Call for Abstract: RC33 Eleventh International Conference on Social Science Methodology, Naples, Italy, September 2025
Call for Abstract for the Eleventh Social Science Methodology Conference of RC33
Dear Colleagues,
we are thrilled to start the Call for Abstract to the Eleventh Social Science Methodology Conference of RC33, which will be held from 22-25 September 2025 in Naples, Italy. We invite scholars from social sciences, and beyond, who are interested in methodological discussions to propose their research contribution.
Martin Weichbold, President
Biagio Aragona, Secretary and Chair of the Local Organizing Committee
on behalf of the whole RC33-Board
Session list
Step 1.
Link to Create Account/Login to the submission platform (Easychair)
Step 2.
After logging in, if you are not automatically redirected to the submission, click on the button “RC33 Sessions Easychair”
Step 3.
After you have logged in, If the system does not automatically redirect you to the session list, click on the “Abstract submission” button and continue by clicking on “Make a new submission”
Panel Session
This session aims to foster reflection on studying online communities as spaces of interaction where physical and virtual dimensions interweave, highlighting the mutual influence between these contexts. The web represents a unique environment in which individual and collective identities are redefined through interactions and dynamics that shape identities and create and reproduce shared meanings. This setting allows us to observe how interests, perceptions, and values emerge and transform through digital interaction. The concept of “onlife” captures the essence of this integration of physical and virtual reality, rejecting a sharp distinction between real and online spaces and acknowledging their deep interconnection in everyday life.
In both qualitative and quantitative studies, numerous epistemological and methodological challenges arise throughout each research phase, requiring flexible and innovative approaches. To effectively study digital fields, traditional methodologies must be adapted, and emerging technologies must be explored and introduced to develop techniques and tools for digital field research.
An essential topic to address is the ethical issues of online research. Data and information collection through the web raises questions about privacy, informed consent, and participant safety, requiring careful consideration and the development of clear strategies to safeguard users and conduct ethically sound research.
This panel session invites contributions dedicated to studying online communities, with a particular focus on methodological choices, promoting a collective reflection on the opportunities and challenges posed by traditional, on one side, and innovative research tools in these contexts.”
Keywords: Online, Communities, Onlife, Methodological challenges, Ethical issues
Alessandra Decataldo, Università di Milano Bicocca, Italy, alessandra.decataldo@unimib.it
Elena Andreoni, Università di Milano Bicocca, Italy, elena.andreoni@unimib.it Italy
Panel Session
The use of art-based data is not a new trend in the social sciences, including sociological empirical research. It has its roots in the critique of standard methods that, according to authors such as Florian Znaniecki and Robert Nisbet, are considered rigid instruments of data collection and analysis, shaping both the objects and results of sociological research. By resorting to creative methods and art-based sources, sociologists may foster their sociological imagination and the craftsmanship inherent in sociological investigation.
The panel aims to explore the epistemological and methodological possibilities introduced by the sociological use of creative methods. Art has always interpreted the world by combining rational and emotional dimensions. From this perspective, art can provide sociology with opportunities to deconstruct the interpretative paradigms of the present, as well as access qualitative data characterized by a high degree of ‘thickness.’
Participants are invited to reflect on how various forms of art might not simply serve as objects but, more ambitiously, as tools for sociological research. The goal is to explore whether—and how—art can be employed for sociological analysis. Starting from the assumption that artistic practice is always theory-laden, the discussion will center on the scientific plausibility of creative methods, both theoretically and empirically. The hypothesis is that art is simultaneously a means of reproducing the social and a useful instrument for non-technical, theoretically oriented observation of society.
Epistemological and methodological presentations are welcomed, as well as case studies employing art-based methods.
Keywords: creativity, art-based methods
Mariano Longo, Università del Salento, mariano.longo@unisalento.it, Italy
Corrado Punzi, Università del Salento, corrado.punzi@unisalento.it, Italy
Panel Session
The role of expertise is increasingly crucial in understanding complex social issues in research fields characterised by continuous and disruptive changes, such as AI & other ICTs, health, sustainability, etc., (Ward et al., 2019).
Experts are increasingly determinant in shaping policy innovations, either by participating in epistemic communities, which frame relevant problems and related knowledge-based solutions, or by intervening directly as policy advisors (Eyal & Medvetz, 2023). In these contexts, sociological research deals with the social processes of construction and legitimisation of expertise (of individuals and groups) and how it performs an authoritative function in society (Evans, 2008).
Moreover, experts’ knowledge also could be a promising source of information in the research process (i.e. experts as participants) in order to identify barriers and enabling factors and anticipate or evaluate impacts of change mechanisms in complex social systems.
However, research on and with experts also involves several methodological challenges. The first and foremost is the appropriate definition of what ‘expertise’ is, and thus who ‘experts’ are, and how to select them for research purposes. Then, it is necessary to design effective strategies to involve experts in the research process, to decide how to conduct the discussion between the participants, and if prioritize consensus or divergences among opinions (or both).
The session welcomes contributions that address, theoretically and/or empirically, methodological issues, techniques and applications of studying expertise in different sociological fields and/or involving experts as participants in sociological research designs.
Keywords: Expertise, Consensus methods, Expert group methods
Ivan Galligani, University of Bergamo, ivan.galligani@unibg.it, Italy
Fabrizio Martire Sapienza, University of Rome, fabrizio.martire@uniroma1.it, Italy
Barbara Sena, University of Bergamo, barbara.sena@unibg.it, Italy
Panel Session
Disinformation Studies: Methodological Challenges and New Research Frontiers Panel Session Sì “The study of disinformation, concerning its sources, dynamics, and impacts, presents complex methodological and conceptual challenges, particularly in today’s evolving digital landscape. As disinformation increasingly shapes public discourse and democratic processes, understanding its production, consumption, and effects requires interdisciplinary and innovative approaches.
This session aims to delve into the methodological strategies necessary for advancing disinformation research. It invites contributions that address conceptual frameworks and empirical challenges in studying information disorders (Wardle et al., 2017) and how disinformation circulates across social media, digital news, and other platforms. Particular attention will be given to innovative approaches in data collection and analysis to explore patterns of disinformation spread, consumption, and their societal implications.
The session intends to illustrate the practical relevance of studying disinformation by focusing on its role in shaping public opinion during electoral periods (e.g., Cardoso et al., 2019 ISCTE) and how emerging technologies, particularly Artificial Intelligence, are transforming both the production and detection of disinformation (Montoro-Montarroso et al., 2023; Magallón-Rosa at. al., 2024). We encourage contributions that explore innovative methods to uncover the dynamics of disinformation spread. This session invites empirical, theoretical, and methodological work aimed at advancing the understanding of disinformation phenomena. By emphasizing rigour and methodological innovation, we seek to address the ethical, political, and social implications of this issue in democratic societies.” disinformation studies methodological challenges media studies
Suania Acampa, University of Naples Federico II, suania.acampa@unina.it, Italy
Caterina Foà, University Institute of Lisbon (ISCTE-IUL); Universitá della Svizzera Italiana (IMEG), caterina.foa@iscte-iul.pt, Portugal
Paulo Couraceiro, Universidade do Minho; OberCom – Portuguese Communication Observatory, Portugal
Panel Session
Algorithms are deeply embedded in contemporary society, shaping diverse aspects of daily life, from social interactions and online recommendations to decision-making across various sectors. While these systems offer significant benefits, such as improved efficiency and personalization, they also pose considerable challenges regarding privacy, fairness, and individual and collective autonomy. As a result, understanding algorithms and their role in governing digital technologies has become both a social and technical imperative.
Despite the growing interest in algorithm awareness in the literature, studies offering methodological reflections still need to be expanded. Recent research, however, has introduced innovative techniques to investigate algorithm awareness and actively elicit it. Among these, Human-Computer Interaction and Explainable Artificial Intelligence experiments aim to co-create awareness by fostering interactions between users and algorithmic platforms. Similarly, creative qualitative methods engage individuals in understanding algorithmic systems through active participation, while scenario-based methods elicit reflections on algorithmic processes and their societal implications. These methods also serve a pedagogical function, fostering digital and algorithmic literacy.
This session is open to all contributions addressing methodological advancements in algorithm awareness research, as well as innovative approaches, methods, and techniques that provide evidence of its multidimensional aspects and can promote literacy development.
Contributions addressing the following topics are welcome (but not limited to):
– Methods for measuring aspects of algorithm awareness.
– Cross-cultural and interdisciplinary approaches to understanding algorithm awareness.
– Case studies on algorithmic literacy initiatives and their societal impact.
– Best practices for integrating algorithm literacy into formal and informal learning contexts.
Keywords: algorithm awareness, algorithmic literacy, human and algorithms interactions
Cristiano Felaco, University of Naples Federico II, cristiano.felaco@unina.it, Italy
Maria Carmela Catone, University of Salerno, mcatone@unisa.it, Italy
Caterina Ambrosio, University of Naples Federico II, caterina.ambrosio@unina.it, Italy
Panel Session
Over the last two decades, the theme of queer methodologies started to grasp scholars’ attention. Despite this growing interest, mainly from queer researchers themselves, queer methods are still put at the margin of the social science research community. Therefore, with this session, we want to shed light on the new approaches to reading, theorizing, and interpreting, as well as scientific appeals to measurement, modelling, sampling, and statistics on queer theory. Queer can be a method and a mode of theoretical and conceptual engagement, but to say that we need to link queer with methodologies: we need to look at ontological and epistemological perspectives with actual methods used to gather data. “Going” queer means to look beyond right from wrong, pure from dirty (or indecent), normal from deviant, traditional from unusual, comfortable from discomfort, “us” from “them”, rigorous from inaccurate, and good science from bad science. In other words, going beyond the taken-for-granted. Indeed, who has the power to declare that something is methodologically adequate from inadequate things? We welcome new directions for qualitative and quantitative methods: experience, possibilities, potentials, tensions, limitations, anxieties, and so on. Both theoretical and applicative works, as well as methodological advice and practical strategies, are welcome. Moreover, even though queer methods are strongly linked with gender and sexuality studies, all types of social science research can apply. Also, we want to go beyond the perspective of the global North. Thus, we encourage scholars from the global South to consider sending a proposal. We want to redefine the relationship between sociology, queer studies, and methodological approaches. Although the barriers to a “more queer” sociology are still complex, our aim is to build collaborations (and queer collaboration, too) in the field of social science methodologies.
Keywords: queer methodologies, taken-for-granted, innovations in social research, gender and sexuality
Cirus Rinaldi, University of Palermo, cirus.rinaldi@unipa.it, Italy
Marco Bacio, University of Palermo, marco.bacio@unipa.it, Italy
Panel Session
Ethnography can be regarded as a research system that coordinates multiple techniques. The heuristic potential of these techniques has proven pivotal in numerous studies, enabling the production of knowledge grounded in everyday practices and connected to broader systemic dynamics (Burawoy 2003, Desmond 2014). The widespread application of ethnography has sparked interdisciplinary debates on various issues (Hammersley & Atkinson 2019), including categorization processes, writing practices, use and management of field notes, creative outputs, multimodal and sensory approaches, and more. Ethnography facilitates an embodied and situated understanding of experience, encouraging researchers to reflect deeply on methods of data collection and representation (Stoller 1989, Tedlock 1991, Wacquant 2000, Ingold & Vergunst 2016). On the other hand, integrating diverse media and techniques—such as video, audio, photography, and digital tools—has introduced innovative multimodal heuristic possibilities for ethnographic inquiry and interpretation (Pink 2015). This panel aims to foster a methodological discussion centered on reflexive processes (Salzman 2002, Altheide & Johnson 1994, 2011) developed by researchers in the field. In particular, the panel explores the relationship between adopting ethnographic multimodal techniques and producing situated context-specific knowledge.
