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80659-01 - Doctoral course: When Research Does Not Go as Planned: Failure, Refusal, and Methodological Adaptation (1 CP)
| Semester | fall semester 2026 |
| Course frequency | Once only |
| Lecturers | Alaa Dia (alaa.dia@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | Doctoral research rarely develops according to its original design. Interviews may fail, institutions may deny access, participants may refuse involvement, methods may produce unexpected material, and fieldwork may reshape the original research question. This workshop examines such moments as methodological events that can generate knowledge about institutions, research objects, and the assumptions embedded in a project’s design. Participants will consider what denied access reveals, when an unsuccessful method should be adapted or abandoned, and how methodological decisions can be documented transparently. The workshop will also address how to write about failure without turning it into a heroic narrative, and how to judge whether adaptation strengthens a project or weakens it. Across six sessions, participants will work with examples from their own research through discussion, structured exercises, and reflective writing. |
| Learning objectives | 1. Identify different forms of methodological failure, refusal, and disruption in doctoral research. 2. Analyse what unsuccessful or unexpected research moments reveal about the research object and initial assumptions. 3. Distinguish between difficulties that require persistence, methodological adaptation, or abandonment. 4. Document and justify changes to a research design in a transparent and coherent manner. 5. Write critically about research difficulties without romanticising failure or concealing methodological limitations |
| Admission requirements | register |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14-täglich | Tuesday | 12.15-13.45 | - Siehe Einzeltermine |
Dates
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday 06.10.2026 | 12.15-13.45 | - Siehe Einzeltermine, -- |
| Tuesday 20.10.2026 | 12.15-13.45 | - Siehe Einzeltermine, -- |
| Tuesday 03.11.2026 | 12.15-13.45 | - Siehe Einzeltermine, -- |
| Tuesday 17.11.2026 | 12.15-13.45 | - Siehe Einzeltermine, -- |
| Tuesday 01.12.2026 | 12.15-13.45 | - Siehe Einzeltermine, -- |
| Tuesday 15.12.2026 | 12.15-13.45 | - Siehe Einzeltermine, -- |
| Modules |
Doktorat Urban Studies: Empfehlungen (PhD subject: Urban Studies) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | pass/fail |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | Pass / Fail |
| Repeated registration | no repetition |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, studadmin-philhist@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Fachbereich Urban Studies |