symbols shape understanding. We will also investigates the embodied nature of perception, aesthetics, and design, emphasizing the sensory and affective dimensions of experience. Attention is given to the infrastructures of communication, the circulation of information, and the processes of mediation that underpin modern media systems. Finally, these two sessions reconsider the role of philology—not only in its traditional form but as reimagined through new and radical approaches—to question how texts and cultural forms are studied, preserved, and interpreted.

        TOPIC I. Hermes: scriptoria: I.1. Exegesis · I.2. Interpretation · I.3. Reading
        TOPIC II. Atlas: constellations: II.1. Etymon · II.2. Topos · II.3. Mimesis
        TOPIC III. Kardía: homo rhetoricus: III.1. Figure · III.2. Allegory · III.3. Symbol

        References
        • Guillory, John, «The genesis of the media concept», Critical Inquiry, 36.2, 2010, pp. 321-362.
        • Jameson, Fredric, «Metacommentary», PMLA, 86.1, 1971, pp. 9-18.
        • Kittler, Friedrich, «Towards an Ontology of Media», Theory, Culture & Society (SAGE, Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, and Singapore), Vol. 26 (2–3), 2009, pp. 23–31.
        • Said, Edward W. (1984), «The Future of Criticism», Modern Language Notes, vol. 99, nº4, 951-958.

      • Session 3 – Thur 24/9 – Hermeneutics and the Non-hermeneutic (II) - PEDRO SERRA, Salamanca

        Zoom

        https://uni-jena-de.zoom-x.de/j/65142684448

        ID de reunión: 651 4268 4448

        Código de acceso: 547915

        Abstract

        These interdisciplinary sessions examine the evolving relationships between media, interpretation, and philology through a series of conceptual frameworks that span from classical traditions to contemporary theory. It begins by exploring the foundations of textual engagement, including practices of exegesis, interpretation, and reading, and moves through inquiries into how meaning is structured and transmitted via language, metaphor, and cultural reference. We then turn to the rhetorical and symbolic dimensions of human expression, considering how figures, allegories, and symbols shape understanding. We will also investigates the embodied nature of perception, aesthetics, and design, emphasizing the sensory and affective dimensions of experience. Attention is given to the infrastructures of communication, the circulation of information, and the processes of mediation that underpin modern media systems. Finally, these two sessions reconsider the role of philology—not only in its traditional form but as reimagined through new and radical approaches—to question how texts and cultural forms are studied, preserved, and interpreted.

        TOPIC IV. Sensorium: bodies: IV.1. Aesthetics · IV.2. Design · IV.3. Aesthesis

        TOPIC V. Moëbius: channels: V.1. Communication · V.2. Information · V.3. Mediation

        TOPIC VI. Atmospheres: confederations: VI.1. Philology · VI.2. New philology · VI.3. Radical philology

        References
        • Guillory, John, «The genesis of the media concept», Critical Inquiry, 36.2, 2010, pp. 321-362.
        • Jameson, Fredric, «Metacommentary», PMLA, 86.1, 1971, pp. 9-18.
        • Kittler, Friedrich, «Towards an Ontology of Media», Theory, Culture & Society (SAGE, Los Angeles, London, New Delhi, and Singapore), Vol. 26 (2–3), 2009, pp. 23–31.
        • Said, Edward W. (1984), «The Future of Criticism», Modern Language Notes, vol. 99, nº4, 951-958.

      • Session 4 – Mon 28/9 – Humanism and Hermeneutics (II) - MATTIA BIANCHI, Salamanca

        Google Meet

        https://meet.google.com/pmn-hzru-qfu?hs=224

        Abstract

        Starting from Gadamer’s work “Truth and Method” and after reviewing briefly some of the content from the course Research Methodology in European Languages and Literature, such as the concepts of “philosophical hermeneutics” and “intersubjectivity”, in this part of the course Research Methodologies in European Cultures and Societies, we will try to underline the significant connections between Humanism and Hermeneutics. In order to do so, we will go through an interpretive reconstruction of the origin and history of the term Humanism pointing out its polysemy. The final goal is to prove that hermeneutics is in fact the heir of the legacy of the humanist tradition.