Keywords: Ethnographic Techniques, Situated Knowledge, Multimodal Ethnography, Reflexivity
Enrico Mariani, University of Urbino “Carlo Bo”, enrico.mariani@uniurb.it, Italy
Francesco Sacchetti, University of Urbino “Carlo Bo”, francesco.sacchetti@uniurb.it, Italy
Panel Session
Digital research infrastructure represents a turning point in the field of social sciences, promoting a culture that is strongly oriented towards open science (Farago, 2014). They offer new opportunities for collecting, storing, sharing, and analyzing data. These actions yield numerous benefits to research and to society in a broader sense (Stodden, 2010).
However, the design and implementation of these infrastructures pose significant methodological and epistemological challenges that researchers have called upon to address (Gauthier & Emery, 2014) (Edwards et. al, 2013). How do we ensure data validity and representativeness? How does infrastructure influence research practices and understand social phenomena? What are the most appropriate data storage and management practices?
With this panel, we aim to create space for critical discussion on the opportunities and limitations of these infrastructures, helping to develop practical guidelines and theoretical reflections for the future of the social sciences. For indicative purposes, we suggested thematic areas for the session:
• Representativeness and validity of social research infrastructures
• Cross-sectional and longitudinal comparability
• FAIR principles in building digital infrastructures
• Integration of qualitative and quantitative data
• Problems of data storage and management
• Anonymization and privacy management
• Evaluation systems for digital infrastructures
• Ethical concerns
• Risk of political/commercial exploitation
Keywords: Open science, Digital research infrastructure
Caterina Ambrosio, University of Naples Federico II, caterina.ambrosio@unina.it, Italy
Paolo Landri, Institute for Research on Innovation and Services for Development – CNR, paolo.landri@irpps.cnr.it, Italy
Luciana Taddei, ISTAT luciana.taddei@unical.it, Italy
Panel Session
In the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI), data visualization has changed dramatically and has become a crucial tool for interpreting and communicating complex information. This panel will explore how AI is revolutionizing data visualization techniques and integrating elements of digital storytelling to create engaging and meaningful narratives.
A key focus will be on how data visualization improves the accessibility and understanding of complex datasets for different audiences and publics, including researchers, policy makers and the general public, by translating abstract numbers into understandable and actionable insights.
We will discuss the impact of Big Data and Open Data on the ability to effectively present information and analyze the challenges and opportunities that arise from the integration of these technologies. The aim of the panel is to bring together experts and researchers to share innovative methods, case studies and best practices and to create a deeper understanding of the potential offered by the synergy between AI, data visualization and digital storytelling.
Keywords: Data visualization, Digital storytelling, Open Data, Artificial Intelligence
Paolo Diana, University of Salerno, diana@unisa.it ITALY
Giovannipaolo Ferrari, University of Salerno, giferrari@unisa.it, ITALY
Panel Session
The evolution of digital technologies and the increasing availability of User Spatial Content—geolocated data generated by users through social media, digital platforms, and other applications—are transforming the study of territory and social phenomena. These data enable the observation of behaviors, perceptions, and social practices with unprecedented detail. By addressing some of the limitations of traditional methodologies, they provide new research perspectives on how social phenomena develop and are distributed across physical and virtual spaces.
This innovative approach builds upon a well-established body of research demonstrating the significant influence of territory on individual and collective trajectories. Territorial characteristics, such as economic structures, access to services, and social composition, shape social processes through mechanisms like structural, contextual, spatial, compositional, and neighborhood effects. These frameworks highlight the relevance of territory (Tickamyer, 2000) and its complex impact (Galster, 2011).
Integrating traditional methods with User Spatial Content offers unprecedented opportunities but also raises critical challenges: addressing methodological biases, reflecting on data ethics, ensuring the quality and relevance of sources, and identifying reliable pathways to access geolocated data. Understanding where and how to retrieve these data is essential to unlock their potential while navigating issues such as platform constraints, data availability, and privacy concerns.
This session invites contributions exploring the potential and limitations of geolocated data sources through case studies or methodological reflections. The goal is to enrich the debate on existing and future research strategies for analyzing social phenomena in relation to territory, focusing both on innovative uses of user-generated spatial content and on strategies for acquiring and managing these resources effectively.
Keywords: User Spatial Content, geolocated data
Ciro Clemente De Falco, University of Naples “Federico II”, ciroclemente.defalco@unina.it, Italy
Francesca Romana Lenzi, University of Rome “Foro Italico”, francescaromana.lenzi@uniroma4.it, Italy
Panel Session
Breaking up the Narrative: Addressing the Quality and Applicability Challenges of Open Government Data
Open Government Data (OGD) are hailed as a cornerstone of transparency, innovation, and public participation, yet the reality often reveals a gap between ideals and practice. Issues such as incomplete, outdated, or low-quality datasets undermine the principles of OGD and limit its usability. This session aims to address the root causes of these challenges, evaluate their impact, and explore case studies that offer actionable insights into improving data quality and rethinking OGD frameworks. Submissions may address (but are not limited to) the following topics:
Diagnosing Low-Quality Open Data:
o Common causes of poor-quality Open Data (e.g., errors, inconsistencies, or lack of updates).
o How these issues can affect public trust and the usability of data.
Challenges to the Open Government Data Principle:
o Cases where OGD has failed to deliver its promised transparency or accountability.
o The implications of poor data quality on policymaking and public services.
Case Studies and Lessons Learned:
o National or local initiatives highlighting challenges and successes in implementing OGD.
o Examples where high-quality Open Data has transformed decision-making, contrasted with cases of failure due to poor quality.
Improving Data Quality:
o Methodologies and tools for identifying and rectifying issues in Open Data.
o Leveraging AI, machine learning, or crowdsourcing to enhance data quality and ensure compliance with the FAIR principles.
Applicability of Open Data in Diverse Contexts:
o Analysis of sectors (e.g., healthcare, environment, urban planning) where Open Data quality challenges are particularly acute.
Keywords: Open Government Data, open data quality
Fabio Gaspani, University of Milan-Bicocca, fabio.gaspani@unimib.it, Italy
Federico Pilati, University of Milan-Bicocca, federico.pilati@unimib.it, Italy
Sonia Stefanizzi, University of Milan-Bicocca, sonia.stefanizzi@unimib.it, Italy
Panel Session
Social interaction is an intrinsic facet of qualitative research fieldwork. Generally, qualitative methods require open and extensive communicative exchange between a researcher and research participants or among the latter. Qualitative fieldwork presumes in-depth delving into the social worlds of research participants. It is therefore largely expected that emotions and feelings will manifest during qualitative data collection. In some cases, researchers can predict that a study topic or some questions within it will be sensitive to research participants. In other cases, a seemingly simple question may result in an unexpectedly strong emotion on the part of a participant (e.g. sadness). Furthermore, researchers can be affected by the emotional state of their participants, for example, encompassing their sadness or feeling responsible for causing emotions that upset or stress a participant. Likewise, particularly strong positive emotions and intense excitement can pose a challenge to a researcher who needs to manage the research environment. In a nutshell, emotions and feelings may pose diverse dilemmas in qualitative fieldwork and researchers need to be capable of navigating them. It seems, however, that “emotion management” is not extensively covered within social research methodology literature and teaching. This session, therefore, invites qualitative researchers to unveil their experiences with emotionally charged situations during fieldwork. It encourages researchers to share what challenges they encountered, how they dealt with them, and what good practices they can recommend to other researchers. Also, to discuss the ways of attaining “emotional literacy” in qualitative research practice and transferring knowledge to the researchers in their training stages.
Keywords: qualitative research, social interaction, emotions, feelings
Inga Gaizauskaite, Vytautas Magnus University, inga.gaizauskaite@vdu.lt, Lithuania
Panel Session
The history of research methods in Sociology is closely tied to the changing nature of the empirical world that we study and concurrent shifts in the conceptual frameworks used to investigate this world.
The progressive embedding of digital data, devices and infrastructures within the social world is a defining feature of the 21st Century, to date, that shows no sign of slowing. Relatedly, current theorizations emphasise the ongoing intra-action of ‘the social’ and ‘the digital’. The separation of ‘the social’ from ‘the digital’ becomes an ontological ‘cut’, rather than a self-evident fact.
Taking this ‘sociodigital’ world seriously poses some significant methodological challenges in all phases of the research process, from the selection of the objects of study to data construction, analysis and outputs. Our panel will explore the methodological challenges of this ‘sociodigital’ world, and the methods that sociologists can use and develop to advance these in their research. Topics might include (but are not constrained to):
• How to research sociodigital intra-actions
• How to research live/lively and emergent sociodigital phenomena
• How to conduct engaged and participatory sociodigital research?
• How to research sociodigital practices across sites, scales and infrastructures
• How to explore emergent sociodigital futures, as well as pasts and presents
We welcome exploration of the contribution that conventional, non-digital and digital methods might make to researching sociodigital phenomena, as well as consideration of innovative, engaged and creative methods that entail collaboration with engineering, arts and humanities, and those that facilitate interventions with non-academic partners (e.g. in communities, government and industry).
Keywords: sociodigital futures, theory, methodology, methods
Susan Halford, University of Bristol, susan.halford@bristol.ac.uk, UK
Biagio Aragona, Federico II, University of Naples, aragona@unina.it, Italy
Training Course
Since the launch of Chat GPT in November 2022, large language models (LLMs) have proliferated and rapidly become embedded in a range of everyday applications from search engines to media content creation and business functions. More specifically, LLMs feature increasingly on the sociological research landscape, formally embedded in bespoke tools (e.g. for bibliographic management or free text analysis) and informally used for literature reviews, writing abstracts, book reviews and even journal articles. As research agencies become actively interested in LLMs as a means increase ‘value for money’ in social science research, questions about their longer term implications for research funding become pressing.
It is essential that sociologists develop an in-depth, evidence based assessment of LLMs as a research tool and their position within the sociological methods repertoire.
This training session takes a critical sociological perspective on the uses, abuses and potentials of LLMs as a research tool. It will begin with an introductory overview of some of the methodological challenges that LLMs pose for sociological research (30 minutes). The remainder of the session (90 minutes) will offer a curated and supported hands-on session to develop skills for critical engagement and practical experimentation with the use of an LLM as a sociological phenomenon and a sociological method. “
Keywords: Large Language Models/Chatbots, critical interrogation, practical skills
Leslie Carr, University of Southampton, lac@ecs.soton.ac.uk, UK
Jessica Ogden, University of Bristol, jessica.ogden@bristol.ac.uk, UK
Panel Session
Cross-sectional and cross-national surveys, such as European Values Study (EVS), European Social Survey (ESS), and the World Values Survey (WVS), support scholars aiming at studying human values and attitudes comparatively, both across countries and over time, by providing high quality data across multiple life domains. The EVS has been investigating the Europeans’ values since 1981 in more than 40 countries every 9 years. The ESS has collected data biennially through a core questionnaire and 2 rotating modules since 2002 in a varying number of countries (up to 31). The WVS has been studying a broad range of values and beliefs since 1981, conducting surveys every 5 years in over 80 countries.
Values are conceptually understood to describe belief systems that are mainly established at juvenile age during socialisation and then remain comparatively stable over the individual life course. Further, it has often been claimed that values set moral boundaries for the shorter term social and political attitudes that people can develop. However, values – because of their nature, can only be inferred. Measurement approaches can vary and challenges to comparability in cross-sectional settings need to be considered duly.
We invite papers based on EVS/WVS/ESS data -eventually in combination with other sources focusing on methodological aspects of the measurement of values and attitudes, those investigating validity and cross-cultural comparability of values and attitudes, and harmonization challenges when combining EVS/WVS/ESS data. Also, we welcome contributions addressing multilevel and longitudinal research questions on topic such as (but not limited to) social solidarity, social cohesion, environmentalism, gender equality, trust, and democracy.
