Special Issue: Transnational Family Research – Methodological Challenges
Guest Editor: Viorela Ducu
During the last decade, research in the field of trasnational families has intensified, and therewith the methodological approach to this subject has become more complex and diverse in capturing the various aspects of the thematic. In this issue we wish to gather researcher experiences in what concerns the methodological challenges they confronted while researching within the field of trasnational families. On the one hand, we want to capture new trends in the field, on the other, to make this special issue become a source of inspiration for scholars who wish to project new research designs for the field.
We expect the papers to reflect the challenges posed by new approaches that leave classical methods behind, such as: the use of online applications (Skype, Facebook etc.); visual media like photography and video; couple interviews; group interviews; multiple interviews within the same family; unusual locations for data collection and participative observation etc. Additionally, we are looking forward for papers that reflect the difficulties researchers meet in their work and the ways they solve them: from identifying participants and obtaining their agreement to participate, to data analysis and interpretation. Another question we would like the papers to reflect on is the dissemination of research results in such a way that these attain the desired impact, especially so that these results may surpass the limits of academia and reach the social/political decision makers, the general public and even transnational family members.
This thematic volume will be published as the first issue of the journal (June 2017). A 3000-5000 words long first draft of the papers needs to be sent until the 1st of February 2017. Reviewer feedback will be given until the 3rd of April 2017, whereas the final version of the paper is expected until the 29th of May 2017.
Paper proposals can be made to the editor before sending the first draft, in the form of an extended abstract. Contact person: Viorela Ducu, (fviorela@yahoo.com).