2nd International LAB Meeting - Spring Session 2005
Social Representations in Action and Construction in Media and Society
"Image-Based Research Methods for Analysing Social Representations
in action in different cultural contexts"
at the European PhD on Social Representations & Communication Multimedia LAB & Research Center, Rome-Italy
in combination with Worldwide on-line connection points
From 29th April to 8th May 2005
Project Summary
The European PhD on Social Representations and Communication International Lab Meetings, successor to the decade of International Summer Schools, provides an important opportunity for young researchers to obtain advanced academic and technical skills needed to conduct state-of-the-art research. Twelve ten days-long courses are organised around the theme of Social Representations in Action and Construction in Media and Society and focus on advanced practical training for 25 participants. The first two events each year integrate virtual and face-to-face sessions, aimed at training doctoral students in meta-theoretical analysis of the literature. The following one is face-to-face intensive training courses requiring the physical mobility of participants and open to long-term dissemination via web. These events share common objectives and have a didactic structure with multiple training opportunities for critical analysis of the link between multi-media communication systems and social representations. The methods, techniques, software packages and related method theory guiding applications in research design, will provide the unifying theme for each event of the proposed advanced courses. The topics developed in the participants' research projects presented and discussed during the workshops will provide a variety of societal issues mediated and constructed via traditional and new media. The program's originality is in its training methods, integrating face-to-face interaction (workshops, lectures, presentations) with mediated virtual interaction (Internet forum discussion, web-videoconferencing, streaming videos). Key lectures expand the horizon to other communication fields (semiotics, linguistics, sociology, mass communications, media studies etc.). The phenomena we cover (information society, new socialization and communication strategies and applications for politics, health, the environment, social minorities, gender, etc.) are clearly relevant to EU policy.
Compared to that successfully used in the past ten years of the International Summer Schools, the European PhD on Social Representations and Communication International Lab Meetings will offer a slightly different formula for advanced training. The originality of this program is found in its innovative training methods, combining face to face interaction in a variety of training situations (workshops, lectures, presentations) with mediated virtual interaction (internet forum discussion, web-videoconferencing, streaming videos on the web) for training purposes, especially long term dissemination of the scientific events. Our intention is to continue the International Summer School's tradition of achieving "steps forward" by addressing state of the art scientific problems through valuable research training methods and innovative applications.
The formula adopted for this new series of events is even more innovative compared previous ones for the following reasons:
- it gives research trainees a more active role allowing a number of them to take on responsibilities as research event assistants;
- it will accept a limited number of post-doctorate researchers as participants, not only doctoral candidates. This will allow for the improvement of cross-fertilization of ideas and research practices between research trainees with different levels of expertise as well as providing new training opportunities for researchers who already have 4-10 years of experience at the time of the event;
- the practical advanced training sessions (in the physical lab as well on-line) reduces the number of participants in each event and increases the number of events each year;
- it includes complementary sessions aimed at international research management training valuable for researchers' career development;
- it promotes post-event forum discussions among the participants via web on the knowledge acquired during the practical courses and its later applications. They can also request on-line feedback from guest experts, as consultants.
|
Event No |
Event Duration | |
| Start Date | End Date | |
| 1 | 22/01/2005 | 30/01/2005 |
| 2 | 29/04/2005 | 08/05/2005 |
| 3 | 02/07/2005 | 10/07/2005 |
| 4 | 21/01/2006 | 29/01/2006 |
| 5 | 29/04/2006 | 07/05/2006 |
| 6 | 02/09/2006 | 10/09/2006 |
| 7 | 20/01/2007 | 28/01/2007 |
| 8 | 28/04/2007 | 06/05/2007 |
| 9 | 07/07/2007 | 15/07/2007 |
| 10 | 26/01/2008 | 03/02/2008 |
| 11 | 26/04/2008 | 04/05/2008 |
| 12 | 05/07/2008 | 13/07/2008 |
The draft agenda for the first three sessions of the Advanced Research Training Courses to be organised on the first year (2005) in winter, spring and summer is as follows.