        References

        • Bianchi, M. (2018). Humanista, demasiado humanista: katabasis a la pocilga pasoliniana para reflexionar sobre el concepto de humanismo, en RSEI 12, Salamanca: Ediciones Universidad de Salamanca.
        • Ferraris, M. (1988). Storia dell'ermeneutica, Bompiani; Milano.
        • Gadamer, H. G. (2000). Verità e metodo, Milano: Bompiani.

      • Session 5 – Thu 1/10 – Journalistic Translation: The invisible work behind international news(I) – Léa Huotari, Turku

        Zoom
        https://utu.zoom.us/j/62202568725

        Abstract

        Methodology in journalistic translation (1): What is journalistic translation, and where is the source text?

        Translation is part of almost every foreign news story, yet it is rarely visible to readers: journalists translate, rewrite and combine material from agencies, other media, interviews and social media (Bielsa & Bassnett, 2009; van Doorslaer, 2010). This lecture explains how translation works in the news and why news "source texts" are multiple, fragmented, multilayered and unstable (Bell, 1991; Davier & van Doorslaer, 2018; Huotari, 2026). It then uses Jakobson's (1959) three types of translation as a tool for analysing news texts. The lecture works with recent multilingual cases, including a case study that students analyse in groups. Before the second lecture, students trace how one quotation travelled across languages and media (about 2–3 hours, including a short reading: van Doorslaer, 2010).

        References

        • Bell, A. (1991). The language of news media. Blackwell.
        • Bielsa, E., & Bassnett, S. (2009). Translation in global news. Routledge.
        • Davier, L., & van Doorslaer, L. (2018). Translation without a source text: Methodological issues in news translation. Across Languages and Cultures, 19(2), 241–257.
        • Huotari, L. (2026). A creative and recreative conceptualization of source text: The case of journalistic translation. In M. Carlström & R. Pleijel (Eds.), A (re)turn to the source text (pp. 88–115). John Benjamins.
        • Jakobson, R. (1959). On linguistic aspects of translation. In R. A. Brower (Ed.), On translation (pp. 232–239). Harvard University Press.
        • van Doorslaer, L. (2010). Journalism and translation. In Y. Gambier & L. van Doorslaer (Eds.), Handbook of translation studies (Vol. 1, pp. 180–184). John Benjamins.

      • Session 6 – Mon 5/10 – Journalistic Translation: The invisible work behind international news(II) – Léa Huotari, Turku

        Zoom
        https://utu.zoom.us/j/62202568725

        Abstract

        Methodology in journalistic translation (2): How do we study news translation? Methods and research design

        Building on the first lecture, this session turns to the methods used to study translation in the news, where the lack of a clearly identifiable source text raises specific methodological problems (van Doorslaer, 2010; Davier & van Doorslaer, 2018). It starts from the students' own tracing of a quotation across languages and media. It then introduces product- and process-oriented approaches, comparable corpora, and the reconstruction of translation chains across the successive newsrooms a story passes through (Bell, 1991). It also covers interviews and the practical and ethical sides of collecting news data. A worked example of a mixed-methods study of sourcing and quoting in the Finnish press shows how these methods can be combined. In the final part of the lecture, students design a small research project in groups.

        References

        • Bell, A. (1991). The language of news media. Blackwell.
        • Davier, L., & van Doorslaer, L. (2018). Translation without a source text: Methodological issues in news translation. Across Languages and Cultures, 19(2), 241–257.
        • van Doorslaer, L. (2010). Journalism and translation. In Y. Gambier & L. van Doorslaer (Eds.), Handbook of translation studies (Vol. 1, pp. 180–184). John Benjamins.

