Advanced Research Methods in Science & Technology Studies: The Imitation Game

All day, Tuesday 24 May 2016 - Thursday 26 May 2016

Presenters

Professor Rob Evans, Cardiff School of Social Sciences
Professor Harry Collins, Cardiff School of Social Sciences
Dr Martin Weinel, IMGAME, Cardiff University
Dr Jennifer Lyttleton-Smith, IMGAME, Cardiff University
Dr Hannah O’Mahoney, IMGAME, Cardiff University

Course Description

The Imitation Game is a new research method.  It is inspired by empirical work in Science and Technology Studies (STS) and draws on theories developed within STS to understand the nature of expertise.  The data generated includes how participants define the distinctive content of their own expertise, what others know or don’t know about that expertise, and how participants make judgements about who is or is not a member of their social group.

The Imitation Game has been used to research topics ranging from the ubiquitous (e.g. gender) to the esoteric (e.g. gravitational wave physics).  It is particularly useful in exploring how service-providers such as medical practitioners and other experts are able to take the patient or client perspective.  Examples of this research include investigations of dietitians’ understandings of living with coeliac disease and the ability of therapists in an eating disorder clinic to pass as patients.  The range of potential applications is very large, however, and mainly limited by the imagination of the researcher.

This course will provide an introduction to the Imitation Game, covering both the theory that underpins its design and the practical issues that arise when carrying out research using the method.  Participants will gain hands-on experience of the specialist software used to collect data and see how Imitation Games can be run with both small numbers of participants (e.g. 3) and much larger groups (e.g. 300+).  By the end of the course, all participants should be able to collect and analyse Imitation Game data and, if they so wish, register to use the Imitation Game software to conduct their own research.

The event will be held in Cardiff (location To Be Confirmed).

Cost

The course is free of charge and travel bursaries are available for non-Wales PhD students.

For further information about the course, travel bursaries, or to book a space, contact Professor Rob Evans (EvansRJ1@cardiff.ac.uk).