Course Syllabus
Research Assistant
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 |
| Semester & Location: |
Fall 2021 - DIS Stockholm |
| Type & Credits: |
Elective Course - 3 credits |
| Major Disciplines: |
Human Rights, Criminology, Social Policy, Public Health |
| Prerequisite |
Previous experience with SPSS or R software is an advantage, but not required. |
| Research Mentor: | |
| Research Director: |
Tina Mangieri, tma@disstockholm.se |
| Academic Support: | |
| Time & Place: |
Fridays 14:50 - 16:10 | Learning lab (room 1D-411) |
COVID-19 syllabus statement
We all have a collective responsibility to avoid the spread of COVID-19 at DIS. Throughout this semester, please monitor yourself carefully for symptoms of COVID-19 (dry cough, high temperature, breathing difficulties, sore throat, headache, muscle pain, loss of smell/taste). If you experience any of these symptoms, please stay home and contact the DIS emergency phone. The respondent will coordinate with Academics at DIS Stockholm, who will in turn contact your individual faculty. If you are otherwise well but isolating due to possible exposure or mild symptoms, it is your responsibility to keep up with your coursework - we will organize hybrid classes for you to join via Zoom. If you are unwell due to COVID-19 and unable to attend class or study, your absence will be excused. Your faculty will work with you to ensure you are able to make up missed course content due to illness. You are still responsible for completing any missed work.
Research project description
Due to the high demand and severe organ scarcity worldwide there is a growing number of identified cases of organ trafficking and trafficking in persons for the purpose of organ removal. While commercial trade of human organs is illegal within the EU, different EU countries have different organ donation regulations that may have an impact on the crime of organ trade within the region. This research project looks at two EU countries that have different deceased organ donation regulations. It investigates the impact these regulations have on trafficking in persons for the purpose of organ removal.
This is a comparative case study that aims to identify the relationship between organ donation policies and the demand in illicit organ transplantations given the cases of Denmark and Sweden. It will investigate the impact the Swedish and Danish regulations have on trafficking in persons for the purpose of organ removal. Bearing in mind the complex nature of this study, the research design of this project will employ the combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches.
Research Mentor
Polina is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Criminology department at Stockholm University. She received her PhD from The University of Sydney. Her research interest is within the disciplines of criminology and medical anthropology with a special focus on victimhood, gender, post-trafficking needs and help-seeking behaviour. Before commencing her academic career Polina was a migrant counsellor and a reintegration assistant at the UN Migration (IOM) mission in Russia. She was engaged in providing direct assistance to migrants in distress including victims of human trafficking and exploitation; and assistance in voluntary return and reintegration of Russian nationals in an irregular situation abroad.
Research Assistant roles & responsibilities
You are expected to spend a minimum of 10 hrs per week on the project. The workload may vary over the semester. If you are traveling to do field research in a different location, you may be spending more time on research during this period.
As a Research Assistant you will:
- Participate in meetings with your research mentor at a time set collectively at the beginning of the semester.
- Participate in an orientation and workshops during the semester (see 'Workshops' below for more information):
- An orientation at the beginning of the semester: strategies for successful international research
- Workshop information TBC
- Write an assessment of your own strengths and weaknesses in the research process at the beginning of the semester. Revisit at the end of the semester as part of an evaluation of your own participation in, and learning from, the research project.
- Participate in carrying out the research project. Your responsibilities will differ depending upon the phase of the research project.
- Keep a research journal where you will note your research progress throughout the semester.
- At the end of the semester, the RA(s) will be invited as guest speaker(s) to present findings to the students in the course: Human Trafficking and the Sex Trade.
- Present the relevance of the research and/or findings to peer(s) from other disciplines at the Research Symposium during the End-of-Semester Showcase.
your responsibilities will include:
- familiarising yourself with the work done by the research team to date and proposing relevant changes if necessary;
- reading and discussing newly published literature in the field;
- developing a methodological framework
- collecting data
Learning Objectives
The primary objective is for you to experience the world of scientific research and gain experience that will prepare you for any future career you choose to pursue. By the end of the semester you will grasp the complexities of the research project and have made your own contribution. You will also have learned to communicate scientific ideas and findings - both orally and in writing - to members of your particular discipline, as well as peers from other disciplines.