      • Session 7 – Thur 8/10 – Female Leaders of Right-Wing Populist Movements and the Concept of Femonationalism: The Cases of Finland and Germany – CHRISTIAN NIEDLING, Turku

        Zoom
        https://utu.zoom.us/j/5663965694



        Abstract

        The concept of femonationalism (Farris 2017) refers to the strategic appropriation of feminist ideals for anti-Muslim politics. While this model has primarily been studied in political and social science contexts, it is increasingly gaining attention in linguistics as well. The lecture will analyze selected programs of the right-wing populist AfD (Germany) and the Perussuomalaiset (PS, Finland), as well as the Facebook appearances of their leaders (Alice Weidel and Riikka Purra), to identify possible patterns and similarities. The central question is whether and to what extent femonationalist strategies are evident in the posts of these politicians and how differences manifest in their Facebook representations. The principle of "calculated ambivalence" (Reisigl 2020) will be applied in the analysis. Additionally, the lecture will discuss the methodologies used in the presented research and explore how the chosen research question can be operationalized for other contexts.

        References


        Guidelines for using AI

      • Session 8 – Mon 12/10 – Current Discourses on Gender-Sensitive Language: A Contrastive Comparison of Germany and Finland - CHRISTIAN NIEDLING, Turku

        Zoom

        https://utu.zoom.us/j/5663965694

        Abstract

        Gender equality is a key goal of the United Nations 2030 Agenda, and gender-sensitive language has become a significant focus of both public and academic interest. This lecture will contrast the public discourses on linguistic gender-marking in Germany and Finland, highlighting Finland's "genderless" language status and Germany's ongoing shift away from the generic masculine. We will discuss the methodologies employed in this analysis and explore how these approaches can be adapted and applied to research in other cultural and linguistic contexts.

        References

        • Aus Politik und Zeitgeschichte (ApuZ), Zeitschrift der Bundeszentrale für Politische Bildung, (72) 5–7/2022: Geschlechtergerechte Sprache.
        • Larsen, Eirinn; Manns, Ulla; Östman, Ann-Catrin (2022): „Gender-equality pioneering, or how three Nordic states celebrated 100 years of women’s suffrage“, In: Scandinavian Journal of History, 624-647.


        Guidelines for using AI

      • Session 9 – Thur 15/10 – Languages in contact: multilingual speakers and repertoires (1) – Ilaria Fiorentini, Pavia

        Zoom

         https://unipv-it.zoom.us/j/6551849097

        Abstract

        The course will provide an overview of the topic of language contact, both in terms of multilingual speakers, communities and repertoires, and in terms of contact phenomena in discourse and language systems. The characteristics of multilingual communities will be described, looking at the different types of linguistic repertoires. The main contact phenomena in bilingual and multilingual discourse will be discussed, with particular attention to code-mixing. A methodological basis for data collection in the context of language contact will also be provided.

        References


      • Session 10 – Mon 19/10 – Languages in contact: multilingual speakers and repertoires (2) – Ilaria Fiorentini, Pavia

        Zoom

        https://unipv-it.zoom.us/j/6551849097

        Abstract

        The course will provide an overview of the topic of language contact, both in terms of multilingual speakers, communities and repertoires, and in terms of contact phenomena in discourse and language systems. The characteristics of multilingual communities will be described, looking at the different types of linguistic repertoires. The main contact phenomena in bilingual and multilingual discourse will be discussed, with particular attention to code-mixing. A methodological basis for data collection in the context of language contact will also be provided. The course will be divided into four lessons.


        References

      • Session 11 – Thur 22/10 – Language Contact Phenomena: from Discourse to System – Ilaria Fiorentini, Pavia

        Zoom

        https://unipv-it.zoom.us/j/6551849097

        Abstract

        The course will provide an overview of the topic of language contact, both in terms of multilingual speakers, communities and repertoires, and in terms of contact phenomena in discourse and language systems. The characteristics of multilingual communities will be described, looking at the different types of linguistic repertoires. The main contact phenomena in bilingual and multilingual discourse will be discussed, with particular attention to code-mixing. A methodological basis for data collection in the context of language contact will also be provided. The course will be divided into four lessons.


