Fieldwork and COVID19: Assessing the Impact of Covid19 on Early Career Scholars pt 2

20 January 2021

4pm - 5:30pm (CET)

Registration via Zoom* link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIvcO2pqz4vH9x5TuqLbhDlbP0mOoqOlSBE

 

* Once registered, please download Zoom programme in order to connect successfuly and participate.

 

Organisers / Chairs:

Tamas Peragovics, Central European University

Marieke de Goede, University of Amsterdam and Scientific Director of the Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research.

 

Speakers:

Esmé Bosma, University of Amsterdam

Katarina Kušić, Aberystwyth University

Sarah Perret, King’s College London

Anatoly Reshetnikov, Central European University

 

The aim is to foster a broad discussion on how the Covid-19 crisis and related lockdown measures is affecting early career scholars in international studies across countries. This may include but also goes beyond disrupted fieldwork. We seek to collect best and worst case practice examples of academic institutional responses. We will discuss what new research avenues and practices are emerging in the midst of crisis, and will start a reflection on the changing nature of academic work and career trajectories.

 

Questions that participants are invited to speak on are:

  • How have the Covid19 crisis and measures impacted your research and PhD work? What have you struggled with most (for example: disrupted fieldwork, anxiety and uncertainty, illness of self or others, kids at home, isolation, lack of contact with supervisors, cancellation of conferences, etc etc)?
  • Have you had to change your research methods or questions because of the Covid-19 crisis? How did this work? Did anything good/ creative come out of it that you would like to share with others?
  • Has your institution or research school been supportive? Can you give examples of what they have done that you experienced as supportive; can you give examples of where you think the institution made mistakes that others can learn from?
  • Looking to the future, how do you assess the impact of Covid19 on early career scholars? What do you worry about? What would you like to flag as important points of attention to research leaders and established scholars going forward?
  • How can we make sense of the sea of changes going on right now in academic work and practice? Are there new approaches to what academic work means or entails under pandemic conditions? Is there a reassessment of the value of research trips, postdoctoral positions, publications etc. Is there some consciousness of a new kind of academic modality or lifeform crystallizing, or are we looking to return to the pre-pandemic status quo?