Prue Holmes (Durham University)
Richard Fay (The University of Manchester)
Jane Andrews (The University of the West of England)
Mariam Attia (Durham University)
Abstract
Many sites of (social science and other) research demonstrate considerable linguistic and intercultural complexity, a condition of the late modern world. Managing this complexity requires skilful linguistic flexibility among researchers and researched and appropriate multilingual research practice. Whilst there are many opportunities for such multilingual research practice, there are also many constraints; the research training provided for scholars researching where more than one language is present tends to overlook or discount the possibilities for and complexities of researching multilingually. This paper reports on the findings from an AHRC-funded project that sought to explore how researchers develop awareness of researching multilingually, and the methodological complexities and opportunities this awareness creates. Data drawn from 35 seminar presentations and 25 researcher profiles indicated researcher need to negotiate complex practices and processes: institutional practices, multilingual interviews, language choices, cross-linguistic dataanalysis concerns, interpretation and translation, language politics, and researcher flexibility.
However, researchers also identified opportunities: a “natural” process that afforded rich insights, and the potential to neutralise power imbalances. Our analysis of data enables us to propose an emergent theoretical framework for researching multilingually, which includes researcher intentionality, relationality, and research spaces. The project outcomes offer support for researchers for whom researching multilingually is a possibility and often a necessity.
Biographical Details:
Dr. Prue Holmes, Senior Lecturer, School of Education, Durham University, is the programme director of the MA (Intercultural Education and Internationalisation MA). She teaches and supervises doctoral students in intercultural communication and education. She is the principal investigator of the AHRC-funded “Researching Multilingually” project.
Dr. Richard Fay, Lecturer in TESOL and Intercultural Communication at the University of Manchester, is programme director for the MA in Intercultural Communication as well as teaching intercultural courses at undergraduate level. He also has interests in researcher education and narrative research.
He is Co-Investigator for the AHRC-funded “Researching Multilingually” project informing this paper.
Dr. Jane Andrews, Senior Lecturer in Education, University of the West of England, is programme manager for BA (Hons.) Education, Learning and Development and jointly runs the taught doctorate in education. She has an interest in young children and multilingualism and learning out of school.
She is a team member of the AHRC-funded “Researching Multilingually” project informing this paper.
Dr. Mariam Attia is a Research Assistant on the AHRC-funded “Researching Multilingually” project hosted by Durham University. Her background lies in teaching Arabic to speakers of other languages, and her professional interests cover the areas of reflective practice, teacher development, researcher education, and educational technologies.