        References



        • Session 12 – Mon 26/10 – "Doing Sociolinguistics": Data Collection and Analysis in Language Contact Situations – Ilaria Fiorentini, Pavia

          Zoom

          https://unipv-it.zoom.us/j/6551849097

          Abstract

          The course will provide an overview of the topic of language contact, both in terms of multilingual speakers, communities and repertoires, and in terms of contact phenomena in discourse and language systems. The characteristics of multilingual communities will be described, looking at the different types of linguistic repertoires. The main contact phenomena in bilingual and multilingual discourse will be discussed, with particular attention to code-mixing. A methodological basis for data collection in the context of language contact will also be provided. The course will be divided into four lessons.


          References


        • Session 13 – Thur 29/10 – Cultural Studies in Europe: Critical Elements I – Marion Picker, Poitiers

          Link

          Please find the link below.

          Abstract

          This part of the course "Research Methodologies in European Cultures and Societies" provides a historical introduction to critical thought and cultural studies from an intercultural point of view. Working with a broad definition of culture in the tradition of Raymond William’s adage “culture is a whole way of life,” we analyze a range of objects, texts, images, symbols, historical events and social interactions as cultural phenomena in their specific contexts.

          Readings (in English)
          • Include articles and book chapters by Walter Benjamin, Stuart Hall, Sigmund Freud, Julia Kristeva, Donna Haraway, Roland Barthes, Stephen Mumford

        • Session 14 – Mon 2/11 – Cultural Studies in Europe: Critical Elements II – Marion Picker, Poitiers

          Update

          Tomorrow (October 31, 2024) Almut Meyer (University of Turku, Finland) will be our guest for just this session.

          Link

          Please find the link below.

          Abstract

          This part of the course "Research Methodologies in European Cultures and Societies" provides a historical introduction to critical thought and cultural studies from an intercultural point of view. Working with a broad definition of culture in the tradition of Raymond William’s adage “culture is a whole way of life,” we analyze a range of objects, texts, images, symbols, historical events and social interactions as cultural phenomena in their specific contexts.

          Readings (in English)
          • Include articles and book chapters by Walter Benjamin, Stuart Hall, Sigmund Freud, Julia Kristeva, Donna Haraway, Roland Barthes, Stephen Mumford

        • Session 15– Thur 5/11 – Cultural Studies in Europe: Critical Elements III – Marion Picker, Poitiers

          Important information - this course takes place on Thursday 13/11, not on Monday, Nov 10!

          Link

          Please find the link below.

          Abstract

          This part of the course "Research Methodologies in European Cultures and Societies" provides a historical introduction to critical thought and cultural studies from an intercultural point of view. Working with a broad definition of culture in the tradition of Raymond William’s adage “culture is a whole way of life,” we analyze a range of objects, texts, images, symbols, historical events and social interactions as cultural phenomena in their specific contexts.

          Readings (in English)
          • Include articles and book chapters by Walter Benjamin, Stuart Hall, Sigmund Freud, Julia Kristeva, Donna Haraway, Roland Barthes, Stephen Mumford

        • Session 16 – Mon 9/11 – Cultural Studies in Europe: Critical Elements IV – Marion Picker, Poitiers

          Link

          Please find the link below.

          Abstract

          This part of the course "Research Methodologies in European Cultures and Societies" provides a historical introduction to critical thought and cultural studies from an intercultural point of view. Working with a broad definition of culture in the tradition of Raymond William’s adage “culture is a whole way of life,” we analyze a range of objects, texts, images, symbols, historical events and social interactions as cultural phenomena in their specific contexts.

          Readings (in English)
          • Include articles and book chapters by Walter Benjamin, Stuart Hall, Sigmund Freud, Julia Kristeva, Donna Haraway, Roland Barthes, Stephen Mumford

        • Session 17 - Thur 12/11 - 1. The concept of difference in cultural studies & 2. Visual culture studies - Maria José Canelo | Coimbra

          1. The concept of difference in cultural studies  & 2. Visual culture studies

          • Icona Risorsa
            1. The concept of difference in cultural studies 2. Visual culture studies File

            ·         Ang, Ien. “Difference”. New Keywords. A Vocabulary of Culture and Society. Bennett, Tony et al (eds.). Blackwell Publ., pp. 84-87.

