Doing Research within Communities

Stories and lessons from language and education field research

Donna Starks editor Kerry Taylor-Leech editor

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Taylor & Francis Ltd

Published:28th Apr '16

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

This paperback is available in another edition too:

Doing Research within Communities cover

Doing Research within Communities provides real-life examples of field research projects in language and education, offering an overview of research processes and solutions to the common challenges faced by researchers in the field. This unique book contains personal research narratives from sixteen different and varied fieldwork projects, providing advice and guidance to the reader through example rather than instruction and enabling the reader to discover connections with the storyteller and gain insights into their own research journey. This book:

  • provides advice, practical guidance and support for engaging with a community as a research site;
  • covers the real-life theoretical, ethical and practical issues faced by researchers, such as language choice in multilingual communities, and the insider/outsider status of the researcher;
  • discusses challenges posed by a variety of mono- and multilingual settings, from remote island communities to large urban areas;
  • includes research from across the Asia-Pacific area, including Australia, New Zealand and East Timor, and also the US.

Doing Research within Communities is essential reading for early career researchers and graduate students undertaking fieldwork within communities.

"Sociolinguistics recognizes the effects of an outside observer: these scholars, outsiders but increasingly involved with the communities they have studied and tried to help, provide a clear picture of the problems and solutions that they have met. It can be highly recommended to new and experienced researchers; I know I would have benefited in my own interactions with Navajo, Māori and Samoan groups."
Bernard Spolsky, Bar Ilan University, Israel

"This is an inspiring and timely book that will contribute to the growing movement of researchers involved in research with communities. The collection offers an insightful and essential read to both researchers and practitioners interested in the co-production of research and knowledge with communities."
Lisa Goodson, University of Birmingham, UK


"Sociolinguistics recognizes the effects of an outside observer: these scholars, outsiders but increasingly involved with the communities they have studied and tried to help, provide a clear picture of the problems and solutions that they have met. It can be highly recommended to new and experienced researchers; I know I would have benefited in my own interactions with Navajo, Māori and Samoan groups."
Bernard Spolsky, Bar Ilan University, Israel

"This is an inspiring and timely book that will contribute to the growing movement of researchers involved in research with communities. The collection offers an insightful and essential read to both researchers and practitioners interested in the co-production of research and knowledge with communities."
Lisa Goodson, University of Birmingham, UK

"This collection is presented in clear and accessible language and can function as a useful tool to stimulate discussion and inform future researchers about the types of challenges and experiences they will encounter in the field."
Dale Koike and Alicia Assini, University of Texas, USA

ISBN: 9781138852686

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 272g

180 pages