[Gandur] CfP: Approaching Methodology - a special issue of RMN Newsletter

[- Frog]

Call for Papers
 
Approaching Methodology, a special issue of RMN Newsletter to appear in May 
2012.
 
Questions of method and methodology are often both problematic and elusive. 
 ‘Method’ is easily conflated with ‘theory’ and even ‘argumentation’ or 
‘objectives’.  Discussions on method have been developing to some degree 
independently in the research traditions of many countries and diverse fields 
with emphasis on different types of traditions and corpora.  It is important to 
open discussion on method and methodology on a broadly international and 
cross-disciplinary level.  We would therefore like to open the discourse on 
method in the emerging discourse space of RMN Newsletter, the international open 
access bi-annual publication of Folklore Studies / Department of Philosophy, 
History, Culture and Art Studies, University of Helsinki (ISSN 1799-4497). Our 
publication promotes cross-disciplinary discussion on diachronic, comparative 
and source-critical treatments of cultural expression across diverse and 
intersecting disciplines:
 
http://www.helsinki.fi/folkloristiikka/English/RMN/index.htm
 
Approaching Methodologywill appear as a special issue of RMN Newsletter in May 
2012, with Pauliina Latvala (Dr. phil., University of Helsinki) as a guest 
editor.We would like to invite short contributions (3–10 pages) addressing 
either specific methodologies or abstract and theoretical questions and problems 
associated with method and methodologies. We would welcome contributions on any 
of the following or related themes:
 
–        Defining ‘method’: What is a ‘method’? Why is ‘method’ often 
problematic for researchers in a way that e.g. ‘argument’ is not?  

–        Method and methodology in a particular field: What is the relationship 
between a particular method or methodology in the history of discourse? – in the 
present day?
–        Method, theory, argumentation and dominant research paradigms: What is 
the relationship between method and theory? – between method and argumentation 
or dominant paradigms in a discipline?
–        Method and research objectives: To what degree should research 
objectives be determinant factors in the choice of method or methods? To what 
degree can method condition research objectives or findings either directly or 
indirectly (e.g. through data selection)?
–        Established methods: What are the problems or benefits of methods 
currently employed or established in a discipline? Are certain established 
methods complementary or contradictory? 

–        Outdated methods: Are there elements or features of older methods that 
have been rejected or fallen out of favour that can have value and relevance 
today? What do statements such as, “[a certain scholar] was right for the wrong 
reasons”, inform us about particular methods? 

–        New methods: We would welcome the introduction of new or emerging 
methodologies and opening those methodologies for international discussion.
 
When addressing specific methods, please focus on the method, why it was chosen 
or developed, how and why it was or was not effective, etc., rather than 
focusing on the specific findings of your own research. We would like 
submissions to be oriented to discussion and engagement in discourse, and 
reasonably accessible to scholars from other fields.
 
Approaching Methodologywill be subject to a length restriction as a whole, 
requiring us to limit the number of contributions. The deadline for 
participation in Approaching Methodology will be earlier than the standard 
deadline for RMN Newsletter.  This will allow us the opportunity to work with 
contributors and to coordinate contributions with one another prior to 
publication. The completed 3–10 page submission will have a deadline of Monday, 
January 15th, 2012, allowing contributors to respond to comments and coordinate 
their papers with other authors in February and March, with final 
language-checking in the beginning of April.  If you are interested in 
participating in this international and cross-disciplinary discussion, please 
submit a 500 word abstract of your proposed contribution, with your name, 
affiliation and contact information to Pauliina Latvala 
(pauliina.latvala at helsinki.fi) by Friday, 30th September, 2011.