A reflection on the use of case studies as a methodology for social learning research in sub Saharan Africa

Shackleton, Sheona E; Kulundu-Bolus, Injairu M

Title: A reflection on the use of case studies as a methodology for social learning research in sub Saharan Africa
Creator: Cundill, Georgina
Creator: Lotz-Sisitka, Heila, 1965-
Creator: Mukute, Mutizwa
Creator: Ali, Million Belay
Creator: Shackleton, Sheona E
Creator: Kulundu-Bolus, Injairu M
Subject: To be catalogued
Date Issued: 2014
Date: 2014
Type: text
Type: article
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/182832
Identifier: vital:43884
Identifier: xlink:href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.njas.2013.04.001"
Description: A recent review has highlighted that the methodology most commonly employed to research social learning has been the individual case study. We draw on four examples of social learning research in the environmental and sustainability sciences from sub-Saharan Africa to reflect on possible reasons behind the preponderance of case study research in this field, and to identify common elements that may be significant for social learning research more generally. We find that a common interest in change oriented social learning, and therefore processes of change, makes case studies a necessary approach because long term process analyses are required that are sensitive to social-ecological contexts. Common elements of the examples reflected upon included: a focus on initiating, tracking and/or understanding a process of change toward sustainability; long term research; an action research agenda that involves reflecting on data with research participants; and temporal, process based analysis of data coupled with in-depth theoretical analysis. This paper highlights that there is significant scope for exploratory research that compares case studies of social learning research to generate a deeper understanding of social learning processes, and their relationship to human agency and societal change.
Format: computer
Format: online resource
Format: application/pdf
Format: 1 online resource (10 pages)
Format: pdf
Publisher: Taylor and Francis Online
Language: English
Relation: NJAS: Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences
Relation: Cundill, G., Lotz-Sisitka, H., Mukute, M., Belay, M., Shackleton, S. and Kulundu, I., 2014. A reflection on the use of case studies as a methodology for social learning research in sub Saharan Africa. NJAS: Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences, 69(1), pp.39-47
Relation: NJAS: Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences volume 69 number 1 p. 39 2014 1573-5214
Rights: Publisher
Rights: Use of this resource is governed by the terms and conditions of the Taylor and Francis Online Terms and Conditions Statement (https://www.tandfonline.com/terms-and-conditions)
Rights: Open Access

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RU Department of Education

Shackleton, Sheona (Prof)

RU DST/NRF SARChI for Global Change Social Learning Systems Development: Transformative Learning and Green Skills Learning (ELRC)

Lotz-Sisitka, Heila (Distinguished Professor)

Kulundu-Bolus, Injairu (Dr)

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