social skills

1. Discuss how identity relates to the way social scientists frame research questions and conduct field research. In your response be sure to discuss if a researcher’s identity creates challenges and/or advantages in the research process and make reference to and draw examples from at least four articles in the seminar reading list below.

Reiniharz, Shulamit (1997) ‘Who Am I?’,in Hertz, Rosanna (ed.) Reflexivity and Voice, London: Sage
British Library

Horowitz, Ruth (1986) ‘Remaining an outsider: membership as a threat to research rapport’, Urban Life Vol.14, No.4 January
British Library

Devault, Marjorie L. (1997) ‘Personal Writing in Social Research: issues of production and interpretation’,in Hertz, Rosanna (ed.) Reflexivity and Voice, London: Sage
British Library

Becker, Howard S. (1993) ‘How I learned what a crock was’, Journal of Contemporary Ethnography Vol. 22, No.1 April
British Library

Devault, Marjorie L. (1990) ‘Talking and listening from women’s standpoint: feminist strategies for interviewing and analysis’, Social Problems Vol. 37, No. 1 February

Riessman, Catherine Kohler (1987) ‘When gender is not enough: women interviewing women’, Gender and Society Vol. 1 No.2 June

Zinn, Maxine Baca (1979) ‘Field research in minority communities: ethical methodological and political observations by and insider’, Social Problems Vol. 27, No.2 December

Stack, Carol (1974) All our kin, New York: Harper and Row

Ellis, Carolyn, Kiesinger, Christine E. and Lisa M. Tilmann-Healy (1997) ‘Interactive Interviewing: talking about emotional experiences’,in Hertz, Rosanna (ed.) Reflexivity and Voice, London: Sage
British Library

1. With reference to the two documents ‘The third sector delivering public services: an evidence review’ (2010) and ‘Third sector partnerships for public service delivery: an evidence review’ (2012):
a) discuss the historical context referred to in the 2010 publication, paying particular attention to when partnerships in the Third Sector became important themes in strategic management in the public sector;
b) with particular reference to the 2012 publication, identify and discuss the range of drivers and rationales for the partnerships in the Third Sector.
Write up to 750 words

2. With reference to section two (“The Big Society: Ideas, attitudes and perceptions”) of the document ‘The Voluntary Sector in Transition: changing priorities, changing ideologies’, critically assess the Big Society approach to the voluntary sector and the work of voluntary sector organizations. You should pay particular attention to the possible advantages and disadvantages this approach.

Write up to 750 words

3. EITHER
With reference to section 3 (‘Emerging Forms of Third Sector partnerships for public service delivery; governance, accountability and outcomes’) of the document “Third Sector Partnerships for Public Service Delivery: an evidence review” (2012), choose four forms of partnership identified in the chart on page 22 and discuss, in up to 250 words for each, their advantages and drawbacks.

OR
With reference to the range of publications identified in the module guide and on Moodle, discuss changes in the ways that policy makers/governments have viewed the role of voluntary sector organizations in the delivery of social services over time and the factors that have influenced these changes. Make reference to the roles and functions voluntary sector organizations serve within the context of a civil society.

Write up to 1000 words