            ·         Mirzoeff, Nicholas. “What is Visual Culture?” The Visual Culture Reader. Ed. Nicholas Mirzoeff. London & NY, Routledge, 1998, pp. 3-13. 

            ·         Sturken, Marita & Lisa Cartwright. Practices of Looking. An Introduction to Visual Culture. NY & Oxford, Oxford UP, 2009, pp. 9-48.


        • Session 18 –Mon 16/11, 11-13h WET - The Nation - Maria José Canelo | Coimbra

          Virtual room

          https://ucteacher.uc.pt/live/mjc2020

          Password (if required): mjc2020

          ·         Anderson, Benedict. “Introduction.” Imagined Communities. 2nd ed. Verso, 2006, 1-7 [1983].

          ·         Hobsbawm, Eric. "Introduction. Inventing Traditions." The Invention of Tradition. Eds. Eric Hobsbawm and Terence Ranger. Cambridge UP, 1983, 1-14.

          http://faculty.washington.edu/ellingsn/Hobsbawm_Inventing_Traditions.pdf



          • Icona Pagina
            Link virtual videoconference room: Pagina
            https://ucteacher.uc.pt/live/mjc2020

            Password (if required): mjc2020


          • Icona Pagina
            References Pagina

            Because nationality remains as the anchoring site for our study of languages, literatures, and cultures, in this session we will select ‘nation’ as a topic for analysis. As a cultural category, nation will allow us to discuss various issues associated to territoriality that are both symbolic and deeply political.

            ·         Anderson, Benedict. “Introduction.” Imagined Communities. 2nd ed. Verso, 2006, 1-7 [1983].

            ·         Hobsbawm, Eric. "Introduction. Inventing Traditions." The Invention of Tradition. Eds. Eric Hobsbawm and Terence Ranger. Cambridge UP, 1983, 1-14.


        • Session 19 – Thur 19/11, 11-13 WET - Borders, immigration, and citizenship – Maria José Canelo | Coimbra

          After discussing ‘border’ as a critical category, we will analyse its representation in different visual materials.

          Readings:

          ·         Anzaldúa, Gloria. “To live in the Borderlands Means you”. Borderlands / La Frontera. Aunt Lute Books, 1987, pp. 194-195.

          ·         Mezzadra, Sandro. “The proliferation of borders and the right to escape”.

          In The Irregularization of Migration in Contemporary Europe. Detention, Deportation, Drowning, Y. Jansen, R. Celikates and J. de Bloois (eds). Rowman & Littlefield, 2015: 121-135.

          • Icona Pagina
            Link virtual videoconference room Pagina

            https://ucteacher.uc.pt/live/mjc2020

            Password (if required): mjc2020


          • Icona Pagina
            References Pagina

            After discussing ‘border’ as a critical category, we will analyse its representation in different visual materials.

             

            Readings:

            ·         Anzaldúa, Gloria. “To live in the Borderlands Means you”. Borderlands / La Frontera. Aunt Lute Books, 1987, pp. 194-195.

            ·         Mezzadra, Sandro. “The proliferation of borders and the right to escape”. In The Irregularization of Migration in Contemporary Europe. Detention, Deportation, Drowning, Y. Jansen, R. Celikates and J. de Bloois (eds). Rowman & Littlefield, 2015: 121-135.



          • Icona Risorsa
            Readings File

        • Session 20 - Mon 23/11 11-13h WET - De-constructing eurocentrism: myths of Europe - Maria José Canelo | Coimbra

          • Icona Risorsa
            Readings File

            ·         Hall, Stuart. “In But Not Of Europe: Europe and Its Myths” Soundings 2002; 22; 57-69.

            ·         Santos, Boaventura de Sousa, “A Non-Occidentalist West?: Learned Ignorance and Ecology of Knowledge”. Theory Culture Society 2009; 26; 103-125.


