Conversation Analysis, Merran Toerien and Visiting Fellow At Rhodes University

It's with great pleasure that Merran Toerien has accepted an honorary appointment as Visiting Fellow in the Department of Psychology at Rhodes University, South Africa (from 5 May 2016 to 31 December 2018).  

This follows on from extensive collaboration between colleagues in Sociology at York and Psychology at Rhodes and formally recognises the dynamic and productive exchange that has occurred over several years - relating both to research and teaching.   

Catriona Macleod says that Merran 'has contributed significantly to developing capacity in conversation analysis at Rhodes, and has been a wonderful collaborator on our abortion counselling project'

We look forward to many more years of collaborative adventures in the study of Reproductive Justice!

Merran Toerien with Catriona Macleod outside the Critical Studies in Sexualities and Reproduction offices at Rhodes University, South Africa

Sociology Unpolished Papers

A series of “unpolished papers” begins Wednesday 11^th November. These sessions, organised by Gareth Millington, allow staff, visiting staff and postgrad students the opportunity to present research ideas, unfinished or unpolished papers to a friendly and encouraging audience. Open minds and constructive criticism have been essential in making this termly series a success. Since the series started in 2013, at least three unpolished papers  have gone on to be published in leading journals.

Gareth Millington, Unpolished Papers Series Convenor

Our first paper this term (11/11) is ‘Showing Pain, Violence and Death: Reflections on the use of graphic content in academic presentations’ by Holly Steel and Anaïs Duong-Pedica. 

On 18/11 visiting scholar Ryan Du Toit will give a paper titled ‘Reproductive justice? A critical examination of pre-termination of pregnancy consultations in the public health sector in South Africa and in Great Britain’ . 

Finally on 25/11 Matt Spokes and Paul Chappell will present a paper titled ‘Dealing with dirty data: five years in beers’. All talks are in w/243 and start at 3pm.

Visiting Researcher and Reproductive Justice in Britain and South Africa

We're delighted to have Ryan du Toit visiting the department from South Africa for this term.  Ryan is a PhD student and Researcher from the Critical Studies in Sexualities and Reproduction (CSSR) programme at Rhodes University.  He forms part of a collaborative research team involving Merran Toerien, Sian Beynon-Jones and researchers from Rhodes University, headed by Professor Macleod, who also visited York earlier this year. 

The overarching aim of the research project, which is funded by the British Academy, is to critically examine how pre-abortion consultations are conducted in the public health sector in both South Africa and in Great Britain. It is envisioned that the findings from both contexts can be used to develop a ‘reproductive justice’ framework for thinking about abortion practices. 

During his visit he will be attending courses in conversation analysis and engaging in data sessions held by the department of Sociology. You can read more about the CSSR @ https://www.ru.ac.za/criticalstudies/about. Ryan will also be talking about the wider project as part of the department of Sociology's Unpolished Papers programme on November 18th from 3-4pm.  

Catriona Macleod, Sexuality and Reproduction

We were very fortunate to have a visit from Professor Catriona Macleod last week - a distinguished South African academic, who is simultaneously a SARChI Chair, head of a vibrant programme of Critical Studies in Sexuality and Reproduction, Professor in Psychology, and editor-in-chief of the International Journal, Feminism & Psychology.  Professor Macleod visited the Department of Sociology at York as part of a British Academy International Partnership and Mobility award, held jointly with Dr Merran Toerien and Dr Sian Beynon-Jones (both lecturers in Sociology at York).  Her visit included running a workshop on Research as a Social Activity, delivering a seminar entitled 'Adolescent Pregnancy': Feminism and Reproductive Justice, and taking part in a spirited discussion group about the promises and pitfalls of combining various forms of discursive psychology with conversation analysis.   

We are delighted to have had this opportunity both to learn from Catriona's extensive research experience and to be inspired by the way she goes about being an academic - combining intellectual rigour, careful empirical work, a critical voice and a host of strategies for getting that voice into the world beyond academia.  And despite her very busy schedule, she remains an enormous amount of fun!  

For a great commentary on the workshop from one of our recent graduates, see:

http://snippetsofasmilingsociologist.blogspot.co.uk/

For more on Catriona's work, see: https://www.ru.ac.za/psychology/people/academic/professorcatrionamacleod/

For more on the Critical Studies in Sexualities and Reproduction programme, see:

https://www.ru.ac.za/criticalstudies/

Catriona is also helping to organise the forthcoming International Society of Critical Health Psychology Conference, at which Dr Clare Jackson and Dr Merran Toerien (from Sociology at York) will be speaking.  See: http://ischp2015.co.za/  

Watch this space for more on that!