25 members of the project team - mainly research assistants as well as Master's students and graduates of political science in Halle - met on 23 September 2016 for an all-day event to familiarise themselves with the content of the research project and to plan the field research together. A second team briefing for a further 15 members is planned for mid-October. The scientific observers will be deployed at over 100 party conferences throughout Germany between October of this year and June of next year.
All-round discussion of the research project and lively exchange of ideas
Firstly, the concept of the research project was presented. Important terms and actors were defined using a research model. The presentation and application of the method of participant observation and the explorative short survey at the selected constellation meetings then took centre stage. The observation forms, which had already been successfully tested, were discussed together and open questions were clarified. The main focus was on the practical challenges of scientific observation. Through the lively exchange of experiences between the team members and weighing up the pros and cons of certain approaches, many additional ideas and suggestions for the survey were collected.
Looking forward to the start of the data collection phase from October
Overall, the team briefing was a great success. There was also plenty of personal dialogue during the coffee breaks and the joint visit to the Harz canteen. The atmosphere was good. Everyone involved is optimistic about a successful and interesting research collaboration. Nothing stands in the way of the research project starting its data collection phase in October.
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