SDP416 Critical realism in environment, development and planning studies

The aim of this PhD course is to provide opportunity for doctoral students to develop their knowledge of critical realism as a contribution to their overall meta-theoretical reflections. Apart from giving a general introduction to critical realism, the course will place particular emphasis on the following topics: interdisciplinary research, the application of critical realism in research, its methodological implications.

Preparation and assignment:

All participants write and present a paper - approx. 3000 to 4000 words - which must be submitted electronically no later than May 22, 2023. Each participant will be given the role of opponent for one other participant’s paper. Papers will be distributed to the opponents shortly after May 22. It is therefore crucial that the deadline for paper submission is kept.

Participants will have two weeks to further develop and improve the papers after the course. The deadline to submit the final papers is June 23, 2023.

Description:

The course is composed of (1) one-week on-site lecturing and discussion, (2) paper writing and (3) self-study.

(1) The lecturing will first provide a general introduction to critical realism. Apart from that, the course will place particular emphasis on the following topics: interdisciplinary/transdisciplinary research, discourse and ideology, causality, methodology, and critiques (see program below). Focuses will be on the application of these concepts in research and their methodological implications.

(2) A considerable part of the course will be devoted to discussion of papers written by the participants and submitted to the course responsible prior to the course. Each of the participants’ papers should address one or more of the learning outcomes in the context of their own PhD research project.

(3) In order to be able to write the papers and develop a basic understanding of the lectures, it is important to do self-study by reading the required readings of the course early. Reading the required literature before the course starts is also important in order to have good discussions during the course.

The course is open for PhD students within and without NMBU. Participation is free of any economical charge. Participants cover their own travel and subsistence costs.

Deadline for application: February 15, 2023

Application (external participants): By email to Sheena Gilchrist Lisland sheena.gilchrist.lisland@nmbu.no

Course responsible person: Professor Jin Xue jin.xue@nmbu.no

After having completed the course, the Ph.D. students will be able to:

• Describe basic ontological, epistemological and methodological positions of critical realism;
• Relate and compare critical realism to other major philosophy of science positions;
• Explain, reflect and apply key concepts from critical realist understanding: causality, interdisciplinarity/transdisciplinarity, retroduction, retroduksjon, ideology, discourse and critiques;
• Identify relevance, advantages and challenges of critical realism to studies within the fields of environment, development and planning;
• Make use of critical realism to reflect meta-theoretically on own PhD research projects.