Keywords: Values, cross-sectional comparability, Social and Political Attitudes
Vera Lomazzi, European Values Study/ University of Bergamo, vera.lomazzi@unibg.it, Italy
Ruxandra Comanaru, European Social Survey ERIC, City, University of London Ruxandra.Comanaru.2@city.ac.uk, United Kingdom
Kseniya Kizilova, World Values Survey Association, ksenniya.kizilova@gmail.com, Austria
Panel Session
The interplay of individual and collective experiences, local and global systems, and immediate and long-term dynamics requires a nuanced and multidimensional approach to social analysis. This session invites methodological contributions that explore the interconnected influences across the micro (individual), meso (community), macro (national), and meta (global) dimensions, fostering a deeper understanding of the complex interdependencies shaping our world. We encourage participants to engage with frameworks such as the m4-matrix anchored in the POZE paradigm which integrates the individual and social context to reveal the cascading effects of actions, policies, and phenomena within and across these dimensions. (Walther, C (2020). Development, Humanitarian Aid and Social Welfare. Social Change from the inside Out).
One illustration of the bidirectional influence within and between these four dimensions is the ripple effect of climate change on the planet, on national policies and economies, on cities and local communities and on individual experiences and expressions, and vice versa, how personal attitudes and action impact global phenomena, shape social movements, influence national governance, and worsen or soften the blow of natural disaster. Submissions should propose innovative methods—quantitative, qualitative, mixed, or transdisciplinary—that identify, analyze, and visualize these multidimensional influences. Emphasis will be placed on approaches that move beyond siloed perspectives, offering insights into the mutual feedback loops and potential leverage points for systemic transformation.
This session aims to catalyze the development of methodologies that not only deepen understanding but also inform action in addressing complex social, environmental, and political challenges.
Keywords: Transdisciplinary, Methodological Innovation, Systems Thinking, Interactive dynamic Analysis
Cornelia C Walther, Wharton School, cwalther@upenn.edu, United States
Enrique Delamonica, UNICEF, edelamonica@unicef.org, United States
Invited Session
The main question of this invited session is: How did the Columbia model of sociology come to dominate European postwar sociology? This session invites scholars to explore the methodological contributions of Paul F. Lazarsfeld and the middle-range theory model developed by Robert K. Merton. The discussion might begin with Lazarsfeld’s methodological, organizational, and institutional innovations. From there, we will examine how this sociological model was gradually adopted by institutions in the United States and later in Europe.
Key topics include the role of methodological publications and their modes of use, as well as the individuals who facilitated the diffusion of the Columbia school model in Europe. What do we know about its reception and adaptation in countries such as Norway, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Poland, Austria, Yugoslavia, Germany, and Czechoslovakia? What commonalities and differences characterized these processes across nations?
Additionally, the panel will consider the influence of major foundations such as Rockefeller, the Ford Foundation, and the Fondation Maison des Sciences de l’Homme, as well as programs like the Fulbright Exchange. How can we measure or evaluate the success of these efforts? What new institutions and methodological publications in European languages emerged as a result?
Keywords: Columbia school, Lazarsfeld’s methodology, Empirical Social Research in Postwar Europe
Hynek Jerabek, Charles University, Faculty of Social Sciences, hynek.jerabek@gmail.com, Czech Republic,
Panel Session
The aim of this section is to review how visual data analysis and diverse visual practices contribute to shaping future visions or expectations of society.
While we often see the future as imagined in particular ways (such as in the cases of disastrous climate change or more positive utopias of smart cities ) there is very little research on the application or contribution of visual methods as a way to inform or understand this process. As personal and corporate data accumulation is increasing, we also ought to look into the broader ecology of living with different kinds of visual data and social practices of contesting the new technologies or counter-imaginaries.
The key questions in this session are (not limited to) the following:
How are the socio-technological imaginaries employ imagery and future-oriented artefacts to promote promises of benevolent connectedness, liveability and safety?
How can we understand the emerging entanglements of visual data along the lines of politics, ethics and materiality?
What are the new ways of coping with ethical issues of (big) visual data production, use and analysis?
How can visual sociologists critically include big visual data into social analysis and compensate for existing deficiencies of pure computational methods?
The selection of papers from the session can be published in the Palgrave McMillan “” Social Visualities”” book series.”
Keywords: visual methods, digital media, generative visual media, visual social media
Zuev Dennis, CIES-ISCTE, Lisbon Portugal and Research Lab for Cultural Sustainability, University fo St.Joseph, Macau denis.zuev@usj.edu.mo, Portugal
Panel Session
The integration of survey and contextual data offers significant opportunities to enhance analyses and provide deeper insights into public opinion and social behavior. Traditionally, contextual data used alongside survey data consisted of time-invariant, macro-level information specific to countries or regions. However, the digital age introduces new data sources, such as social media and digitalized archives (e.g., newspaper databases), allowing for innovative ways to situate surveys within socio-political and historical contexts. This helps address limitations of static contextual predictors.
By merging diverse data formats, researchers can achieve a more nuanced understanding of social phenomena, though this integration poses methodological and theoretical challenges. This session aims to discuss the practical implications of linking survey and contextual data in social science research.
We invite contributions that explore innovative methods for collecting and analyzing linked survey and contextual data. Particularly welcome are studies using contextual data from traditional media (e.g., newspapers, television), digital media (e.g., Twitter, Instagram, Telegram), or digital traces (e.g., web browsing, mobile app usage, GPS data). Submissions from related fields are encouraged.
We invite studies successfully combining these data types to address pressing social science questions. Topics of interest include developing tools, applying machine learning and computational methods for data collection and generation, integrating new and traditional data sources, harmonizing surveys, and advancing statistical models to handle diverse datasets.”
Keywords: integration of survey and context, digital media source, contextual data, Data linkage
Britta Maskow, Chemnitz University of Technology, Britta.Maskow@hsw.tu-chemnitz.de, Germany
Manuel Holz, Chemnitz University of Technology, Manuel.Holz@hsw.tu-chemnitz.de, Germany
Arianna Fay Zehner, TU Dresden, arianna_fay.zehner@tu-dresden.de, Germany
Invited Session
This session focusses on research that explores, develops or tests visual methods applied in unstructured data collection efforts for hard to study populations. These are populations like low literate people, people with cognitive limitations, (mental) health challenges, or subgroups with physical restraints like in hearing or speaking, whose voices may be under- or misrepresented in research. They all have in common to be at greater risk of communicative, cognitive and/or motivational restraints. As a result, these limitations may pose a threat to data quality and research findings may be hampered.
In this session, we welcome theoretical and empirical contributions that address the use of visual methods in unstructured data collection for hard to study populations. The visual methods may be applied to address: cognitive and communicative processes; verbal and non-verbal behavior; power differences in research; sensitive topics and emotional burden; or other interactive aspects of data collection. They may also be applied in the development of tools and instruments, as aided recall tool, or to map data visually.
While the use of visual methods for unstructured qualitative data collection should be in the center of the focus, the aim of the research may be directed towards theoretical, qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods research.
Hence, this session invites papers dealing with innovative visual approaches to collect unstructured data from special populations.
Keywords: Unstructured data, Visual methods, Data collection
Vanessa Torres van Grinsven, Open Universiteit, vanessa.torresvangrinsven@ou.nl, Netherlands
Wander Van der Vaart, University of Humanistic Studies, w.vandervaart@uvh.nl, Netherlands
Invited Session
Inequalities represent a pressing and multifaceted challenge in contemporary societies, encompassing economic, social and health dimensions. This session aims to critically examine the dynamics and far-reaching impacts of inequalities while fostering a comprehensive understanding of their underlying causes and consequences. Adopting a quantitative perspective, the session seeks to identify and analyze the structural and systemic factors that sustain disparities, offering insights into innovative strategies for their mitigation. Central themes include an in-depth exploration of mechanisms driving inequalities, such as inequitable income distribution, disparities in access to quality education and healthcare, and structural barriers to equitable employment opportunities. Emphasis is placed on the intersectionality of inequalities, highlighting how overlapping social identifiers—such as gender, ethnicity, age, and geographic location—interact to amplify disadvantages for marginalized groups. The The session further situates these issues within a broader global context, critically assessing the roles of globalization and technological advancement in intensifying or addressing inequalities across diverse regions. Through an exploration of case studies and empirical research, the session will highlight pathways toward addressing inequalities. These include analyzing successful interventions, innovative practices, and evidence-based strategies that have made strides in reducing disparities. By fostering an understanding of these challenges, the session aspires to contribute to ongoing academic and practical efforts aimed at building more equitable and inclusive societies.
Keywords: Inequalities, Statistical methods
Rocco Mazza, University of Bari Aldo Moro, rocco.mazza@uniba.it, Italy
Invited Session
Data-driven approach represents a statistical solution adopted by healthcare agencies at both local and national levels to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of health service organizations. This can contribute on cost reduction, budget constraints, transparent resource allocation, performance management with goals, indicators, and measurable results. In healthcare, data driven has determined a significant focus on digitization processes and the develop of efficiency measures. The growing momentum in digital health initiatives highlights the integration of digital technologies to enhance healthcare delivery and patient outcomes. Governance has emerged as a critical concern in managing digital transformation in health services, requiring thorough evaluation and continuous monitoring. Additionally, the role of KPIs in digital health has been increasingly recognized, with calls for the development of digital public health interventions and robust measurement tools to evaluate the impact and effectiveness of digital health initiatives. However, ethical considerations have emerged as a key issue, especially regarding innovations like digital twins for personalized health services, which underscore the complexities involved in healthcare digitization. Alongside digitization, the performance of healthcare systems relies heavily on effective planning, organization, and the application of quantitative approaches. The study and analysis of healthcare systems have become increasingly critical for improving performance while meeting a range of often conflicting objectives. These include minimising costs, maximising resource utilisation, improving quality of care, treatment outcomes, effectively managing patient volumes within time constraints, and optimising healthcare delivery within tight budgets.
Keywords: Health, Data-driven approach
Maria Gabriella Grassia, University of Naples Federico II, mgrassia@unina.it, Italy
Agostino Stavolo, University of Naples Federico II, agostino.stavolo@unina.it, Italy
Panel Session
In (almost) all research projects, social scientists are interested in the personal experiences, practices and private lives of their participants and informants. If these were easily accessible and open, we wouldn’t need to do research with the participants – we wouldn’t need to ask. So you could say that we are interested in things that can be called secrets (or at least things that have not yet been revealed). Topics such as political opinions, religious beliefs and values, sexual and romantic preferences and practices, criminal behaviour and issues of health and bodily functions are all considered sensitive topics, but there can be many more.
There are different strategies for dealing with sensitive topics and issues of privacy, confidentiality and shame in the research setting. While qualitative researchers tend to address these issues by building trust and a non-judgemental atmosphere, survey research has developed a whole arsenal of techniques to maximise privacy and confidentiality, such as self-administered questionnaires or randomised response procedures.
For this session, we invite researchers to share their experiences and strategies in dealing with sensitive and private issues in research, whether in qualitative or quantitative research or (comparatively) both. We emphasise contributions that not only describe success stories, but also address failures, obstacles and limitations, and aim to provide a safe space to discuss different strategies, options and trends. In addition, we also invite contributions that address issues of confidentiality, privacy and shame in the research environment from a theoretical perspective.
Keywords: sensitive topics, research strategies, qualtitative and quantitative
Kathrin Gaertner, University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt, Kathrin.Gaertner@fhwn.ac.at, Austria
Martin Weichbold, Paris Lodron University Salzburg, martin.weichbold@plus.ac.at, Austria
Panel Session
Polarization, Populism and Post-Truth have become central sociopolitical phenomena in political communication processes around the world. A scenario in which the 3Ps (Political Polarization, Populism and Post-Truth) are shown in a clearer and more accentuated way is in the debates on digital social networks such as X, BlueSky, Facebook or Instagram, which take place around relevant social and political issues or during electoral processes in democratic countries. Therefore, these phenomena affect the development of democratic processes and must be analyzed in depth and with the utmost empirical rigor. However, and despite their importance, we do not have tools that have fully operationalized the diversity and complexity of these phenomena. Consequently, we still require developments that allow us to offer satisfactory results on the scope and impact of the 3Ps. This session offers a space to present techniques and tools that help us advance in the knowledge of these current and central processes especially focused on the analysis of polarization, populism, and post-truth in debates on digital social networks.
