Language at Stake in International Research Collaboration—Methodological Reflections on Team-Based and Time-Intensive Ethnography

Stinne Glasdam; Frode F. Jacobsen; Gudmund Ågotnes; Sigrid Stjernswärd

doi:10.18778/1733-8077.20.3.03

Authors

Stinne Glasdam Lund University, Sweden https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0893-3054
Frode F. Jacobsen Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Norway https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9395-2574
Gudmund Ågotnes Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Norway https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0489-5692
Sigrid Stjernswärd Lund University, Sweden

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18778/1733-8077.20.3.03

Keywords:

Ethics, Ethnography, International Research Collaboration, Language, Methodical Challenges

Abstract

Based on experiences from multiple international research projects, spanning several decades and utilizing various forms of collaborative ethnographic approaches, this article aims to reflect on challenges and potentials regarding language and communication when researching across jurisdictions. Thematically, the research projects that we draw on in this paper, are concerned with aging and healthcare, while the primary focus of the paper remains on the methodological implications of conducting international, collaborative, and time-intensive ethnography. Moreover, the aim is to contribute to enhancing researchers’ awareness of and preparedness to meet and address such challenges in future research endeavors. The article discusses how English often serves as a lingua franca for Western-dominated international research collaborations, having implications for researchers and study participants alike, as well as the use of interpreters and potential linguistic pitfalls. In the article, we argue that attention and reflection on language and communication in research are significant for how collaboration in research transpires, the opted methodical choices, and, ultimately, for research quality, while often being under-appreciated. International ethnographic fieldwork requires thorough preparation and reflection to properly handle linguistic and cultural competencies, nuances, and understandings incorporated in the researchers, with subsequent consequences for research processes and outcomes.

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Author Biographies

Stinne Glasdam, Lund University, Sweden

Stinne Glasdam is an Associate Professor at the Department of Health Sciences, Lund University, and teaches at the bachelor, master, and doctoral levels, primarily in oncology and qualitative research methods. Glasdam was educated as a nurse in 1987 (Odense, Denmark), obtained a Master in Nursing Science in 1996 (Aarhus University, Denmark), and a Ph.D. in 2003 (Faculty of Art, Copenhagen University, Denmark). Glasdam has worked at university colleges and universities since 2002. Research interests are primarily sociological medicine within the areas of oncology, gerontology, antimicrobial resistance, COVID-19, media, relatives, and professions. Glasdam has extensive experience in interdisciplinary collaborations nationally and internationally. Glasdam has edited and written several textbooks primarily for undergraduate students in health sciences and pedagogy. In addition, Glasdam has published several scientific and popular scientific articles. Glasdam is part of several (inter)national research and professional networks related to oncological care, medical sociology, and more.

Frode F. Jacobsen, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Norway

Frode F. Jacobsen is a social anthropologist and nurse. Jacobsen has worked at university colleges and universities since 1990. Jacobsen serves as the Research Director of the Center for Care Research—Western Norway and has been a Professor at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences since 2008 and Professor II at VID Specialized University, Norway, since 2006. He has a doctoral degree in social anthropology (University of Bergen, 1997), pre- and para-clinical medical studies (the University of Bergen, 1990-94), and was educated as a nurse (Haukeland University College, 1987). Until 2008, most of his research dealt with culture and health systems in various contexts like Northern Sudan, Indonesia, Jordan, Bolivia, and Norway. Since 2008, his research focus has been primarily on older adults’ care.

Gudmund Ågotnes, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Norway

Gudmund Ågotnes is a Professor at the Department of Welfare and Participation at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, primarily teaching in the master’s program in Applied Social Sciences (previously Community Work). By training, Ågotnes is a social anthropologist from the University of Bergen. Ågotnes currently leads the research group “Community Work.” His research interests include mechanisms for inclusion, marginalization and exclusion, participatory processes and methods, and the dialectic between public service provision and civic society. Empirically, his research mainly focuses on an aging population, addressing questions of participation and citizenship in the context of the welfare state. Ågotnes is part of (inter)national research and professional networks related to age-friendly communities, community work, comparative welfare state research, and qualitative research.

Sigrid Stjernswärd, Lund University, Sweden

Sigrid Stjernswärd is an Associate Professor at the Department of Health Sciences at Lund University. She teaches at the bachelor, master, and doctoral levels, primarily in qualitative research methods, e-health, and psychiatry. Stjernswärd has a Bachelor of Arts (1996, Lund University, Sweden), a nursing degree (2000, Malmö University, Sweden) with a specialization in psychiatry (2019, Lund University, Sweden), a master in Nursing Sciences (2005, Malmö University, Sweden), and a Ph.D. (2009) from the Faculty of Health & Society, Malmö University, Sweden. Stjernswärd has worked at university colleges and universities since 2010. Research interests are primarily: mental health and psychosocial interventions, trauma, family support, e-health, mindfulness and compassion, social media and COVID-19, and interdisciplinary research endeavors. Stjernswärd has extensive experience in national and international interdisciplinary collaborations and is a member of several (inter) national research networks.

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