PS9001 Critical Engagements: Social Sciences in a Changing Society Course description

This course provides an in-depth exploration of social science’s evolving role within society, alongside the potential influences of societal stakeholders on the social sciences. Closely related to the courses on the philosophy of science and science ethics, this course covers issues of new expectations and requirements of research to interact and engage with society, and how they may reflect more general societal transformations affecting the production and valuation of knowledge.

These expectations and requirements concern issues such as achieving societal impact, bringing onboard various groups of stakeholders, disseminating research findings to a wide range of and increasingly diverse set of audiences, reaching out to groups in vulnerable positions, and of incorporating non-researchers into the processes of planning, doing and publishing social science research. The course explores these trends against a backdrop of science integrity and academic freedom, which, in some European and wider international contexts, face challenges from political and societal pressures.

Theoretically, the course explores the transformation in knowledge production, moving from a traditional, discipline-centred approach to a more dynamic, context-driven and interdisciplinary one. It delves into, the ‘knowledge economy’ as a real and as an imagined phenomenon, and it considers the theoretical underpinnings of ‘evidence-based research’, including the realist approach. This course will allow candidates to critically reflect upon the drivers of recent trends that increasingly obliterate the borders between the field of science and surrounding fields of politics, practice, and the public sphere. Hereby candidates are prepared to utilize the many possibilities offered by these developments in terms of engaging with the wider society, while recognizing the pitfalls. Candidates will work with practical cases of how their own doctoral research can generate societal and practical impact, involve stakeholders and end-users in the science process, and integrate the principles and practices of ‘open science’.

No prerequisites.

Knowledge

After completing the course the PhD candidate:

• Has advanced knowledge about major trends in social science’s relations to the wider society
• Has extensive knowledge about specific topics that have come to dominate the academic field such as outreach, user-involvement, stakeholders in research and knowledge translation, citizen science, science skepticism and the politization of science
• Has advanced knowledge about theories explaining current trends in the relations between research, universities and society

Skills

After completion of the course, the PhD candidate:

• Can discuss his or her own research in terms of possible societal impact and is able to set up a concrete plan outlining the pathway to impact
• Can discuss his or her project in terms of strategies to involve ordinary citizens in fieldwork or end-users in the design, implementation and dissemination of the research

General competence

After completion of the course, the PhD candidate:

• Will have strengthened critical awareness when it comes to identifying trends in social science research’s engagement with society
• Will have improved understanding of their own role as researchers vis-à-vis diverse groups of stakeholders such as state agencies commissioning research, professional associations, user associations and the general public

Teaching will take the form of lectures and seminar discussions. Concrete examples, preferably from candidates’ own PhD projects, will be used as a basis for discussing different perspectives and aspects of the course’s content.

The course comprises three days of lectures (12 hours) and workshops (3 hours), amounting to 5 ECTS credits.

Active participation is necessary to adequately understand the course material and themes. Candidates will work with practical cases of how their own doctoral research relates to course themes, for example how their research outcomes may lead to impact (i.e. contribute to change in the field), how one may involve users or stakeholders in research activities or how to adopt an ‘open science’ approach. Participation is mandatory and expected in all days of teaching.

The assessment in this course shall be a written essay addressing one of the topics of the course and relating it the PhD student’s own dissertation. The scope of the essay shall be about 8-10 pages, and be delivered within two months after the course.Essays must be submitted within the given deadline, without extensions. Exceptions are made only in the case of illness (documented by sick leave). In these cases, an extension equaling the length of the sick leave can be granted (upon application).

The master's thesis is an independent work worth 30 credits.

The master's degree thesis should be an independent and analytical work with relevance to the subject areas in the programme (family therapy). The students must choose a topic that will be highlighted through systematic use of qualitative and/or quantitative methodologies. The research question can be of either a theoretical or an empirical nature.

The master's thesis is submitted in the form of a monograph or an article manuscript as described below.

All compulsory exams must be passed before the student can submit the master's thesis for assessment.

Knowledge

The student has

• advanced knowledge of a specialised field in the area of family therapy
• in-depth knowledge of theories relevant to the topic of the master's thesis
• in-depth insight into a topic or phenomenon from several different perspectives
• in-depth knowledge, and application of academic requirements for analysis and written production

Skills The student is capable of

• delimiting a large topic or phenomenon and turning it into a research object
• choosing and making use of one or several methods to explore the master's thesis research question
• developing a design for an empirical study
• analysing data material using theoretical perspectives and concepts
• carrying out a systematic and critical analysis, applying key research principles and giving a clear, academic presentation of the results
• evaluating research ethics issues related to his/her own project

Competence

The student is capable of

• reading research literature in a critical and reflective manner
• considering issues relating to academic, professional and research ethics
• communicating knowledge and own research results orally and in writing
• applying research-based knowledge and skills in areas relating to family treatment

In the second semester will develop their own project outlines, which is a work requirement. The project description also forms the basis for being assigned a supervisor. The supervisor is assigned at the end of the second semester. In the course Master's Degree Thesis, two thesis seminars, a kick-off seminar and midway seminar, will also be held. The compulsory kick-off seminar will take place at the end of the second semester, and the midway seminar at the beginning of the fourth semester. See the description under the coursework requirements section, and the separate section about the thesis seminars.

At the beginning of the second semester, a master's degree fair will be organised where the students will be presented with research projects they can join.

The kick-off seminar is held at the end of the spring semester in the second semester. The aim is to provide information that can support the individual student in their work on the master's thesis. Regular supervision is provided in addition to the seminar. After the kick-off seminar, the students will start work on the progress schedule. See the chapter about coursework requirements.

The midway seminar is held in the sixth semester and will focus on texts from the students' work on the master's thesis.