Relfections for preliminary research purposals

All three group presented on Monday did a very good job demonstrating their preliminary research topics and the methods they chose to conduct their research. There are many stimulating points that I share great interest in, but there are also some concerns that caught my attention in terms of how the research will be carried out in a practical way.

Squatting Group:
Interesting points—
l Definition: occupying an abandoned space with a bed, a table, and a chair
l Legibility: It is legal in Netherlands but barely anywhere else in the world.
l Population make-up: not necessarily homeless people. There are plenty of young people up for such experience.
Concerns:
Squatting activities are taken in a fairly private space and people who squat might not want to be targeted. Besides it’s hard not to take a private approach without a sense of invasion. I suggest the group to obtain some kind of consent before doing any observation or interview.

Religion/Community Group
Interesting points—
l getting information from brochures/pamphlets
l Interview church leaders
l Attending church services

Concerns:
The impression I get from this topic is broad. The group did a good job with the researching methods and so, yet there seems to be a lot to be covered under such a broad topic. Also, religious is intensely associated with multiculturalism and tolerance, which have caused many conflicts within Dutch society. Therefore, the group might want to extra careful when carrying out their researching methods, such as interviewing church leaders.

Health Group:
Interesting points
l Diverging interest: Different from the other two groups’ topics, which majorly focus on arts and culture, this group diverge their interests with a blend of science.
l Relating healthcare to women issue and Muslim culture
Concerns:
Healthcare practice is a professional field that involves much bureaucracy and knowledge of health science. It is even more challenging to investigate within another cultural contest, since many of the resources can only be obtained in Dutch. One way to overcome such anticipated problem might be looking up for the resources as much as possible and contacting local agency for assistance and access.