Keywords: Social Network Analysis, Political polarization, Populism, post-truth
José Manuel Robles, Complutense University of Madrid, jmrobles@ucm.es, Spain
Belén Casas-Mas, Complutense University of Madrid, bcasas@ucm.es, Spain
Mattia De Angelis, University of Naples, mattia.deangelis@unina.it, Italy
Panel Session
The data revolution of the last decades has brought to sociology the emergence of textual data corpora of unprecedented size reflecting social phenomena, from social media entries to online media content to textual archives. In parallel, new and advanced computational tools for analyzing texts have emerged. This encounter between computer science and sociology is more than just an adaptation of new tools; it is also a convergence of fields with different methodological paradigms, such as the interpretative traditions of sociology and the computational frameworks of computer science. The session aims to present how these methodological tools and innovations of computational science can be effectively integrated into the study of social phenomena. We invite papers that critically reflect on this intersection, offering innovative approaches or addressing methodological challenges. Topics may include but are not limited to:
• The application of mixed methodologies to qualitatively validate machine learning results.
• The utilization of large language models to support qualitative text analysis.
• Adapting and fine-tuning natural language processing methods to address sociological questions.
• Strategies for integrating computational methods with traditional quantitative and qualitative approaches.
• Exploring methodological challenges in analyzing multilingual or culturally diverse textual datasets.
• Examining social or semantic networks through text-mining techniques.
• Applying computational tools to understand emotional trends in textual data.
• Identifying and mitigating algorithmic or data-driven biases.
Keywords: Natural Language Processing, Methodological Innovations, Interdisciplinary Approaches
Ildikó Barna, ELTE Research Center for Computational Social Science, barna.ildiko@tatk.elte.hu, Hungary
Renáta Németh, ELTE Research Center for Computational Social Science, nemeth.renata@tatk.elte.hu, Hungary
Invited Session
Non-native populations constitute a pivotal component of demographic change in most European countries, which are increasingly characterized by an aging population and the contraction of many areas, particularly inner and rural regions. These dynamics are especially pronounced in Italy, where long-standing territorial divides persist and the native population has been aging for years due to a persistently low fertility rate, well below the replacement level, coupled with rising life expectancy. Currently, foreign residents account for over 8% of the total population, a proportion that increases significantly when “new” Italian citizens are included. Non-native populations display considerable internal heterogeneity, which becomes even more evident when analyzed across different spatial scales and geographic contexts. This complexity introduces significant challenges related to definitions, data availability, and methodological tools for measurement and interpretation. This session seeks to offer new perspectives on these issues by integrating theoretical reflections with empirical evidence. Particular attention will be given to case studies focusing on local-scale analyses and spatial methodologies.
Keywords: regional demography, non-native populations, local scale, spatial approaches
Federico Benassi, University of Naples Federico II, federico.benassi@unina.it, Italy
Giuseppe Gabrielli, University of Naples Federico II, giuseppe.gabrielli@unina.it, Italy
Panel Session
How to research the phenomenon of disability? How to discover the definition and interpretations of disability in the contemporary world, as well as the social ways of understanding it? How to reveal the social practice generated by specific meanings and discourses of disability? Disability is an inseparable element of human existence. Disability is the subject of research by representatives of many scientific disciplines, which is why we would like our panel to be interdisciplinary in nature. We invite sociologists, educators, psychologists, social politicians, economists, lawyers and other scientists to participate in it, taking up the issues of people with disabilities and the phenomenon of disability in their research work. We especially invite doctoral students and young doctors to present the results of their empirical research and theoretical considerations on disability. Disability research not only seeks to explore populations where lived experience of disability is distinct, it is also a field where researchers themselves have lived experience. This panel reflects on the methodological innovations between the researcher, and the co-created opportunities to collect qualitative experiences from participants with disabilities. This panel will explores the new salience of research on disability studies, describes why its importance is likely to increase. The panel will be organized in cooperation with the Section Sociology of Disability of the Polish Sociological Association.
Keywords: disability studies, qualitative research, people with disabilities
Tomasz Kasprzak, University of Silesia (Institute of Sociology), naukowy.kasprzak@gmail.com, Poland
Panel Session
Since its inception, multi-sited ethnography has been interpreted in diverse ways: from following groups and individuals across global spaces to conceptualize translocal symbolic and economic worlds, to positioning phenomena between sites of origin and consequence to understand their interconnections (Coleman and Von Hellermann 2011). Recent years have seen this methodological debate intensify as researchers grapple with new theoretical and practical challenges (Gallo 2009; Duijn 2020; Jia 2024).
This panel explores contemporary developments in multi-sited approaches across material, immaterial, and digital social spaces. We examine how researchers navigate methodological tensions around three key dimensions: (1) site selection driven by social actors’ trajectories and meaningful places; (2) translocal methodologies examining interconnected spaces and cultural productions; and (3) emerging approaches that question traditional notions of ethnographic presence and participation.
Critical questions the panel aims to address include: How is this methodology challenged by decolonial research approaches? How does multi-sited ethnography operate across different languages and conceptual translations? What are the possibilities for conducting such research in an era of precarious funding and fragmented research agendas? What ethical and methodological considerations arise when studying contexts marked by violence or danger? How can we balance the breadth of multi-sited approaches with demands for deep engagement and reciprocity with research participants?
We welcome papers that critically examine these methodological challenges while proposing innovative solutions for:
• Translocal research methodologies
• Collaborative and participatory approaches across sites
• Integration of material and digital spaces
• Ethics and responsibilities in multi-sited research
• Knowledge co-production and translation across contexts
Keywords: Multi-sited ethnography, Digital ethnography, Mobility Studies
Jacopo Anderlini, University of Parma, jacopo.anderlini@unipr.it, Italy
Luca Giliberti, University of Parma, luca.giliberti@unipr.it, Italy
Vincenza Pellegrino, University of Parma, vincenza.pellegrino@unipr.it, Italy
Panel Session
Stemming from a new epistemological approach that focuses on dynamic social processes instead of static societies, the mobilities turn has introduced several methodological innovations in social sciences. Scholars have explored methods and experimented tools of analysis to comprehend people’s flows, mobility behaviours and experiences, practices, (in)accessibilities and mobility injustices. In this session we would like to debate on the methodological frontiers in the study of mobilities. We are interested in exploring the applications, the strengths, the challenges and the potential complementarities of the following methodological approaches:
– The application of technological devices (i.e., optic sensors to monitor traffic flows, mobile devices…) in studying mobility flows and behaviours.
– The use and governance of big data (e.g. mobiles location, gps navigators data…) to study mobility behaviours.
– The use of Collaborative Open Data (e.g., Open Street Map) and their potential applications in mobility studies.
– Urban audits and structured primary data collection for measuring the quality of urban infrastructures and mobility.
– Mobile interviews and observations for studying daily mobility experiences and practices.
– Surveys for studying mobility behaviours and attitudes (people-centric surveys, RP and SP surveys, …) and engagement techniques.
The session aims at gathering contributions that presents empirical applications and critically discuss these methodologies. It is particularly open to contributions that present mixed methods combining diverse methodological approaches in the study of mobilities.
Keywords: mobility, mobile methods, mobilities, big data
Matteo Colleoni, University of Milano-Bicocca, simone.caiello@unimib.it, Italy
Luca Daconto, University of Milano-Bicocca, luca.daconto@unimib.it, Italy
Simone Caiello, University of Milano-Bicocca, oscar.azzimonti@unimib.it, Italy
Panel Session
Sociological research is grounded in mutual collaboration between the researcher and social units, whose lived experiences contribute to the construction of knowledge. This relational process carries significant ethical responsibilities, particularly when it involves vulnerable subjects such as minors or refugees. Reflecting on these dimensions is essential for adopting a rigorous approach to empirical research. In recent years, academic debate highlighted the need for tools capable of ensuring both scientific quality and ethical respect. The goal is to navigate the analytical and deontological complexities of contemporary research, offering practical solutions to harmonize methodological rigor with practices that place ethics at the center of the knowledge production process. This applies equally to qualitative research designs, which value data as a shared meaning emerging from a process of mutual recognition and co-research – potentially within a mixed-methods framework – and to standardized research approaches, which emphasize strict non-intervention in the studied reality. We welcome contributions that adopt a theoretical-methodological perspective or present empirical studies reflecting on practical strategies and solutions, addressing the following thought-provoking questions: a) to what extent can data truly be shared without being influenced by power asymmetries? b) how can rigor and flexibility be reconciled in sensitive research contexts? c) is it possible to entirely avoid the risk of instrumentalizing participants’ lived experiences?
This call for contributions seeks to deepen the dialogue around these critical issues, aiming to foster an ethical and scientifically robust foundation for engaging with vulnerable populations in sociological research.
Keywords: Vulnerable social units, deontological ethics, migration
Anna Maria Leonora, University of Catania, anna.leonora@unict.it, Italy
Augusto Giuseppe Gamuzza, University of Catania, augusto.gamuzza@unict.it, Italy
Liana Maria Daher, University of Catania, liana.daher@unict.it, Italy
Panel Session
Network analysis is particularly well-suited to addressing the complexity and interconnections that characterise contemporary society, offering advanced analytical tools to explore relationships among actors, phenomena, and variables in the social sciences. This panel aims to discuss innovative network analysis-based solutions for tackling emerging methodological challenges, with a specific focus on their originality and practical applicability.
A key example is the use of network analysis in constructing weighting systems for composite indicators, often employed to measure complex phenomena such as sustainability, social well-being, poverty, and polycrises. By analysing the structure and morphology of networks, it becomes possible to identify the relative importance of variables based on their strategic position within a web of interdependencies.
Another area of application is the study of echo chambers in social media, where network analysis enables the mapping of user clusters and the examination of opinion polarisation. These techniques not only facilitate a deeper understanding of opinion formation dynamics but also support the design of interventions to counter disinformation.
The panel will also explore innovative approaches such as multilayer networks, which integrate data from diverse sources, and the application of machine learning algorithms for predictive analysis of social networks. Theoretical contributions and empirical case studies are welcome, offering fresh perspectives on the study of complex phenomena and highlighting the transformative impact of adopting this approach in the social sciences.
Keywords: network analysis, eco-chamber, composite indicators, polycrises
Fiorenza Deriu, Sapienza University of Rome, fiorenza.deriu@uniroma1.it, Italy
Invited Session
The study of immigrant descendants represents a critical area of contemporary socio-demographic research, particularly in societies experiencing significant demographic shifts and diversification, as is the case in Italy and other Southern European countries. Immigrant descendants, as a group, challenge traditional classifications and require nuanced definitions that take account for their different trajectories and experiences. This complexity is further amplified by variations in socio-demographic behaviours, including forms of sociability and participation, school and work inclusion, family formation, and household patterns, which are shaped by intersecting factors such as individual identity, generational status, cultural heritage as well as the political climate in which one lives.
This session explores the multifaceted approaches required to analyse immigrant descendants’ behaviour, with a focus on reconciling definitional challenges and methodological perspectives. It emphasises the importance of considering qualitative and quantitative data, adopting comparative frameworks and employing innovative techniques to capture different spatial and temporal dynamics. Particular attention will be given to case studies illustrating how national policies, regional variations and socio-economic structures influence the socio-demographic behaviour of immigrant descendants. By bridging theoretical insights and empirical findings, this session aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of how immigrant descendants shape and are shaped by their multiple socio-demographic, cultural and environmental contexts of life.
