Analysing Qualitative Research: learning from the field

1. Assoc. Professor Anni Dugdale RIM, Bhutan 2013 Analysing Qualitative Research:learning from the field

2. Because what you told me is absolutely correct but completely useless Where am I? Yes, how did you know? You must be a researcher Because you don’t know where you are, you don’t know where you’re going, and now you’re blaming me You’re 30 metres above the ground in a balloon You must be a policy maker Yes. How did you know?

3. Drawing a lesson • We are practitioners who want to do and analyse research to draw lessons and influence practice. Our research is action-based research. • Action-based research is a distinctive way of learning. • It draws on research evidence to propose a remedial course of action to deal with a problem confronting policymakers in their home environment.

4. What is ‘action-based’ research? Action-based research has ‘explanatory’, ‘descriptive’ and ‘prescriptive’ objectives. Action-based research includes practitioners in the production of the research. Ideally action-based research includes practitioners in the analysis of the research. Action research is pragmatic – it aims to produce research which can be integrated into decision processes. Action research involves designing a process of learning

5. Basic Principles • Speaking truth to power • A clear and accessible objective/project • Use well grounded theory • Credible evidence • Critical reflexivity – building a preponderance of evidence • A participatory learning process

6. Example of Action-based Research & Analysis • APGEST (Asia Pacific Gender Equity through Science & Technology) • AIMS • to work with the UNESCO basic science program in 11 countries to raise awareness of gender in science and technology; • to advocate and promote gender equity in and through science and technology; • to diagnose problems, incubate ideas and inspire better practices.

7. APGEST: (ASIA PACIFIC GENDER EQUITY IN SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY) PROGRAMME Collaboration of • APGEN – Asia Pacific Gender Equality Network • UNDP • UNESCO

8. APGEST - ASIA PACIFIC GENDER EQUITY IN SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMME: Puzzle Statement • Poverty and exclusion is getting worse not better • Poverty is feminised. • Globalization is linked to poverty: benefits are to those most ‘connected’ • Women are triply disadvantaged: • (1) unequal access to science, technology and participation in the knowledge dynamics of globalisation. • (2) Unequal access to technical skill for women, including technologies of connectedness. • (3) S&T development oriented away from relevance to women. • Women hold up half the sky  women hold half the local science & technology knowledge communities need to survive & thrive. Women maintain food security, health, household energy supply & water & sanitation management.

9. Aim: Explore what special steps can be taken combining social & technical innovation to connect poor women to global techno-cultural worlds Primary Programme Goal for APGEST: development of women’s technical skill, capital and capacity in social technical innovation particularly at village level

10. Action Research because focus was on • Learning from practice and best practice • Learning how to create & encourage gender sensitive policy in technical Ministries (eg water, forest & fisheries, agriculture, energy)

11. Research Design • Qualitative research strategy • Policy document analysis • Interviews with key policy makers • Case studies of best practice • Analysis of published reports & media coverage • Semi-structured interviews with implementing agencies • Site visits – ethnographic observation and open ended informal interviews with key informants

12. Participating Countries

13. Renewable Energy Technology Focus Green Health Information Technology Water Biotechnology For lots more see http://www.unesco.or.id/apgest/

14. APGEST (GENDER EQUITY IN SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY) PROGRAM Information & Communication technologies social and technical innovation to connect the poor to the global economy (M.S. Swaminatham Research Institute microwave intranet Pondicherry India)

15. Theme 1: how technology works as a socio-technical system • Villianpur is the town hub. It links to internet & Tamil speaking volunteers keep information on the intranet up to date. Microwaves are used to link to Village Knowledge Centres – cheaper than telephone lines which are not existent in area • Integrate information into existing communication networks at village level

16. Ethnography of design of Village Knowledge Centres & intranet Theme 2 - Politics of space: Placement of computer matters • Here picture shows Knowledge Centre was adjacent to temple, this did not work as traditionally Dalits could not enter temples • Head villager’s house was tried – it was weatherproof - but family members were favoured & poor excluded Analysis focused on themes of how to organise human-technology interaction to ensure gender equity Pictures from paper by Subbiah Arunachalam* M S Swaminathan Research Foundation Chennai, India http://www.ifla.org/IV/ifla68/papers/074-095e.pdf

17. Women developed a plants for health database to share knowledge of traditional medicine Children want to play games Youth want to practice for national exams compete for university entry Theme 3 – (Disaggregated) Meaning villagers give to ICT What information do people – men, women, youth - want? Fisherman want to know latest weather reports

18. Making gravity feed small-scale reservoir systems in Nepal • Gender equity themes • Women in design • Women participating in public decision forums • Less drudgery, women able to develop small-scale enterprises

19. Green health • Partnership between Women’s Studies Centre at Yogyakarta State University women traditional jamu makers • Protecting traditional health knowledge from erosion, extinction & bio-piracy • Microcredit, modernising production & distribution