          • Icona Libro
            References Libro

            ·         Hall, Stuart. “In But Not Of Europe: Europe and Its Myths” Soundings 2002; 22; 57-69.

            ·         Santos, Boaventura de Sousa, “A Non-Occidentalist West?: Learned Ignorance and Ecology of Knowledge”. Theory Culture Society 2009; 26; 103-125.



        • Session 21 – Thur 26/11 – Researching Interculturality – an Overview – Christoph Vatter, Jena

          Zoom:

          https://uni-jena-de.zoom-x.de/j/65517385932

          Meeting-ID: 655 1738 5932

          Kenncode: EC2U


          Abstract

          In this session we will look at different research approaches and methods from the perspective of intercultural communication. First, we will look at basic approaches to interculturality; then we will develop central research paradigms of intercultural research. Finally, we will derive possible methodological approaches that can also be applied to our own research, e.g. in the context of the Master's thesis.

          The session will thus provide an overview of intercultural research and related theoretical and methodological approaches. Participants can then apply these to potential research questions from the subject area of the Master's programme.

        • Session 22 – Mon 30/11– Oral History and Biographical Research – Valeska Bopp-Filimonov, Jena

          Abstract

          This lecture explores oral history and biographical research as central approaches to the study of European contemporary history. Originating in the pioneering work of historians such as Lutz Niethammer, oral history and biographical research opened new perspectives on everyday life and social culture, thereby reshaping the study of both the Second World War and post-war Europe. The biographical approach has proven particularly fruitful in engaging with the legacies of dictatorship across the continent—ranging from National Socialism and state socialism to other authoritarian regimes— in understanding processes of remembrance, silencing, and contestation. The topic of the Holocaust is also extremely relevant, with much debate surrounding the issue and new challenges posed by the dying generation of eyewitnesses. Emphasizing its interdisciplinary character, the lecture shows how oral history is complemented by qualitative empirical social research and, more recently, by findings from memory studies and cognitive psychology. By foregrounding everyday experiences as well as the intergenerational biographical processing of trauma and political rupture, the lecture demonstrates how oral history and biographical research provide indispensable tools for understanding European cultures and societies in the twentieth and twentyfirst century. 

           

          References

          Frei, Norbert (2005): Abschied von der Zeitgenossenschaft, in: Norbert Frei: 1945 und wir. Das Dritte Reich im Bewußtsein der Deutschen, München.

          Markowitsch, Hans J. (2000): Die Erinnerung von Zeitzeugen aus der Sicht der Gedächtnisforschung, in: BIOS 13, 30-50.

          Niethammer, Lutz (1985): Fragen – Antworten – Fragen. Methodische Erfahrungen und Erwägungen zur Oral History, in: Lutz Niethammer und Alexander von Plato (Hg.): „Wir kriegen jetzt andere Zeiten.“ Auf der Suche nach der Erfahrung des Volkes in nachfaschistischen Ländern. Lebensgeschichte und Sozialkultur im Ruhrgebiet, Bd. 3, Berlin, Bonn, 392-445.

          Perks, Robert and Alistair Thomson: The oral history reader. London, New York: Routledge 1998.

          Rosenthal, Gabriele: The Holocaust in Three-Generations. Families of Victims and Perpetrators of the Nazi-Regime, Opladen: Westdeutscher Verlag 2009.

          Rosenthal, Gabriele (1995): Erlebte und erzählte Lebensgeschichte, Frankfurt a.M., New York.

          Völter, Bettina: Judentum und Kommunismus. Deutsche Familiengeschichten in drei Generationen. Opladen: Leske und Budrich 2002.

          Welzer, Harald, Sabine Moller, Karoline Tschuggnall (unter Mitarbeit von Olaf Jensen und Torsten Koch): Opa war kein Nazi. Nationalsozialismus und Holocaust im Familiengedächtnis. Frankfurt/Main: Fischer Taschenbuchverlag 2002. / Welzer, Harald: Grandpa Wasn´t a Nazi: The Holocaust in German Family Remembrance. American Jewish Committee 2005.