Keywords: Immigrant descendants, Socio-demographic behaviour, Definitional and methodological challenges Italy
Rosa Gatti, University of Naples Federico II, rosa.gatti@unina.it, Italy
Alessio Buonomo, University of Naples Federico II, alessio.buonomo@unina.it, Italy
Salvatore Strozza, University of Naples Federico II, strozza@unina.it, Italy
Panel Session
Doing research with children is a somewhat a controversial issue. This panel aims at sharing competencies and reflections on the wide variety of methodological, practical and ethical issues that arise when working with children, providing a brief up-to-date examination of issues that researchers may need to consider when designing studies involving children. Indeed, all techniques (participatory group work, interviews, questionnaires, participant observation, etc.) need to be rethought in children centered research.
Several challenges raise in the methodological and ethical field, especially when examining studies on socio-educational inequalities involving children, in particular the most disadvantaged ones, with fewer opportunities (those who are poor, of immigrant origin, from peripheral areas, with disabilities, from the Global South, etc.). Their well-being is rarely investigated risking to contribute, also in the research field, to a simplified, adult-centric, and prejudiced view of children. It is therefore urgent to foster a scientific debate aimed at identifying methodological changes for a more inclusive and emancipatory sociology, capable of giving voice and promoting participation of children.
The panel is intended to encourage researchers to reflect upon the research methods and approaches that they use with children, discussing the main challenges, drawbacks and benefits in: gaining access and seeking consent; research setting; questions and activities during data collection; confidentiality and child protection issues; debriefing and rewards.
Contributions from authors with a wide range of disciplinary backgrounds, research practices and theoretical perspective are welcome.
Keywords: Childhood, Educational inequalities, Emancipatory sociology
Rosaria Lumino, University of Naples Federico II, rosaria.lumino@unina.it, Italy
Mariagrazia Santagati, Università Cattolica di Milano, mariagrazia.santagati@unicatt.it, Italy
Leopoldo Cabrera, Universidad de La Laguna, lcabre@ull.es, Spagna
Panel Session
Comparing means or relationships between constructs within and across countries requires equivalent measurements, particularly for subjective attributes like values, attitudes, or opinions. This session explores the critical role of measurement equivalence in advancing sociological research, focusing on comparisons across diverse groups defined by nationality, culture, age, education, or other characteristics.
Reliable and valid survey instruments for constructs such as value priorities, attitudinal dispositions, or behavioral patterns have long been used to enable meaningful comparisons across nations, regions, and time. Constructs like Schwartz’s value dimensions or ideological attitudes, such as authoritarianism, are particularly suited for such analysis due to their widespread application and established scales. Other constructs, including religiosity, social norms, and prejudicial attitudes like antisemitism or racism, pose unique challenges due to varying interpretations across contexts.
This session invites papers that examine the comparability of measurements across groups. Topics of interest include cross-national comparisons of values, within-country subgroup analyses, or innovative methodological approaches for testing measurement invariance. Contributions addressing the challenges and opportunities of measuring socially sensitive constructs or those with deep cultural specificity are especially welcome.
By addressing the nuances of measurement equivalence, this session aims to foster deeper insights into the interplay between sociocultural contexts and theoretical constructs, advancing the rigor and applicability of comparative sociological research.
Keywords: measurement equivalence, cross-group comparison, attitudes, values
Marcus Eisentraut, University of Cologne, eisentraut@wiso.uni-koeln.de, Germany
Eldad Davidov, University of Cologne, e.davidov@uni-koeln.de, Germany
Alisa Remizova, GESIS – Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences, alisa.remizova@gesis.org, Germany
Panel Session
The large amount of textual data available in digital space represents a new challenge for data analysts in search of new statistical methods, scalable algorithms, and enhanced visualization tools to face the intrinsic complexity of such kinds of data.
The different steps of any network textual data analysis imply a sequence of demanding tasks, starting from data collection and preparation; defining complex network data structures; implementing algorithms and techniques to deal with different levels of data complexity; and analyzing and visually representing network data.
Scientific debate offers many solutions under the framework of Text Mining, Deep Learning, Network Science, etc. We may find pure algorithms, statistical methods, and machine learning techniques based on the specific scientific field. Some methods are general purposes; others deal with definite applied problems.
This session aims to collect contributions focused on theoretical, methodological, and empirical aspects related to textual network analysis, visualization, and graph embedding.
Keywords: Social Media, Hate Speech, Text Mining, Artificial Intelligence
Michelangelo Misuraca, University of Salerno, mmisuraca@unisa.it, Italy
Giuseppe Giordano, University of Salerno, ggiordano@unisa.it, Italy
Lara Fontanella, University G. D’annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, lara.fontanella@unich.it, Italy
Panel Session
The digital turn, which has been unfolding over the past two decades, has profoundly influenced the ways in which social scientists conceive and conduct research. While initial predictions of a radical paradigm shift have not fully materialized, the epistemological and methodological frameworks of social research have undergone significant transformations. The advent of digital technologies has introduced novel challenges and opportunities, prompting a re-evaluation of traditional research methods and the integration of new, digitally oriented approaches. This evolving landscape underscores the importance of revisiting Mixed Methods Research (MMR) in light of the digital turn.
The digital turn has expanded the repertoire of tools and techniques available to social scientists. The rise of “Digital Methods” reflects a methodological innovation that leverages the affordances of digital technologies to study social phenomena. Digital methods encompass a diverse array of tools and techniques, including web scraping, social network analysis, digital ethnography, and computational text analysis. These methods enable researchers to explore the vast and heterogeneous data generated by digital platforms, often referred to as “digital traces”. These traces include text, images, videos, hyperlinks, and metadata, which collectively present unprecedented opportunities for understanding social behaviour and cultural dynamics.
The digital turn raises questions about the ontological and epistemological underpinnings of social research. How do digital traces reshape our understanding of social reality? To what extent do digital methods align with or diverge from traditional epistemological frameworks? These considerations lead immediately to methodological limitations. Digital methods often rely on large-scale data, which may obscure contextual nuances. The integration of qualitative approaches within MMR can help address this limitation, but it also necessitates careful consideration of methodological coherence. Moreover, last but not least, it remains the core of the discussion the ethical concerns and the data quality and validity issues. The use of digital data raises ethical issues related to privacy, consent, and data ownership. Researchers must navigate these challenges while adhering to ethical guidelines and ensuring the integrity of their work. The heterogeneity of digital data, again, poses challenges for ensuring data quality, validity, and reliability. MMR frameworks must incorporate rigorous validation techniques to address these concerns
Recent literatures and empirical researches shows the flexibility and inclusivity of MMR making it particularly well suited for navigating the challenges posed by digital data and methods.
In the context of the digital turn, MMR offers advantages in terms of epistemological synergies (MMR enables researchers to bridge the divide between qualitative and quantitative paradigms, fostering a holistic understanding of social phenomena); methodological innovation (the combination of digital and traditional methods enhances the analytical depth and breadth of social research; for instance, digital ethnography can be complemented by computational text analysis to provide both granular and large-scale insights), and practical applicability (MMR facilitates the triangulation of findings, enhancing the validity and reliability of research outcomes).
By adopting a mixed methods framework, researchers can navigate these hybrid spaces effectively, capturing the nuances of social phenomena as they unfold across multiple environments. Moreover, the integration of mixed methods facilitates the combination of digital and non-digital data types. The variety of data available today—ranging from textual and visual digital traces to traditional survey responses and ethnographic notes—demands innovative approaches to synthesis and analysis. A mixed methods perspective ensures that these heterogeneous data sources are not only juxtaposed but also critically interrogated to uncover deeper insights. From an analytical and theoretical standpoint, the use of mixed methods encourages the blending of interpretative and analytical perspectives. This approach fosters the development of a critical digital sociology that is both reflective and aware of its epistemological and methodological choices. By engaging with multiple theoretical lenses and analytical strategies, researchers can challenge existing assumptions and contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the social world.
This panel invites contributions that critically engage with the intersection of Mixed Methods Research and the digital turn. We seek to explore the following thematic areas:
• Epistemological Reflections: How has the digital turn influenced the epistemological foundations of MMR? What theoretical frameworks can guide the integration of digital methods within MMR?
• Methodological Strengths and Weaknesses: What are the methodological advantages and limitations of digital mixed methods? How can researchers effectively combine traditional and digital approaches?
• Interactions Between Traditional and Digital Methods, Scenarios and Analytical Perspectives: How can traditional methods, scenarios and analytical perspectives complement the digital ones within MMR frameworks? What synergies can be achieved through their integration?
• Ethical Issues: What ethical considerations arise in the context of digital mixed methods research? How can researchers address these challenges while maintaining methodological rigor?
• Data Quality, Validity, and Reliability: How can researchers ensure the quality and validity of digital data within MMR frameworks? What strategies can be employed to enhance the reliability of research findings?
This panel aims to foster a critical and constructive dialogue on the role of Mixed Methods Research in addressing the challenges and opportunities of the digital turn. By examining the theoretical, methodological, and ethical dimensions of digital mixed methods, we hope to contribute to the development theoretical and empirical insights that will shape the future of social research. We invite scholars, practitioners, and students to join us in this exploration, sharing their experiences and perspectives on the evolving landscape of Mixed Methods Research in the digital era.
Felice Addeo, Università degli Studi di Salerno
Gabriella Punziano, Università Federico II di Napoli
Roundtable
Inequality is a global problem and the most pressing issue over the years. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated pre-existing inequities. Intersectionality as a theoretical and methodological tool has become central to the study of inequality, identity and power relations. It has featured in most studies on vulnerable and marginalized populations and thus gained much attention both in academic and policy spheres. There have been multiple theorizations of intersectionality since it was first coined by Kimberle Crenshaw (1989). Existing intersectionality research often prioritizes scholarship from the Global North and overlooks the diverse realities and perspectives of the Global South. Given the lack of a precise definition of intersectionality, scholars and practitioners increasingly emphasize the importance of investigating its application in specific research contexts and practical applications. There is a need to incorporate intersectional analysis in research and policy, for instance, around the changing nature of work, growth of urban informality and economic precarity, growth of homelessness, the impact of climate change, gender and access to public services. This session would discuss the opportunities and challenges of using an intersectional approach in research looking at its relations with research design, methods, data analysis, dissemination of research findings, and policy application. The objective of this roundtable session is to understand, inform and promote intersectional approaches to research on vulnerable and marginalized populations. It would discuss opportunities and challenges that intersectionality presents for doing research and addressing persistent inequalities around the world.
Keywords: Intersectionality, Inequality, Vulnerability, Marginalization
Daniel Amoah, Memorial University of Newfoundland, dkamoah@mun.ca, Canada
Panel Session
Social Network Analysis (SNA) is a social research method to study the relations among individuals, organizations, and collectivities of various sizes (Wasserman and Faust 1994). It consists of graphic and statistical analysis, useful for investigating the behavior of social actors in terms of structural constraints and possibilities (Chiesi, 1999). The theoretical and explanation framework of SNA emphasizes relationship attributes, rather than individual ones (Scott, 2000). SNA is becoming widely employed in very different empirical domains of social research, such as the studies of social support, elites, social movements, crime and terrorist networks, kinship and friendship (Scott and Carrington, 2011). This session focuses on the use of SNA in the evaluation studies, when the social researcher is called to assume the role of the evaluator to establish the impact of one specific public or private program, and to assess whether the achieved result differs from the expected one (Stame, 1998). In these terms, the researcher acts to identify what works and does not work and for whom the intervention (does not) works. SNA applied to evaluation studies focuses the analysis on the system of interconnection among social actors in a specific social context where the program takes place (Durland, Fredericks, 2005; Ferrazza, Lo Presti, 2008). The relational evaluation values the relationships shaped between the social actors who act in the context where the program occurs, following or during the intervention. This session invites abstracts to discuss research experience of SNA applied for evaluation studies, to investigate the methodological challenge of relational evaluation.
