Review of the Bournemouth Qualitative Research Conference 6-8th September 2010

Bournemouth University, UK

This is the eighth event, which started out as a health and social care conference, but this year had a distinctive humanising health theme, reflected in the diverse range of delegate disciplines, which included health, education, media, sociology, anthropology , tourism and business studies. The organising committee (Fran Bailey, Kate Galvin, Immy Holloway, Kip Jones and Les Todres, Bournemouth University) did an excellent job of providing an interesting and creative range of experiences that included key note international speakers, plenary papers and regular fringe events throughout incorporating active participation by delegates.

Over 200 delegates attended this conference, representing over 23 different countries, incorporating 78 universities, who had the opportunity to attend a range of around 125 plenary sessions around the themes of:

  • Performative Social Sciences
  • Humanising Health and Social Care through Qualitative Research,
  • Qualitative Research and Contemporary Culture
  • Philosophical, Methodological and Ethical Perspectives
  • Reflections and Developments from Diverse Populations

Key note speakers included Professor Immy Holloway, founder of the Centre for Qualitative Research at Bournemouth University; Professor Janice Morse, University of Utah College of Nursing, Honorary Professor at Bournemouth University; Professor Nigel Rapport, School of Philosophical, Anthological and Film Studies, University of St Andrews, Scotland; and Professor Monica Prendergast, Lesley University, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The range and standard of papers was excellent, and the whole experience had a really good feel about it. This was due in part to the creative and innovate fringe events that complemented the more formal learning opportunities and captured and nurtured an atmosphere of inclusion and active participation for everyone attending.  This all engendered an air of informality, without hierarchy, thus encouraging and supporting new as well as experienced presenters.  Examples of the fringe events included jazz performances; poetry reading; and drama and improvisation.

All conferences incorporate a conference dinner, and this conference was no exception. What was exceptional was the venue, the Harbour Heights Hotel, Poole, overlooking Poole Harbour which displayed the most spectacular sunset for international delegates sipping Pimms on the Terrace, with camera’s at the ready. The dinner included a tour around the famous Sandbanks Peninsula, home to those rich and famous people who appreciate coastal beauty.

As presenters, we felt that the pre-conference information was good; facilities were appropriately provided; the sessions were well chaired; and generally sessions appeared well attended. Dr Sue read presented a paper entitled ‘Disenfranchised grief: A learning disability perspective’, which presented a case study from which to explore the challenges and describes the healing process in which a woman with a learning disability came to terms with the death of her son and participated in mourning rituals surrounding her loss some 13 years after he had died. Sue walker and Dr Sue Read jointly presented a paper entitled ‘Gatekeepers as barriers or facilitators: ethical tensions in accessing vulnerable research populations‘,  based upon the PhD experiences of student and supervisor developing and  conducting sensitive research and accessing vulnerable populations. Both papers attracted a good audience, with several questions tabled. Sue Walker was interviewed by the media about her thoughts of improvisation within this particular context, and this interview was televised on national TV following the conference. On the whole, an enjoyable conference, and we cannot wait until the next one!

 

Dr Sue Read, School of Nursing and Midwifery, ILCS, Keele University

Susan Walker, PhD student, ILCS, Keele University