        • Session 24 – Mon 7/12 – Ethnographic Research Methods Applied in Intercultural Settings – Simona Butnaru, Iasi

          Link


          Abstract

          Ethnographic research is the study of the cultural patterns and perspectives of participants in their natural settings. The goal of ethnographic research is to study the meanings structured by culture, that is to describe, analyze and interpret the culture of a group, over time, in terms of the group’s shared transmitted symbols, language, understandings, beliefs, behaviors, and ways of being. As a type of qualitative research, ethnographic perspective recognizes the complex relationship between researcher and participants as part of the research questions. The research results are understandings that make sense to the actors themselves in terms of collective shared interpretive frameworks. Ethnographic inquiry involve necessarily time for the researcher to become familiar with foreign cultures and languages, to learn to navigate within unfamiliar physical, social and communicative environments (institutions, daily routines, beliefs that guide actions).

          This lecture will be focused on:

          • epistemological postpositivist and constructivist assumptions of ethnographic approach (e.g., reality can never be fully apprehended, only approximated, the reality is socially constructed, there are multiple realities, the knower creates understandings and a naturalistic set of methodological procedures are applied to generate knowledge);
          • main questions addressed through ethnographic research (e.g., What is happening here? What kinds of activities are these persons engaging in? What are the folk theories that inform and rationalize their activities? What are the larger contexts and activities in which these activities are embedded?);
          • stages of ethnographic research (i.e., determination of research purpose and of research field, obtaining the access to the institution(s) where research take place, collecting data, analyzing data, and writing the ethnographic account);
          • ethnographic methods (e.g., long-term participant-observation in naturalistic settings and in-depth interviewing) providing qualitative (nonnumerical) data, such as extensive notes taken at a research site, videotape and audiotape recordings and other artifact;
          • required conditions for researcher to fulfill in conducting ethnographic research.


          References

          • Gay, L.R., Mills, G.E., Airasian, P. 2012. Educational research. Competences for analysis and Applications, Pearson, Boston.
          • Gungor, I., & Kocbeker Eid, B.N. 2021. Being a student in a village primary school from an ethnographic perspective. Journal of Qualitative Research in Education, 28, 129-155. 10.14689/enad.28.6
          • Levitan J., Carr-Chellman D., Carr-Chellman, A. 2020. Accidental ethnography: A method for practitioner-based education research, Action Research, Vol. 18(3), 336–352. DOI: 10.1177/1476750317709078
          • López Gándara, Y.; Navarro-Pablo, M.; García-Jiménez, E. 2021. Decolonising Literacy Practices for an Inclusive and Sustainable Model of Literacy Education. Sustainability, 13, 13349. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/su132313349.             
          • McAllister, Á. Brown, N. 2023. Competition and Collaboration in Higher Education: An (Auto)Ethnographic Poetic Inquiry, Qualitative Inquiry, 1-7 https://doi.org/10.1177/10778004231176278.
          • Milani Marin LE, Jacomuzzi AC. 2022. Interactions and social identity of support teachers: An ethnographic study of the marginalisation in the inclusive school. Frontiers in Education. 7:948202. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2022.948202.
          • Miller, P.J., Hengst, J.A., Wang S. 2003. Ethnographic methods: Application from Developmental Cultural Psychology, in Camic, P.M., Rhodes, J.E., Yardley, L. (eds.) Qualitative Research in Psychology, Expanding perspectives in methodology and design, APA, Whashington, DC.
          • Siqueira, S. 2021. Critical Pedagogy and Language Education: Hearing the Voices of Brazilian Teachers of English. Education Sciences. 11, 235. https://doi.org/10.3390/ educsci11050235.
          • Tualaulelei, E. 2020. Professional development for intercultural education: learning on the run, Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, DOI: 10.1080/1359866X.2020.1753168
          • Tualaulelei, E., Halse, C. 2023. Why interculturalism does not always translate into action: Insights from teachers in an Australian primary school, The Australian Educational Researcher (2023) 50:747–762.