Keywords: Social Nwteork Analysis, Studies of evaluation, Application of SNA to evaluation programs
Marco Palmieri, Sapienza University, marco.palmieri@uniroma1.it, italy
Fabrizio Martire, Sapienza University, fabrizio.martire@uniroma1.it, italy
Panel Session
Qualitative research, and ethnographic practice in particular, is distinguished by the frequency of obstacles and limitations to which researchers are easily exposed and which can generally be perceived as unpleasant inconveniences, stumbling blocks to be circumvented, or in general obstacles to be avoided according to the relevant manuals. We propose a rethinking of the representation of the obstacle not as something static and inherently negative, but rather a productive event capable of generating a dynamic relationship with researchers. Obstacles, constraints, and limitations can be understood as cultural events capable of making visible some of the logic of the field itself through our presence, inviting us to position ourselves and creatively shape the research we are going to conduct.
This relational posture is particularly evident in research on total institutions (prisons, immigration detention centers, reception centers for refugees and asylum seekers, high-security units for difficult patients, nursing homes), which are closed and characterized by marked power relations that affect the research as well. Understanding how researchers position themselves to the constraints that structure the field of total institutions allows us to look at: 1) how the personal characteristics of those conducting these studies build to construct the research path dialectically with the field itself; 2) how coping with obstacles has generated quite particular and often unprecedented possibilities, paths and experiences of research.
Keywords: Reflexivity, Institutional binds, Participant observations, Total institutions
Riccardo Girolimetto, Università degli Studi di Padova – Dipartimento FISPPA, riccardo.girolimetto@phd.unipd.it, Italy
Alessandro Maculan, Università degli Studi di Padova – Dipartimento FISPPA, alessandro.maculan@unipd.it, Italy
Panel Session
This call invites autoethnographers and other researchers to engage with their personal experience (also those who do not identify with autoethnography such as i.e. scholars in mad studies, peer-led research in mental health, “race” studies, convict criminology, critical disability studies, queer studies) to reflect critically on their practice focusing on their assumptions, epistemologies, positionalities, ethics and the role of personal and collective stories and memories in social and human sciences.
This panel intends to shed light on the multiplicity and heterogeneous ways in which qualitative researchers can address relevant social issues starting from the researchers’ personal experiences by including the researcher’s life and story as one of the cases in the study. The aim of doing “auto-research”, and autoethnography in particular, is enhancing collaboration and reciprocal trust between researcher and researched moving from a “me studying them to a “me studying us” research model. The groundbreaking idea of the “Ethnographic- I” proposed by Carolyn Ellis and many others including Norman Denzin, Tony E. Adams, and Andrew F. Herrmann is coming of age.
This call welcomes both theoretical papers dealing with Methodological, epistemological and ethical issues and papers presenting research results that include a sound methodological discussion. Contributions from minorities and vulnerable groups are also particularly welcome. Presentations can use any format, either traditional or nontraditional.
• possible theoretical topics:
– the politics and ethics of the ethnographic-I and her allies
– autoethnography vs autobiography
– autoethnography vs ethnography;
• Possible substantive topics:
– medicalization
– criminalization
– victimization
– trauma
Keywords: autoethnography, qualitative methods, ethnography ethics
Luigi Gariglio, Università di Torino (UNITO), luigi.gariglio@unito.it, Italy
Invited Session
The session is devoted to fostering a dialogue among scholars of different domains interested in the analysis of the sustainability.
Sustainability is the biggest challenge of our generation, because civilization has reached a point where natural resources are in rapid decline. It’s a complex multidimensional phenomenon, and the main problem for researchers is to find appropriate composite indicator able to synthesize and represent these phenomena.
This session is dedicated to innovative and original contributions on the construction of indicators to measure and analyze this phenomenon, in order to understand its characteristics within and between countries, in different fields of research.
Keywords: Sustainability, Social indicators
Maria Gabriella Grassia, University of Naples Federico II, mgrassia@unina.it, Italy
Marina Marino, University of Naples Federico II, mari@unina.it, Italy
Rosanna Cataldo, University of Naples Federico II, rosanna.cataldo2@unina.it, Italy
Panel Session
The Sociology of Law and Deviance of the Italian Association of Sociology (AIS) section proposes a methodological session on the social dimensions of law. The panel session aims to discuss the research method in the socio-legal field. It suggests a comparative analysis of different methodological approaches in socio-legal and deviance studies and further developments envisaged by current research studies. The autonomy of the law, as a system of rules with its specific code, is the “cornerstone” of the legal language and legal education. On the one hand, this image is based on the juridification of legal facts that are distinguished from non-legal ones; on the other hand, it refers to a particular conceptualization of jurisdiction as a whole autonomous decision-making method. The endeavour is to discuss approaches and methodologies of empirical research in the field of legal sociology in order to share reflections and views among legal sociologists who do empirical research as well as qualitative and quantitative research. We start from the consideration that the possibility of subjecting to empirical verification is the unifying element of sociological approaches to the study of law and deviant behaviour and deals with the integration between theory and research. From this perspective, it is crucial to deepen and share the analysis strategies used in socio-legal research (the alternative between quantitative and qualitative, the different visions of the research method), the research design, and the techniques most used in the sociology of law through concrete examples of socio-legal research.
Keywords: sociology of law and deviance, qualitative approach, mixed method, quantitative approach
Deborah De Felice, University of Catania, deborah.defelice@unict.it, Italy
Pier Luca Massaro, University of Bari, pierluca.massaro@uniba.it, Italy
Valeria Ferraris, University of Torino, valeria.ferraris@unito.it, Italy
Panel Session
In recent years, Machine Learning (ML) has become a central tool in social sciences, offering advanced tools to analyse complex and multidimensional data, such as those from social media or IoT sensors (Mazzeo Rinaldi, F., Celardi, E., Miracula, V., & Picone, A., 2025) These methods allow the identification of hidden relationships and patterns, improving the predictive capabilities of social research. However, using ML raises methodological questions, such as the validity and generalizability of models and ethical issues related to the risk of algorithmic bias.
This session will explore how ML can be integrated into quantitative and qualitative approaches, innovating traditional analysis methods. Among the topics covered will be the applications of ML to build predictive models of complex phenomena, analyse unstructured data, and generate new hypotheses in large datasets (Felaco, Amato & Aragona, 2024). The session will provide an opportunity to reflect on the potential and limits of ML, promote an interdisciplinary dialogue, and contribute to methodological innovation in social sciences.
Submissions may address but are not limited to:
-Automated Data Processing: Using ML for data collection, cleaning, and imputing missing data to enhance reliability.
-Data Triangulation: Combining ML and qualitative methods, like sentiment analysis, to enrich research.
-Mixed Strategies: Integrating diverse datasets with algorithms to analyse complex social phenomena.
-Explainable AI: Applying XAI to interpret and increase transparency in complex models.
-Ethical Analysis: Addressing the ethical risks of black box models, especially for vulnerable groups.
-Language Models: Using LLMs to analyse public discourse, detect fake news, and study political rhetoric.
Keywords: Machine learning, Innovative methods, Explainable AI, Hybrid approaches
Francesco Amato, Università degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II”, francesco.amato2@unina.it, Italy
Vincenzo Miracula, Università di Catania, vincenzo.miracula@phd.unict.it, Italy
Invited Session
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by the United Nations in 2015, outlines seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aimed at addressing global challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, and environmental degradation. Sustainability research often involves high-dimensional datasets, where the number of variables, such as sustainability indicators, significantly exceeds the number of observations, such as countries or regions. This complexity presents both challenges and opportunities in tackling critical global issues aligned with the SDGs. High-dimensional data analysis techniques, including dimensionality reduction, feature selection, regularization methods, and machine learning algorithms, are essential for uncovering patterns, prioritizing impactful variables, and deriving actionable insights. These methods enable robust modeling of interdependent sustainability metrics, empowering researchers to address issues such as resource allocation, climate resilience, and socio-economic disparities. By integrating diverse and complex datasets, high-dimensional data analysis establishes a framework for evidence-based, data-driven decision-making, advancing sustainable development while ensuring equity and transparency.
Keywords: Sustainability, High-dimensional data, Multicollinearity
Rosaria Lombardo, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, rosaria.lombardo@unicampania.it, Italy
Ida Camminatiello, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, ida.camminatiello@unicampania.it
Panel Session
The “beyond GDP” approach has produced significant internationally-comparable non-monetary scales for measuring “values” of different économies de grandeur. At the same time, the EU with the Social Economy Action Plan (2021-2030) and the Council Recommendation (27.11.203), and the UN Statistical Division with the Satellite Account, have matured a progressively shared understanding of the nature of “civil society” and “social economy” social actors.
SDG17 provides for an undisputed theoretical, policy and statistical connection between these two terrains of (potentially) internationally comparable data-source terrains. The UN proclaimed the year 2026 as the International Year of contribution of volunteers to SDGs and a new Global Volunteering Index initiative was recently launched.
At the same time, on national and local level, in all continents, social accounting on evaluation of social impacts generated by third sector/non profit/social economy, is rapidly becoming a mandatory requirement in public and private funding schemes. This has raised disproportionate expectations around the capacities to generate and to demonstrate long-term change, in any field of general interest, in which boundaries are getting progressively blurred between dimensions and scales, such as for example between ESG corporate sustainability standards and stories of change of grass-roots voluntary associations.
The session invites proposals of theoretical, logical and methodological nature on how to feed micro-level potential of data harvesting into global indices and scales. Empirical and experimental case studies that can showcase micro-meso-macro linkages in demonstrating social impacts, through either, or both, quantitative, qualitative, mixed or complementary methodologies, are particularly welcome.
Keywords: Impact-evaluation-measurement, data aggregation, volunteering, social economy
Sabina Polidori, INAPP – National Institute for Public Policy Analysis, s.polidori@inapp.gov.it, Italy
Ksenija Fonovic, Charles University, Ksenija.Fonovic@fhs.cuni.cz, Cechia – Repubblica Ceca
Panel Session
This session explores strengths and weaknesses of digital methods for investigating organized crime, with a particular focus on mafia-type criminal organizations. As criminal networks increasingly operate across both physical and digital domains (Décary-Hétu & Leppänen, 2016; Lavorgna, 2020), researchers face new methodological challenges and opportunities in data collection, analysis, and interpretation.
The session aims to bring together scholars employing computational and digital approaches to study mafia, with a focus on methodological reflections about validity, reliability, and ethical considerations in digital criminological research (Powell et al., 2018). We welcome contributions that discuss methodological innovations in:
– Social Network Analysis (SNA) applications for mapping criminal networks through digital traces (Bright et al., 2012; Campana & Varese, 2012)
Big data analytics and machine learning techniques for detecting patterns in mafia-related activities (Catino, 2019)
Digital ethnography and netnography approaches to study mafia culture and communication (Hall & Antonopoulos, 2016)
Methodological frameworks for dark web research on criminal organizations (Martin & Christin, 2016)
Mixed-methods approaches combining digital and traditional investigative techniques (Baronchelli et al., 2022)
Ethical protocols and safety measures in digital organized crime research (Danaher & Bright, 2021)
Computational text analysis of mafia-related communications and social media (Di Nicola et al., 2017)
Visualization techniques for complex criminal network data (Calderoni et al., 2020)
We invite papers that present innovative methodological approaches, discuss research design challenges, or propose new frameworks for digital investigation of organized crime. Both theoretical contributions and empirical case studies with strong methodological and theoretical framework focus are welcome.