| N° | Year | Session |
Start date- End date |
Typology and Location |
Topic Advanced Research Training Objective |
| 1 | 2005 | Winter |
22/01/05 30/01/05 |
Integrated On Line and Face-to-Face held at the European Ph.D on S.R. & C. Research Centre and Multi-Media Lab Rome - Italy with multi-points connection via web auditorium |
Virtual group and individual training in the use of European Ph.D web-Auditorium via Marratech Pro multi-point video conference system. Special training sessions will be organized using as didatic materials:
|
| 2 | 2005 | Spring |
29/04/05 08/05/05 |
Integrated On Line and Face-to-Face held at the European Ph.D. on S.R. & C. Research Centre and Multi-media Lab Rome - ITALY with multi-points connection via web auditorium |
Image-based research methods for analysing representations in action in different cultural contexts. Investigating Iconic Represenetations and Flashbulb mass-Memory in the media: the photolangage technique and its application in focus groups |
| 3 | 2005 | Summer |
02/07/05 10/07/05 |
Face-to-Face held at the European Ph.D on S.R. & C. Research Centre and Multi-media Lab Rome - ITALY with a joint session with the International Facet Theory Conference held in Centro Congressi via dei Frentani, Rome |
Applying the Facet Theory and statistical analysis via HUDAP software to research on Social Representations: computer mediated training sessions, both theoretical and methodological |
Keynote speakers have been chosen from among leading scientists in various disciplines (anthropology, sociology, social psychology, psychology of art, media studies, science communication, etc.) with different research traditions in the area of communication.
The aim is not only to present state-of-the-art of research and theory from various fields, but also to stimulate the cross-fertilization of ideas in a multidisciplinary arena.
Depending on the technical conditions of the speed connection available across the online participant’s network and the accomplished technical requirements, the magisterial lectures, produced during the scientific events, are transmitted simultaneously in real time to all the participants and/or transmitted in streaming videos on the web for a post event connection.
The first event was chaired by Prof. Serge Moscovici (E.H.E.S.S.-L.E.P.S.-M.S.H.), the Program Director of the European Ph.D., and Prof. Annamaria Silvana de Rosa (La Sapienza University of Rome – Italy), Scientific Co-ordinator of the program.
The audience consisted of two different groups of participants. One group participated in the meeting from multi-media lab in Rome, the other group was connected from various countries worldwide. Both groups joint into the interactive learning process via the use of Marratech pro multi-point video conference system called the European PhD web auditorium.
The first part of the event consisted in training the participants in the technical use of the online conferencing tool. The second part included the following intellectual input followed by interactive discussion with the participant, from inside and outside the lab:
Ø KEYNOTE LECTURES by Prof. Klaus Peter Koepping University of Heidelberg (Germany) on:
“Crisis of representation. The new order of the representation in the age of globalisation: Hegemonial and anti-hegemonial representations.”
“Representations and symbolic systems of culture.”
Ø LECTURES by Prof. Annamaria de Rosa, (La Sapienza University of Rome - Italy) Scientific co-ordinator of the European Ph.D. on S.R. & C on:
“Paradigmatic coherence between criteria for meta-theoretical anlysis of the literature on the Social Representations theory and evaluation tools designed to analyse different steps of the research reports.”
Ø LECTURES by Prof. Serge Moscovici, (E.H.E.S.S; M.S.H. – L.E.P.S. - France) Program director of the European Ph.D. on S.R. & C. on:
“The construction of a critical bibliography: An on-going process for a good research practice.”
Ø Intensive groups working session on meta-theoretical analysis.
The second meeting includes the participation of Prof. Angela Arruda and Prof. Clelia Nascimento from Brazil and of Prof. Renata Metastasio, Prof. Annamaria Prof. Giannini and Prof. Annamaria de Rosa from Italy.
Ø LECTURE by Prof. Angela Arruda, Universidade Federal Rio de Jainero (Brazil) on:
“Imaginary and social representation of Brazil”
“Brazilian Research on Social Representation”
Ø LECTURE by Prof. Annamaria de Rosa, La Sapienza University of Rome (Italy) (Scientific co-ordinator of the European Ph.D. on S.R. & C) on:
“Image-based research and Social Representations: the drawing as vehicle for studying Social Representations”
“Applying the photo language in focus group”
Ø LECTURE by Prof. Annamaria Giannini , La Sapienza University of Rome (Italy) on:
“Social representations in visual art: cognitive and emotional aspects”
Ø LECTURE by Prof. Renata Metastasio , La Sapienza University of Rome (Italy) on:
“Techniques and Method of Analysis of Images in advertising: a ”content analysis” based research on international magazines”
Ø LECTURE by Prof. Clelia Nascimento Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (Brazil) on:
“The use of iconic representation in science communication
Ø Intensive group working sessionS ON PARTICPANTS‘ RESEARCH PROJECTS AND PRESENTATIONS based on Iconic materials or research tools ( drawing, map, cartoon, photos, adverts, videos….)
Ø Training sessions relating to ODL use of the Euro PhD website and methodological skills for distant monitoring of research progress
Active Participants’ contribution
The whole series of practical courses will involve substantial hands-on laboratory and/or field experience for the participants, who will be asked to bring their research data files, if available.
