QUT Centre for Justice ran “Summer of Justice” – HDR Summer School from 8-10 February 2021. This was an opportunity for our higher degree research students to gather together in a supportive environment to undertake research methods training and professional development, as well as explore some valuable networks. This was the first major research student training event for the Centre and we hope to be able to offer it each year.
Each day of the three day program began with two Research Methodology sessions. Topics included: Trauma-Informed Methods, Co-design Methods, Systematic Reviews, Modern Advocacy, Indigenous Research Methods and Visual Methods. We were very grateful to Centre members for giving their time to present at these sessions. Here’s some of the feedback:
“I most enjoyed the wide variety of research methodologies explored, and the range of interesting, well-informed presenters from multiple schools/fields.”
“I really enjoyed the space to reflect on and learn about a range of methodologies relevant to my research.”
“Inspiring! This has helped convince me that my ideas to use creative methods are not only possible, but also increases the potential my research can be activist and transformative – more so than just publishing journal articles.”
” I really enjoyed all the sessions and learned so much. My favourite would have to be Bridget Harris’ session about vulnerable research and the importance of protecting yourself mentally.”
“The sessions were, on the whole, informative, interesting, clear and well-paced.”
Each day also included a Professional Development session on topics such as: Networking, Translating your research to a non-academic audience and a panel session on Collecting qualitative data from hard-to-reach cohorts. These sessions were run by Centre members and the Office of Industry Engagement. Here’s some of the feedback:
“Kate (Taylor – Office of Industry Engagement) did a great job encouraging us to consider our research in plain, concise language.”
“Yes, they were really interesting sessions. It provided the necessary tools to make our research impactful.”
“Important insights. Seeing Melissa’s networking laid out like that made it so clear. People say its important, but her talking through that visual made it so clear.”
“Yes, all sessions worthwhile with good takeaways from each.”
“Yes! These sessions were particularly interesting to me as I am in the final year of my PhD. These sessions really helped me in thinking about myself as a researcher, rather than simply as a student. “
The final session each day was Justice Jam – a fun spin where students were challenged to think about presenting their research in creative and compelling ways. We were so fortunate to have presentations from a number of ‘creatives’ from the Creative Industries school, including Professor Evonne Miller, Dr Sue Cake and Dr Ella Jeffery. A huge thank you to QUT Design Lab for their invaluable assistance in making these sessions meaningful. Each of these presenters demonstrated the use of a creative medium (screen writing and poetry) as a way of presenting a key theme.
On the last day of the workshop the students presented their research using a creative method and the presentations were nothing short of amazing! We have included a few pieces of poetry below, produced by our HDR students to explain their research.
“Initially I was sceptical about the relevance of these creative workshops but they ended up being my favourite part! These sessions helped me think about my research and communication in general in a whole new way. Writing poetry out of my research was a really helpful way processing everything I’ve been reading, and a great way of communicating it to others without needing to give a detailed explanation. When Justice Jam was over, my friends and I took our poems back to the office and shared them with our fellow PhD students! We have since been discussing how we should have a poetry sharing group each month or so to encourage us to process our work, our data and our feelings about it all.”
“I really enjoyed opening my eyes to the possibilities of creative aspects of the research journey and loved composing a poem about my project.”
Thank you to all of our presenters and our HDR student who attended the workshop. We look forward to making QUT C4J HDR Summer School an annual event.
Queer. Here.
By Jenny Kaighin
PhD topic: How do the academic experiences of queer social work students support them to navigate the intersections between their queer identities and their emerging professional social work identities?
“Good morning ladies and gentlemen”, the lecturer said. And I knew they weren’t talking to me. My first lecture, I thought uni would be different, I thought Social work would be better.
“Gays shouldn’t be allowed to have children” a student said in class. The lecturer said nothing. The whole class looked at me.
Someone asked in class what services exist for trans people. The tutor asked me. I don’t know, I am not trans, and I don’t speak for the entire queer community.
I know who I am. This is me, this picture of my crazy family, my pride socks, my pride.
I am also the words in this social work textbook, I am the ideas, the values, the practice.
Can I be both?
I can be both.
I will find a way.
You Call Me By Your Name
By Kelsey Adams
PhD topic: Rape acknowledgement as a multidimensional, temporally sensitive process.
You call me by your name
The name you gave me
The name you prefer to use
The name that’s easier, that doesn’t hurt, that doesn’t mean the bad thing
Because the bad thing is really bad
And the bad thing didn’t happen anyway
You call me by your name
The name that has room for complexity
For the moment you said yes
Before the moment that came later, when you said no
For the moment where you reached for the third beer, because he was having one, because you liked the way he brushed the hair out of his eyes
For the moment he asked if you were okay, which was the right thing to say, and you didn’t want to ruin his night
These moments fit inside your name
This name, this wide and wary name
This name that has enough room for all the conflicting things you feel
This name that falls into the street
And washes away in the gutter
With the rain
You call me by your name
Because you can’t call me by my name
You call me by your name
So I don’t ruin your fucking life
So I don’t send you to the hospital, for the rape kit you don’t want to go through
So I don’t send you to the station, to the cop who asks how many drinks you had
Why you went over
Why in that moment, you said yes, before the moment that came later, when you said no
I will make your mother cry
I will make your friends choose sides
I will make you afraid to walk alone at night
Even though you know, now, that’s not where the monsters are
They’re not in the darkness, in the bushes
They’re not under the bed
They’re in the bed
They’re under your skin
They’re still in your mouth
You could really use a shower.
You call me by your name
Because you can’t call me by my name
And you can’t call him by his name
Not now
Not yet
And maybe not ever
NOWHERE TO HIDE
By Brendan Rook
My name remains anonymous
My date and place of birth also
My residence cannot be published
I don’t exist…….. in body or mind
I was 14
Father Michael much older
Coffee, karate and playing pool was just a feint for the attacks to come
First in his car, then in a tent camping, then in his house of horrors
I feel worthless, anxious, depressed, and unable to function still.
robbed of my youth and life – I am 75 and alone.
Comments are closed.