Keywords: digital methods, organized crime, mafia, online criminal networks
MARCELLO RAVVEDUTO, UNIVERSITY OF SALERNO, MRAVVEDUTO@UNISA.IT, ITALY
MARIA CHIARA CALO’, UNIVERSITY OF NAPLES – FEDERICO II, mariachiara.calo@unina.it, ITALY
Panel Session
The field of Science and Technology Studies (STS) covers different traditions and approaches that share a focus on how science and technology are enmeshed in society and how this latter is, indeed, made of them. Actor-network theory (ANT) has become popular in STS as a theory-method tool apt to handle the subtleties of the relationships between human and non-human actors. In ANT, agency is an emergent property of the networks and inter-relationships between heterogeneous actants, humans and non-humans (principle of generalised symmetry). This view is eminently relational, but the way such relationality can be empirically translated has often resulted in controversies regarding the status and operability of the notions of “actors”, “associations”, and “networks”. Ethnography has been the preferred methodological strategy for data collection in ANT research, while for long time Social Network Analysis (SNA) was considered quite at odds with ANT. Nonetheless, fruitful applications of network analysis (though not necessarily “social”) are testified in different studies of science and technology and come up with “heterogeneous maps” formed by human and non-human entities. In addition, other relational perspectives familiar to STS scholars may work well with SNA, as is the case with the social world framework, which may consist of discursive universes based on shared objects and meanings. Hence, the proposed panel aims at welcoming contributions that offer diverse theoretical or empirical assessment of the use of SNA in STS, with an eye to addressing the relevant challenges in such a dialogue and attempting to open new avenues for social research.
Keywords: Social Network Analysis, Science and Technology Studies, Actor-Network Theory, Social worlds
Marco Serino, University of Naples Federico II, marco.serino@unina.it, Italy
Ilenia Picardi, University of Naples Federico II, ilenia.picardi@unina.it, Italy
Maria Carmela Agodi, University of Naples Federico II, agodi@unina.it, Italy
Panel Session
The study of sport and physical activity is becoming an increasingly central component of the academic examination of contemporary society and its associated transformations. The advent of new technologies and digital spaces has significantly transformed practices, social relations, and how sports are enjoyed. In this regard, the panel aims to address and discuss these changes as a significant challenge in sports studies from theoretical and empirical perspectives. The study of sports phenomena has traditionally been based on quantitative methods. In contrast, the qualitative approach has facilitated identifying and examining motivations associated with sporting activity that are not captured by quantitative techniques. Recently, the mixed methods approach has begun to be adopted to explore the plurality of issues related to physical activity and sports practice. This may be exemplified by an analysis of participation patterns, motivations, and factors influencing various levels of involvement by different social groups.
The panel’s ultimate objective is to foster a more profound and comprehensive understanding of the methodologies employed in sports and physical activity phenomena. This understanding is used to develop new methodological skills and address the latest challenges of sport as a “”global social fact”” of the third millennium.
Keywords: sports studies, physical activity, methodological challange, new theoretical perspectives
Giovanna Russo, Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna, giovanna.russo6@unibo.it, Italy
Paolo Diana, University of Salerno, diana@unisa.it, Italy
Nico Bortoletto, University of Teramo, nbortoletto@unite.it, Italy
Ph.D. Workshop
When conducting qualitative interviews, researchers are ready to hear informants’ narratives that align with common assumptions, idiosyncratic concepts, or their own theoretical frameworks. Accounts falling outside these pre-existing boundaries become inaudible and overlooked. This PhD workshop will illustrate strategies I’ve developed to help students recognize the mechanisms of silencing and hear these silenced accounts.
Keywords: qualitative interview, hearing silences
Ping-Chun, Hsiung Department of Sociology, University of Toronto, pc.hsiung@utoronto.ca, Canada
Panel Session
Artificial intelligence has now permeated many aspects of people’s lives, transforming various domains including the world of research. Researchers have increasingly begun to explore the opportunities that AI can offer, perceiving it as a valuable tool to enhance their work. However, the implications of integrating AI-powered tools into the research process have yet to be fully understood and examined. This panel aims to deeply reflect on and discuss how AI-powered technologies can revolutionize the experiential life and work of researchers, offering new possibilities and considerations for the future of academic inquiry.
Some interesting aspects to consider include:
• AI as an opportunity to enhance researchers’ well-being. Could the resources saved by researchers through the use of AI be a way to achieve well-being? Or will they be seen as an opportunity to increase productivity?;
• AI as a tool for research and researchers’ empowerment. To what extent can AI enhance the different phases of the research process and the execution of specific tasks? What are the potential risks associated with integrating AI into research practices?;
• AI as an innovative tool at the methodological level. Can using AI contribute to developing new research strategies?;
• AI as a democratic tool for social research. How can AI enhance data and tool accessibility, overcome geographical and cultural barriers, and facilitate the dissemination of research findings?
Keywords: AI, Digital Methods, Researcher assistant
Alfredo Matrella, University of Milan, alfredo.matrella@unimi.it, Italy
Viviana Capozza, INVALSI viviana.capozza_ext@invalsi.it, Italy
Michela Cavagnuolo, University of Rome “Foro Italico”, michela.cavagnuolo@uniroma4.it, Italy
Panel Session
Within the framework of qualitative methodologies, a specific form of participant observation is represented by “”crossings practices””. Modeled on Situationist dérives, this method takes shape in the physical presence of individuals within space as a condition to observe the material dimension of territories and, through this, the ongoing processes in the broader social context.
This methodology can complement more traditional techniques, overcoming the necessity of the homo loquens (the “speaking subject”), aiming to directly capture dimensions starting from the narrative of space and its practices.
This type of fieldwork experience involves sensory immersion capable of surpassing the primacy of vision and capturing olfactory, auditory, and tactile landscapes. It presents itself as an alternative way “to question space”” (urban and non-urban) in search of the processes of signification and re-signification of territory. The objects of this method, which makes walking not just a practice but a heuristic tool, are the material, immaterial and symbolic dimensions of public space, urban boundaries, centers and peripheries.
This physicality of observation is already often practiced, especially by more marginalized groups of citizens and, in general, by individuals for whom space represents both the place where inequalities take form and the field in which the contrast of these can become visible and concrete action.
Both theoretical proposals are expected that focus on and analyze the theoretical premises and methodological value of crossings – extendable to areas beyond the urban context – and empirical proposals that discuss concrete cases implemented both nationally and internationally, also from a comparative perspective.
Keywords: Territorial Crossing, Dérive, Qualitative methodology, Marginalized individuals
Letizia Carrera, University of Bari Aldo Moro (Uniba), letizia.carrera@uniba.it, Italy
Giampaolo Nuvolati, University of Milan Bicocca, giampaolo.nuvolati@unimib.it, Italy
TBD
Panel Session
The panel aims to explore the critical intersection of ethics, research methodologies, and artificial intelligence devices, highlighting the transformative role of algoagents as “”non-human narrative entities.”” In an era of rapid technological transformation, these entities transcend their original function as computational tools, emerging as essential mediators of stories, values, and emotions. This mediation significantly shapes human experience, influencing individual perception and the social construction of reality. Through theoretical reflections and case studies, the panel will investigate how these non-human entities are trained to incorporate and manifest the value principles and behavioral models of the societies in which they are deployed, profoundly affecting technosocial development while respecting the epistemological and ontological complexity of human beings.
Objectives:
1. Theorizing Ethics in AI: Examine the role of AI entities as central actors in global narrative and ethical construction, exploring the methodological implications of recognizing algoagents as active participants in the formation of social norms and values. Discuss theoretical models that can guide this critical inquiry.
2. AI-Based Research Methodologies: Outline specific research methodologies that can analyze these entities as mediators of values and behaviors, investigating how methodological choices influence ethical outcomes in the research and development of technosciences, with the aim of proposing methodological practices integrated with ethical considerations.
3. Interdisciplinary Dialogue on Tools and Research Ethics: Foster a transdisciplinary dialogue to enrich the debate on ethically-oriented methodologies for understanding and managing the actions of human and non-human entities, facilitating the exchange of knowledge and approaches across different disciplines.
This panel seeks to enhance the methodological debate within the social sciences by introducing a critical reflection on how algoagents configure themselves as co-constructors of social realities and shared narrators. They act as catalysts for an ethical and holistic approach to technological evolution. This perspective aligns with the objectives of RC33 to explore new methodological frontiers and emphasizes the vital importance of an integrated and conscious approach to contemporary challenges posed by AI.
Keywords: Ethics, algoagents, narrative, methodological theory
Edmondo Grassi, San Raffaele University of Rome, edmondo.grassi@uniroma5.it, Italy
Roundtable
Inequality is a global problem and the most pressing issue over the years. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated pre-existing inequities. Intersectionality as a theoretical and methodological tool has become central to the study of inequality, identity and power relations. It has featured in most studies on vulnerable and marginalized populations and thus gained much attention both in academic and policy spheres. There have been multiple theorizations of intersectionality since it was first coined by Kimberle Crenshaw (1989). Existing intersectionality research often prioritizes scholarship from the Global North and overlooks the diverse realities and perspectives of the Global South. Given the lack of a precise definition of intersectionality, scholars and practitioners increasingly emphasize the importance of investigating its application in specific research contexts and practical applications. There is a need to incorporate intersectional analysis in research and policy, for instance, around the changing nature of work, growth of urban informality and economic precarity, growth of homelessness, the impact of climate change, gender and access to public services. This session would discuss the opportunities and challenges of using an intersectional approach in research looking at its relations with research design, methods, data analysis, dissemination of research findings, and policy application. The objective of this roundtable session is to understand, inform and promote intersectional approaches to research on vulnerable and marginalized populations. It would discuss opportunities and challenges that intersectionality presents for doing research and addressing persistent inequalities around the world.
Keywords: Intersectionality, Inequality, Vulnerability, Marginalization
Daniel Amoah, Memorial University of Newfoundland, dkamoah@mun.ca, Canada
Panel Session
In recent years, research in urban studies has witnessed major transformations and has been confronted with critiques, including calls for decolonizing (Western) urban research methods. Global South cities today are hitherto dominated by the legacy of European colonialism and modern economic imperialism. This is equally reflected in research methodologies, which are characterized by utilizing Western methods and hence create synergies between public policy-making and research. This nexus helps to perpetuate the status quo and contributes to epistemic violence. Critique has also been centered around postcolonial efforts at decentering urban methods in Global South cities, focusing mainly on provincialization and deconstruction, which fail too short in challenging Eurocentric approaches and knowledge production in exploring these cities. Given this context, it is argued that decolonial methods could unsettle these dominant Western patterns and offer new ways of analyzing and knowing urban worlds. Given the rapid and volatile changes of urbanization against the backdrop of ever-deepening globalization, decolonial methods can also help to interrogate urban life and its colonial legacies marked by racism, misogyny, patriarchy, settler colonialism, environmental degradation, militarism, queerphobia, ableism, etc. This panel explores the variety of decolonial methods in analyzing Global South cities, accommodating both, qualitative and quantitative methodologies. By doing so, it provides a panoply of new perspectives on the urban, while addressing the foundational and persisting impacts of colonialism and other oppressive mechanisms that have been omitted or essentialized in traditional urban research methods.
Keywords: decolonizing methodologies, urban research, Global South
Devrim Eren, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, devrim.eren1995@gmail.com, Germany
Melissa Baganz, Independent Researcher, m-baganz@outlook.com, Germany
Panel Session
LLMs constitute a relevant methodological challenge for social research which needs to be addressed. On the one hand, LLMs enable substantial innovation in methods and provide quicker and cheaper methods to analyze data (Tornberg 2024). On the other hand, they are monopolistic entities (Burkhardt and Rieder 2024) that impose significant hurdles on research efforts, as they are poorly documented black boxes that may be subjected to biases and censorship. Furthermore, we want to build on the original digital methods assessment by Rogers (2013) that platforms are ‘epistemological engines’, meaning that they do not ‘merely’ describe reality, but they contribute to ‘create’ it due to their specific affordances. Moreover, LLMs present a specific epistemological and substantial challenge as the material they produce bleeds into the general imaginary through social media usage, further contributing to skew representations towards specific biases (Wan et al 2023).
