Call for Papers: Cultural Studies, Qualitative Research

The second conference on Text, Interaction and Communities
Qualitative Approaches to Society and Social Action
May 25.-26. 2005, University of Tampere, Finland
http://www.uta.fi/laitokset/sospol/conf/

Qualitative research is increasingly characterised by a diversity of approaches. The aim of this conference is to encourage dialogue among thesedifferent perspectives. The specific theme "Text, Interaction andCommunities" was chosen to explore how society and communities are perceived in different research methods and practices.

What is the policyof qualitative research?
What specific insight can different qualitative methodologies offer to the study of social action?

Dialogue on these themes will be carried out both in the keynote lectures, discussant comments as well as in workshops.

Keynote speakers of the conference are:
• Dr. Vivien Burr
• Prof. Paul Drew
• Prof. Christine Sylvester

Deadline for abstracts: January 28, 2005.

PRE CONFERENCE COURSES
May 23.-24 2005
Tampere Postgraduate Centre for Social Sciences (TAMCESS)
University of Tampere

Three doctoral courses will be arranged before the conference. The courses are lead by Dr. Vivien Burr and Professors Paul Drew and Christine Sylvester in cooperation with their Finnish colleagues. Each course is based on the overall theme of the conference with special emphasis on a particular qualitative research orientation. These courses are designed to support doctoral students and scholars using a qualitative approach in their work.

Conversation analysis:
The active patient (Prof. Paul Drew)
Qualitative research as participation and communication (Prof. ChristineSylvester)
Social constructionism and discourse analysis (Dr. Vivien Burr)

ORGANIZERS:The Qualitative Social Research Unit (LYHTY) in collaboration with TheDepartment of Social Policy and Social Work, The Research Institute for Social Sciences, and Tampere Graduate Centre for Social Sciences (TAMCESS), The University of Tampere.

More information is available at:http://www.uta.fi/laitokset/sospol/conf/