Conducting social research online and offline: opportunities, risks and challenges
23–24 November 2022, Warsaw (Poland)
An international conference organised by the Middle East and Central Asia Unit, SGH Warsaw School of Economics
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the world and human life in every possible aspect, in a plenty of spheres causing irreversible changes – one of them being social sciences. In order to mitigate the negative impact of the pandemic on their research, many scholars turned to solutions that enabled them to conduct their explorations online. Although online tools had been applied in social research long before the outbreak of the pandemic, changing dynamics of professional life in times of coronavirus broadened the scale of their use in a significant way.
The use of online tools in conducting social research can be perceived as an opportunity of crossing the borders of time and space as it gives a plenty of possibilities of exploring the unknown without actually leaving one’s office. It can also turn out to be helpful in collecting and analysing data, both quantitative and qualitative, or serve as means of supplementing conventional research. Nevertheless, there are potential risks and challenges that need to be identified before starting explorations online. Certain challenges may materialise in the course of research and they also need to be addresses in a proper way.
Although online environment offers many advantages in carrying out social research, some scholars prefer to stay offline and conduct their investigations in a “traditional” form that enables them i.a. to conduct interviews face-to-face or participate in various events in person. These researchers, too, encounter risk and challenges to overcome. Facing a plenty of obstacles created by the COVID-19 pandemic, new solutions had to be applied in social research.
Researchers and scholars representing various disciplines of social sciences are invited to share their experiences in terms of finding opportunities, identifying risks and responding to challenges faced while conducting their research both online and offline – in a “traditional” form. Papers addressing methodological problems of online/offline explorations within the scope of social sciences are welcome as well as articles describing practical aspects of conducting such research.
During the conference we would like to reflect i.a. upon the following issues:
• How has the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way of carrying out social research and what conclusions can
we draw from this experience?
• How can online tools supplement explorations conducted in a “traditional” (offline) way?
• How to plan and conduct fieldwork using online tools in social sciences?
• What kind of risks and challenges are faced by researchers who carry out online or offline investigations within
the scope of social sciences?
• What opportunities do online research tools offer in terms of their use in other academic spheres, e.g. teaching
or supervising diploma dissertations?
• How to overcome challenges of conducting social research offline in the times of the pandemic?
Participants of the conference will also have an opportunity to take part in methodological workshop conducted by experienced researchers.
Practical information
The conference is organised within a framework of the project Navigating Social Worlds: Toolbox for Social Inquiry financed within the framework of Erasmus+ Strategic Partnerships in Response of the Covid-19 Situation – Partnerships for Digital Education Readiness, the European Union.
Other activities that have so far been organised are listed on the project’s website: https://socialworlds.sgh.waw.pl/
Language
The language of the conference is English, however, abstracts in Polish will also be accepted.
The language of the papers which are to be published as outcomes of the conference proceedings can be either English or Polish.
Publication
Participants are welcome to submit papers presenting their experiences in conducting social research or addressing methodological issues. The articles will be published in a Special Issue of a social science journal.
The papers (in either English or Polish) should not exceed 20 000 characters (between 2 800 and 5 000 words).
Deadlines
• 20 September2022 submission of abstracts and bios
• 30 September 2022 notification about acceptance of abstracts
• 23–24 November 2022 the conference
• 31 December 2022 submission of final papers
• Spring/summer 2023 publication of the Special Issue of a social science journal
Venue
SGH Warsaw School of Economics, al. Niepodległości 162, 02-554 Warsaw, Poland
Financial issues
There is no conference fee. The organisers provide snacks during coffee breaks, and conference materials. The rest of expenses (esp. accommodation and travel) are paid by the participants.
What to do next?
Please submit your abstract (around 300 words) with a short bio until 20 September 2022 to Agnieszka SyliwoniukWapowska, PhD – assistant professor at asyliw [at] sgh.waw.pl.