In addition, depending on the research phase, you will:
- Gain knowledge of human trafficking issues, debates, and policies
- Learn the difference between the various human trafficking and organ trafficking related concepts;
- Obtain knowledge on the different types of organ transplantation policies
- Get hands-on experience in data collection and analysis
- Increase knowledge of research methodologies and practical implementation in the field
- Develop your critical thinking and academic writing skills
Readings
*Here you are only required to read the Protocol To Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (it is on page 41)
*Here I would like you to be familiar with the entire document.
Additional readings may be provided during the semester. You will be required to go through quite a lot of readings when familiarising yourself with/preparing a literature review.
Orientation, Workshops & Research Symposium
All sessions are mandatory and take place on Zoom or in-person during Spring 2021
Research Orientation: TBA
Workshop 1: TBC
Workshop 2: TBC
Research Symposium @ End-of-Semester Showcase
Field research
Depending on the phase of the project, you may be involved in data collection, which will involve observations, interviews, and documentary research in Sweden. Expenses related to fieldwork will be covered by a DIS travel grant. The fieldwork will be planned with the research mentor at the beginning of the semester.
Approach to Mentoring
All DIS research mentors have been trained in mentoring students but their approach to mentoring may differ. Mentoring is about engaging at a different - and often deeper - level than what is typical in the classroom. However, mentoring also comes with some degree of ambiguity, which is important for you to anticipate. The research mentor will work closely with you throughout the semester but part of the training is also for you to use your own judgement, to make assessments and decisions. As part of planning your tasks and responsibilities for the semester together, the research mentor will talk to you about their approach to mentoring.
Expectations of the Research Assistant
The specific expectations of the individual research assistant are agreed to at the beginning of the semester. In general, a research assistant is expected to take initiative, take ownership of the project and work independently. Being prepared for meetings and willing to part take in scientific discussions is crucial. In cases where more research assistants are involved in the same project, you will be expected to engage in some teamwork. Carrying out a research project is not a straight forward and predictable process - this is part of what makes it exciting! It also means that communication is crucial. You are expected to take responsibility for communicating about problems or issues that arise.
Evaluation and grading
All research assistants are assessed on their participation in the seminar on responsible research practices, weekly status reports to the research mentor, self-evaluation and presentation to peers from other disciplines.
The format of the evaluation depends on the project phase. It may include presentations on research design and data, keeping a project log book, producing an interview guide, a poster presentation for an expert panel, etc. This will be discussed in more detail at the introductory meeting with the research mentor.
| Component | Weight |
| Participation | 25% |
| Written assignment(s) | 30% |
| Guest lecture | 30% |
| Research symposium presentation | 15% |
Disability and Resource Statement
Any Research Assistant who has a need for accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact DIS Academics (academics@disstockholm.se) to coordinate this. In order to receive accommodations, students should inform the Research Mentor of approved DIS accommodations within the first two weeks of classes.
Policies
Attendance
It is crucial for your learning that you stay on task and hand in assignments on or before the due date. All work– including in-class projects – must be completed to pass the course. Late papers or project submissions will be marked down with 1/3 of a grade for each late day.
Academic Honesty
Plagiarism and Violating the Rules of an Assignment
DIS expects that students abide by the highest standards of intellectual honesty in all academic work. DIS assumes that all students do their own work and credit all work or thought taken from others. Academic dishonesty will result in a final course grade of “F” and can result in dismissal. The students’ home universities will be notified. DIS reserves the right to request that written student assignments be turned in electronic form for submission to plagiarism detection software. See the Academic Handbook for more information, or ask your instructor if you have questions.
Academic Regulations
Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on:
DIS - Study Abroad in Scandinavia - www.disabroad.org
Course Summary:
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