        • Session 24 – Thu 7/12 – Qualitative Analytic Techniques to Examine Ethnographic Data – Simona Butnaru, Iasi

          Link


          Abstract

          Data analysis in qualitative research involves summarizing data in a dependable and accurate manner and leads to an undeniable presentation of study findings.

          Qualitative data analysis requires that the researcher be patient and reflective in a process that strives to make sense of multiple data sources, including field notes from observations and interviews, questionnaires, maps, pictures, audiotape transcripts, and videotaped observations. On the other hand, data interpretation is an attempt by the researcher to find meaning in the data in terms of the implications of the findings. Analysis involves summarizing what’s in the data, whereas interpretation involves making sense of—finding meaning in—those data. Analyzing and interpreting qualitative data challenge researcher to explore every possible angle and try to find patterns and seek out new understandings from the data.

          The techniques outlined in this lecture will serve as guideposts and prompts to move through analysis and interpretation as efficiently as possible. This lecture includes definitions and purposes of data analysis and data interpretation before, during, and after data collection; steps involved in analyzing qualitative research data; data analysis strategies (identifying themes, coding interviews, surveys, analyzing antecedents and consequences, displaying findings in matrixes, charts, concept maps, graphs, and figures, stating what is missing, questions for which we are not able to provide answers); data interpretation strategies (highlighting connections, common aspects, linkages between data, categories, patterns, what is important in the data, why is important, what can be learned from it, so what; extending the analysis, connecting findings with personal experience, seeking the advice of critical friends, contextualizing the findings of the study in the related literature, turning to theory, provide a clear link between data collection, analysis, and interpretation) and steps to be followed to ensure the credibility of qualitative research study.


          References

          • Gay, L.R., Mills, G.E., Airasian, P. 2012. Educational research. Competences for analysis and Applications, Pearson, Boston.
          • Gungor, I., & Kocbeker Eid, B.N. 2021. Being a student in a village primary school from an ethnographic perspective. Journal of Qualitative Research in Education, 28, 129-155. 10.14689/enad.28.6
          • Levitan J., Carr-Chellman D., Carr-Chellman, A. 2020. Accidental ethnography: A method for practitioner-based education research, Action Research, Vol. 18(3), 336–352. DOI: 10.1177/1476750317709078
          • López Gándara, Y.; Navarro-Pablo, M.; García-Jiménez, E. 2021. Decolonising Literacy Practices for an Inclusive and Sustainable Model of Literacy Education. Sustainability, 13, 13349. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/su132313349.             
          • McAllister, Á. Brown, N. 2023. Competition and Collaboration in Higher Education: An (Auto)Ethnographic Poetic Inquiry, Qualitative Inquiry, 1-7 https://doi.org/10.1177/10778004231176278.
          • Milani Marin LE, Jacomuzzi AC. 2022. Interactions and social identity of support teachers: An ethnographic study of the marginalisation in the inclusive school. Frontiers in Education. 7:948202. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2022.948202.
          • Miller, P.J., Hengst, J.A., Wang S. 2003. Ethnographic methods: Application from Developmental Cultural Psychology, in Camic, P.M., Rhodes, J.E., Yardley, L. (eds.) Qualitative Research in Psychology, Expanding perspectives in methodology and design, APA, Whashington, DC.
          • Siqueira, S. 2021. Critical Pedagogy and Language Education: Hearing the Voices of Brazilian Teachers of English. Education Sciences. 11, 235. https://doi.org/10.3390/ educsci11050235.
          • Tualaulelei, E. 2020. Professional development for intercultural education: learning on the run, Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, DOI: 10.1080/1359866X.2020.1753168
          • Tualaulelei, E., Halse, C. 2023. Why interculturalism does not always translate into action: Insights from teachers in an Australian primary school, The Australian Educational Researcher (2023) 50:747–762.


        • Session 25 - Thur 10/12 - Research methods in digital ethnography -Simona Butnaru