News and Events

BU hosts international research conference

8 September 2008

An international conference which explores innovative approaches for understanding people’s lives takes place at BU this week.

Experts from across the globe will be speaking at an international research conference hosted by BU's Centre for Qualitative Research, exploring innovative methods to help understand various aspects of people’s lives.

The biennial conference takes place from Monday 8-10 September 2008 at the Talbot Campus. Over 130 delegates from 15 countries are expected to attend.

Speakers and delegates from a wide range of subjects are involved, including health, social care, psychology, sociology, anthropology, media studies and education.

They will discuss traditional and new qualitative research methods and focus on performative social science – the use of drama, art, music and poetry to aid research.

Innovative talks and concepts will be presented, including ‘Research techniques to record women’s experiences of breastfeeding,’ ‘Improving the quality of life for people with dementia and their carers’ and ‘Let’s talk about sex’, which uses drama as a research tool to find out the views and sexual experiences of young people with learning disabilities.

Keynote speakers include world-renowned Rosemarie Anderson, from the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, USA, and Johnny Saldaña, Professor of Theatre, Arizona State University.

Special guests include Ken and Mary Gergen, social psychologists from the USA, who will be presenting ‘In Conversation’, a unique, fly-on-the-wall approach to discussing the conference activities with the audience.

There will also be opportunities for delegates to record their experiences of the conference via a ‘dreampod’ video booth.

> Find out more information on the Qualitative Research Conference.