Module Spotlight: Critical Social Research: Truth, Power and Ethics

The module Critical Social Research: Truth, Ethics and Power – SOCI8320 engages with core questions researchers need to consider.

We discuss questions such as why we do social research, how we do social research and how we can do so ethically? The course builds on other training in specific methods and critically discusses core concepts of truth, power, ethics, and uncertainty in social research. This year we have had some particularly lively discussions about how and why we would do research to achieve social change, how we can do so critically with community, policy and societal impacts.

We also discuss what the role of social researchers is, how we can work/engage with communities and what the role of our own power and power structures is. We also explore how we can understand our own impact and responsibilities when working on issues to do with issues such as climate change.

Why is it being taught?
The module challenges and prepares students to reflect on and define their positions as social researchers and how they will approach doing social research. In other words, they are asked to justify why they do research in the way they do. These are essential questions to answer for anyone doing social research, be it in academia, civil service, private sector or civil society. The module’s importance has increased as we see shifts towards a stronger questioning of academics, our expertise and the emergence of fake news, among others.

We focus on questions such as; what are our goals as social researchers? Is there such a thing as truth? What is the role of social researchers in the social world? What are our ethical responsibilities as social researchers? How can we, as social researchers, responsibly affect change and have an impact? How do we deal with bad impact? We also discuss what knowledge is, and discuss the value of community-based methods, decolonising and queer methods.

Who is taking it?
The module has a mix of masters and PhD students from across the social sciences, creating a vibrant space for discussions and learning. Students take them as part of the core modules on their degrees, but many also chooses to take the module because it responds to core issues in their dissertation and theses projects.

Who is teaching it?
The module is taught by Dr Trude Sundberg. They’re a researcher using bottom up research methods and community based research methods. They work with and alongside vulnerable and minoritized communities in different parts of the world. They have worked in mainland China, and also with minoritized LGBTQIA+ communities, within higher education institutions in the UK. Trude works on water security in India, working with minoritized communities and scientists from different backgrounds as well as local stakeholders.

Dr-Trude-Sandberg pictured standing surrounded by foliage

How does this improve employability?
This module might seem like it’s far away from employability, but it engages with every element of a researchers/analysts life. It is a key module for anyone who wants to go into research; within academia, in civil service or in public sectors.

No matter in which part of the economy you work, it’s central to think about your role in relation to what you do and how you do it, and how you impact others.

What students might be surprised to learn
They’ll be surprised how crucial these questions are to what we can say in our research and how we do social research. They might also be surprised to learn about the tensions between the different academic ‘camps’ when it comes to answering the questions on this module.

What lay people should know from this module
There are key topics we need to be aware of when it comes to the motivations and use of social research evidence. Behind the numbers and evidence presented in media and by politicians, lie crucial milestones where researchers have taken stances on things such as; Is there such a thing as value-free research? Why we do social research? Whose knowledge matters in my research? As well as how do I ethically go about creating an impact in my research?

Sample of related content in social media:
Dr Joy Zhang on the CRISPR scandal on BBC: BBC World Service – Science In Action, CRISPR & bioethics
Dr Trude Sundberg on community-based research: Trude Sundberg on researching alongside marginalised communities (buzzsprout.com)

Leave a Reply