PhD research is interesting in more ways than one. Not only do you get to, hopefully, explore a topic you love in great detail, you also have to be able to adapt your exploration to what is happening around you. Case in point, the Covid-19 Pandemic has had a large influence on many PhD research projects, including my own. Due to restrictions I haven't been able to meet people in person until recently, and so my research has undergone quite a few adjustments. I now have four methods running at the same time, three still searching for participants. Take a look at the different methods I'm using below, and please do share with your contacts and take part yourself!
My PhD research is about how culture influences the use of public libraries by refugees and people seeking asylum (forced migrants). It is meant to help illuminate why certain resources are used in specific ways and whether they are actually the best resources to provide support for forced migrants or if they are just the next best option. The work is framed around the needs, requirements, thoughts, and experiences of forced migrants, rather than current public library provision. The study is mostly being conducted online, though in person interviews can be conducted based on your comfort level. There are three branches of this research: questionnaire with follow-up interview with forced migrants; art exhibition with artwork from forced migrants; gatekeeper interviews with individuals who work with and/or support forced migrants. For the questionnaire/interview, participants complete a fully anonymous online questionnaire. Participants can provide their contact information if they would like to be contacted for a follow-up interview. Follow-up interviews will be conducted based on results from the questionnaires. I am using this method to learn from the lived experiences of forced migrants about how and why they use the public library in the UK and country of origin. For the art exhibition, participants can submit a photograph or piece of artwork in any medium which represents why they use the public library (view the art exhibition website here). The art elicitation will result in a public art exhibition showcasing forced migrant voices (with prizes for the artwork and stories). The submissions will be physically displayed in a library in Edinburgh as well as be displayed online. I am also interviewing individuals who work with or provide support for forced migrants (gatekeepers). These interviews (via Microsoft Teams, telephone, or in person dependent on participant comfort) to triangulate data gathered via other methods. Gatekeepers can be currently working with/supporting forced migrants or have done so in the past. Covid-19 has affected quite a bit, so even if you haven't been doing anything since B.C.E (Before Covid-19 Era) I would still love to chat with you. Contact [email protected] to set up an interview or use the contact form on this blog site. As a final method, I am reviewing the official documentation 22 local Scottish Authorities hold regarding forced migrant integration and resettlement. By looking at the policies of different local authorities I will be able to look at how life experiences of forced migrants and gatekeepers match up with what is officially documented as important. I hope this comparison will result in recommendations that will help library staff, local governments, and other gatekeepers provide the best support to forced migrants. My methods have changed and adapted as I've gone through my PhD, which has taught me a lot about research and myself. I am still in need of participants, so if you or anyone you know is interested in helping me learn what is actually needed to support refugees and people seeking asylum, please participate in the method that matches you!
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