The various topics developed in the participants' research projects presented and discussed during the workshops will provide a variety of societal issues mediated and constructed via different traditional and new media. The methods, techniques, software packages and related method theory guiding applications in research design, will provide the unifying theme for each event of the proposed advanced training courses.
The European PhD on S.R. & C. International Lab Meetings will be led by qualified academic experts, who will commit for the entire ten days-long event, assisted by one or two doctoral
The 12 sub-programmes of the whole series of the International Lab Meetings are related to each other by:
- common pedagogical objectives in training European PhD researchers
- the general topic: "Social Representations in Action and Construction in Media and Society"
- links between specific topics (the theory of the methods and their applications) around which the 12 events are organised
- a focus on social psychology from a multidisciplinary perspective
- a didactic structure involving different types of training sessions (empirical research methods advanced training, workshops with participants' presentations, keynote lectures, integrated training sessions using the European PhD website, post-event forum discussion, streaming videos on the web, etc.)
- integration of on-site training (face to face interaction) with web-videoconferencing (virtual interaction) with European PhD network university sites, including the Marie Curie Multi-Partner Organisation and the SoReCom Thematic network.
Target participants include the following:
- Doctoral research trainees enrolled in the European PhD on S.R. & C.
- European PhD on S.R. & C. Marie Curie Fellows
- A limited number of young researchers (no more than 5) with 4-10 years of post-graduate experience from organisations, institutions, and public or private research centres interested in the subjects (preferably among participants in previous European PhD on Social Representations and Communication International Summer Schools or introduced by one of the universities of the Socrates-Erasmus network or the European PhD Vinci network).
- Postgraduates, doctoral research trainees including those not belonging to the European PhD on S.R. & C. network and from outside Europe enrolled in national PhD courses or in team research programmes (preferably among participants in previous European PhD on Social Representations and Communication International Summer Schools or introduced by one of the universities of the Socrates-Erasmus network or the European PhD Vinci network).
Priority in the selection procedure will be given to the regularly enrolled European PhD on S.R. & C. research trainees, by taking into account that the European PhD on Social Representations and Communication International Lab Meetings is a crucial didactic stage in their training, for which 10 credits per year are awarded under the Euro PhD system.
If places will be still available, young researchers not enrolled in the Euro PhD programme will be selected. For them the European PhD on Social Representations and Communication International Lab Meetings provide an opportunity to broaden their specialised knowledge in the subject area.
Dissemination
The European PhD on Social Representations and Communication International Lab Meetings deal with “Communication” as it relates to Social Representations, an area of study which originated in and spread out from Europe. Past International Summer Schools, particularly through their link with the European PhD, have reinforced the European origin of the research area and helped to re-establish the world wide intellectual leadership of European Social Psychology. The European PhD on Social Representations and Communication is now well established as a permanent European forum for disseminating state of the art research in this area. Continuation of the Euro PhD Summer School experience in future years is crucial if Europe is to maintain its role as the leading “voice” in what has now become a multilingual worldwide research field which is closely tied to social policy-making processes including immigration and minority groups, quality of life, health, environment, and information technology . There is also European added value in training researchers who can pool the knowledge gained from academic research and expertise acquired by the private sector and political institutions to conduct future comparative studies in social sciences in areas of importance for EU citizens. Continuing to offer these advantages, now via the European PhD on Social Representations and Communication International Lab Meetings that have a consistent ethos and format (didactic and administrative structure, monitoring system) will help to set and maintain European standards for both research and teaching. In this respect the European PhD on Social Representations and Communication International Lab Meetings will be yet another step towards the construction of a "Virtual University of Europe".
APPLICATION FOR MSCF-CT-2004-013264 FUNDING
- The eligible candidates may apply for MSCF-CT-2004-013264 funding (including scientific participation fees, travel expenses at the lowest fare, accommodation and lunches according to the arrangement provided by the organiser). Eligible applicants are:
Ø research trainee enrolled in the European Doctorate on Social Representations and Communication
Ø new candidate of the European Doctorate on Social Representations and Communication for 2005/2006 with no more than 4 years of research activity, since gaining a University Degree giving access to doctoral studies
Ø potential candidate of other doctoral program in Social Sciences with no more than 4 years of research activity, since gaining a University Degree giving access to doctoral studies or as doctoral research trainees who had not yet obtained a doctoral degree
Ø Experienced Participant with at least 4 years and less than 10 years of Research Experience - since gaining a University Degree giving access to doctoral studies (no more than 5 experienced participants will be admited, free of charge)
- Those who do not fulfill the eligibility criteria, - if admitted – are requested to pay the amount of 1000 Euro for the scientific participation fee (not including travel, accommodation, and living expenses) as soon they receive the letter of acceptance. The deadline and method of payment will be communicated with the letter of acceptance.