North West Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership
Attending a Manchester Methods Summer School on Creative Approaches: A Strong Future Recommendation for NWSSDTP Students*
*(Please read/listen to the narrated version or do both based on whatever you prefer)!
Sam Browning, Geography & Environment, University of Liverpool (2024 cohort)
I have recently attended a summer school course on ‘Creative Approaches to Qualitative Research‘ at the University of Manchester. Methods@Manchester launched the course in March 2025, and I had been waiting eagerly to attend at the end of June / start of July. Below, you will find some of my reflections on attending and why I strongly recommend the course to anyone interested in discovering more about creative approaches to qualitative research.
Read MoreReflecting on Flexible working: A privilege for some, or a right for all?
Ragnhild Nordset, Business and Management, University of Liverpool (2020 cohort)
Over the past few months, I’ve had the privilege of stepping inside a leading Philharmonic Orchestra, not as an audience member, but as a researcher. Being a musician myself, knowing the hardship of the industry, what began as a study into flexible and family-friendly working quickly became something more personal. This was more than simply gathering data; I was welcomed into their living breathing culture of passion and hard work. It isn’t always that obvious from the outside just how much complexity and care sits behind the scenes of an iconic institution like this.
Read MoreIn June, I heard the words, ‘Congratulations! You are a Dr!’
Abi Lafbery, Social Studies of Science, Technology and Medicine, Lancaster University (2020 Cohort)
After years of conducting an ethnography of outdoor swimming practice in the North West of England, where I immersed myself in water, flora, fauna, pollution, weather and climate, it all seemingly led up to this bottle neck moment on dry land: the viva. Thankfully, my viva ended with prosecco and strawberries courtesy of the department. It also left me feeling that the dreaded viva might not be so dreadful after all, and that it might just need to be demystified. In this piece, I will share my experience and some tips to help illuminate what can often feel like one of academia’s best kept secrets.
Read MoreBridging Theory and Practice: Reflections from Fieldwork in Kisumu, Kenya
Enoch Kolawole, Health and Wellbeing, Keele University (2023 cohort)
Millions of women around the world live with HIV, but the burden of the disease is unevenly distributed across regions and continents. Over the past three months, I have had the opportunity to travel to urban and rural areas of Kisumu County, Kenya, for data collection as part of my PhD research on HIV. This international fieldwork, generously funded by the NWSSDTP, provided not only a rich academic experience but also a deeply personal and professional journey into the realities of women affected by HIV, allowing for firsthand observation and application of theories and concepts.
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