With this session we want to gather contributions that further our methodological and epistemological understanding of LLMs, with a particular focus on how to use computational methods to chart the sociotechnical prerogatives of LLMs which, in turn, define their role as actants shaping digital imaginaries. We welcome both purely quantitative and technical contributions, as well as, hybrid ones mixing computational methods with qualitative insights.
Keywords: digital methods, computational sociology, LLM
Guido Anselmi, Università degli Studi di Catania, guido.anselmi@unict.it, Italy
Claudia Cantale, Università degli Studi di Catania, claudia.cantale@unict.it, Italy
Federico Pilati, Università degli Studi Milano Bicocca, federico.pilati@unimib.it, Italy
Panel Session
This panel is a moment of exchange and collective reflexion around the several challenges in researche methodology specifically in educational management.
It aims to explore and discuss the various innovative methods and methodologies used in the field of educational management.
In this session we are looking for papers that discuss recent methodological innovations, including the use of technology and mixed methods approches. So many themes can be adressed as :
– The importance of contextualization and cultural differences in educational management research methodologies
– An overview of qualitaive, quantitative and mixed methods
– Longitudinal studies to assess the evolution of practices and policies in educational management
– A discussion on the sthrengths and weaknesses of each method
– Exploration of new approaches and technologies
– Experimentation as a tool for innovation in educational management research
– A Case study illustrating the practical of a set of methodology used in educational management field.
– Action research for collaborative and reflective practice in educational management
– How Artificial Intelligence can enhance effectiveness and insights in scientific research methodology.
Keywords: Innovative researchs, Research methodology, Educational management, Artificial Intelligence
Abdellatif Kidai, Mohamed 5 University, abdellatif.kidai@fse.um5.ac.ma, Morocco
Sanaa Boukhari, Mohamed 5 University, s.boukhari@um5r.ac.ma, Morocco
Sanaa Bouarourou, Mohamed 5 University, s.bouarourou@um5r.ac.ma, Morocco
Panel Session
Advancements in the social sciences have sparked a growing interest in qualitative multimodal approaches that integrate diverse methods and techniques. These approaches—combining visual, creative, and participatory methods—offer significant opportunities for deeper understanding and the co-construction of knowledge. However, they also raise critical ethical and practical questions about power dynamics, authorship, dissemination, the representation of participants’ voices and more.
This panel invites interdisciplinary scholars, practitioners, and researchers to reflect on the challenges and opportunities of qualitative multimodal approaches. How can we design research that ethically incorporates visual and creative practices while fostering meaningful dialogue between researchers and participants? What roles do aesthetics, cultural sensitivity, and technology play in shaping these approaches? And how can such methods enhance the co-production of knowledge in ways that empower and respect research participants?
We encourage contributions that explore the following themes:
• The role of participatory, creative, and visual practices in qualitative research.
• Practical challenges and solutions in implementing multimodal approaches.
• Case studies highlighting innovative multimodal approaches.
• Ethical considerations in multimodal and participatory approaches.
• Reflections on power, representation, and collaboration in participatory projects.
• Practical and ethical challenges in qualitative multimodal approaches within the context of Open Science.
This panel aims to foster a dialogue on the potential of qualitative multimodal approaches to transform how we conduct and disseminate research. Contributions from diverse disciplines and cultural contexts are highly encouraged to showcase the adaptability and scope of these methodologies in addressing complex social phenomena.
Keywords: Multimodal approaches, Ethics, Practice, Challenges
Alicia Chiodi, University of Trento, alicia.chiodi@unitn.it, Italy
Ghita Bordieri, University of Milano-Bicocca, ghita.bordieri@unimib.it, Italy
Paola di Carlo, University of Siena, p.dicarlo3@unisi.it, Italy
Panel Session
Since the 1990s, migration and ageing have become increasingly interconnected, prompting research into topics like retirement migration (King et al. 2000), care in transnational families (Baldassar 2007), and vulnerabilities linked to ageing and migration (Ciobanu et al. 2020). Despite the growing sociological interest, methodological challenges of studying older migrants remain underexplored (Bilecen and Fokkema 2022). Researching this demographic involves navigating ethical dilemmas due to overlapping vulnerabilities. Health and ageing often exclude the most vulnerable individuals from research, perpetuating biased representations. Accessing older migrants is also challenging, particularly those who reunite with children later in life and live predominantly in domestic settings. Research in such intimate spaces, often with family present, raises further ethical and methodological concerns. Additionally, this group is frequently represented as passive objects rather than active participants, necessitating innovative, rigorous methods to ensure their meaningful involvement in research. Building on insights from the ongoing “MIG-AGE” international project and a 2022 IMISCOE methodological workshop on this topic, this panel invites discussions on addressing these challenges through methods like visual sociology, ethnography, action-research, shadowing, and photo-elicitation, among others.
Baldassar L. (2007), Transnational Families and Aged Care: the Mobility of Care and the Migrancy of Ageing. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 33, 275-3029.
Bilecen B. and Fokkema T. (2022). Conducting Empirical Research with Older Migrants: Methodological and Ethical Issues, The Gerontologist, 62(6), 809-815.
Ciobanu, R. O., Fokkema, T., & Nedelcu, M. (2017). Ageing as a migrant: Vulnerabilities, agency and policy implications. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 43(2), 164–181.
King, R., Warnes, A.M., & Williams, A.M. (2000). Sunset Lives. British Retirement Migration to the Mediterranean. Berg.
Keywords: Ageing, Migration, Methodology, Inclusivity
Francesca Lagomarsino, Università degli Studi di Genova, f.lagomarsino@unige.it, Italy
Silvia Stefani, Università degli Studi di Genova, silvia.stefani@edu.unige.it, Italy
Rosa Schillaci,Università degli Studi di Genova, rosa.schillaci@edu.unige.it, Italy
Panel session
The issue of emotions in social research methodology is a rather delicate one and perhaps still little explored. It is an issue that originates from the epistemological turning point that since the 1960s has paid attention to the researcher-subject studied relationship; it bases its validity on the need for dialogue and confrontation between the researcher and the reality observed; it always gives a new centrality to the relationship between researcher and social actor, to the emotional distance between the sociologist and the human context with which he or she comes into contact during the research work. This perspective uses the paradigm that regards the relationship as a source of resource for the research work.
In this epistemological context, social research is also seen as a relational game: it generates a system of relationships in which the subjects involved initiate a process of mutual agreement/differentiation by strategically using their identity references. In this relational game, the researcher’s emotions are inevitably present and must necessarily be taken into account within the dialogical relationship created between researcher and social actor.
This is a crucial issue that undermines the epistemological principle on which modern science was built, namely the separation between observer and observed as a condition for objective knowledge of the world. The use of one’s personality, of dialogical frames of reference, of one’s emotions in social research thus becomes a challenge for social research methodology. It is a question of looking critically at what we take for granted and accepting the problematisation approach, as Ferrarotti suggests, as an essential prerequisite of sociology as participation.
Keywords: emotions, epistemological turning point, reflexivity
Serena Quarta, Dipartimento di Studi Politici e Sociali – Università di Salerno, squarta@unisa.it, Italy
Gennaro Iorio, Dipartimento di Studi Politici e Sociali – Università di Salerno, iorio@unisa.it, Italy
Panel Session
Arts-based methods are growingly used in social research to investigate, de-construct and challenge issues connected to social justice, such as gender inequalities, health discrimination, and migration dynamics. Participatory documentaries, graphic novels, visual projects, emotional mappings, collective sound recordings and performances are only among the many examples of social science approaches that explore imaginaries, technologies and emotions linked to emergent challenges. These methods adopted at different stages of research (research design, data collection/ analysis and dissemination) open space for different speakers, and encourage experimental, inter- and trans-disciplinary collaborative work. They can be also conceived as collective processes capable of expanding the community of inquiry and interpretation where participants are not merely subjects but co-creators of knowledge, contributing to a richer understanding of their experiences.
This panel will focus on research practices where arts-based methods are adopted to directly intervene in contexts of social injustice and exclusion, enhancing social relations and supporting a critical reflection by the participants. We encourage contributions that theoretically or empirically discuss the use of arts and creative methods to explore inequalities, their cultural meanings and forms of imagination. Articles might draw on a variety of methods, including audio-visual participatory research; performative methods; comics-based research; poetry inquiry; dance-based research and collective mapping. In particular, we are keen to explore how these arts-based approaches reveal conflicting values, power relations, subjectivities, and meaning-making practices that contribute to social change by addressing issues of exclusion and injustice.
Keywords: arts-based methods, social injustice, inequalities
Melissa Moralli, University of Bologna, melissa.moralli2@unibo.it, Italy
Veronica Moretti, University of Bologna, veronica.moretti4@unibo.it, Italy
Panel Session
Multidisciplinarity and trans- interdisciplinarity – that are emerging as methodological resources that enable the combination of different perspectives and techniques to grasp the complexity of phenomena – they still require overcoming epistemological and terminological barriers between disciplines, as well as the construction of common languages and shared frames of reference. For all this reasons, the session aims to critically investigate several intersecting aspects: validity and reliability of research methods adopted in the multi-trans-interdisciplinary context; promotion and development of more flexible and adaptive methodological practices – including the digital ones; methodology and different disciplinary knowledge in dialogue with respect to global challenges not only to manage complexity, but also to harness it as a resource for generating deeper knowledge and more effective solutions to global problems; future directions for the adoption of a real inter-multidisciplinary and digital approach.
Keywords: Methodology, Digital Innovations, Multi-trans-interdisciplinarity, Framework
Danilo Boriati, International Telematic University Uninettuno, danilo.boriati@uninettunouniversity.net, Italy
Mariangela D’Ambrosio, University of Molise, mariangela.dambrosio@unimol.it, Italy
Panel Session
This session aims at exploring methodological approaches to the study of total institutions, with a particular focus on prison settings.
In recent years, criminology and sociology have devoted increasing interest to examining prison settings both through traditional and innovative methodological approaches. While traditional approaches enhance our understanding of social organization within prisons, more recent methods, such as social network analysis (SNA), may offer additional insights into specific issues – like, for example, social capital, group formation, social identity, prison subcultures – by illuminating the interactions between formal organizational processes and informal social relations that shape inmates’ experiences and behaviors.
We welcome contributions across a wide range of epistemological and methodological frameworks, including quantitative, qualitative, meta-analytical, and theoretical approaches. Submissions of particular interest include those that:
• Integrate qualitative and quantitative methods to collect and analyze data in prison settings.
• Demonstrate how a social network perspective can enrich prison ethnographies by providing tools to analyze informal social structures and their dynamics.
• Highlight how social network analysis can complement traditional approaches by offering a holistic view of social networks in prisons and their organizational implications, such as inmate safety, marginalization, and post-release reintegration.
• Explore how social network approaches may help illuminate the role of social integration in inmates’ well-being, addressing areas such as addiction, physical activity, and self-esteem.
This session seeks to foster a multidisciplinary dialogue to advance research methods for the study of prisons, offering participants a platform to discuss new tools and perspectives for understanding the complexities of life within these institutions.
Keywords: Prison, SNA
Andrea Borghini, University of Pisa, andrea.borghini@unipi.it, Italy
Francesca Pallotti, University of Exeter -Business School, F.Pallotti2@exeter.ac.uk, UK
Irene Psaroudakis, University of Pisa, irene.psaroudakis@unipi.it, Italy
Panel Session
The concept of gender has a long tradition in the social sciences and is crucial to understanding how power is articulated in contemporary societies. Thus, gender and its multiple expressions critically impact spheres such as political behaviour, representation, public opinion, political parties’ supply, functioning of institutions, etc. In other words, political processes are gendered or intrinsically intertwined by the gender sphere. Considering the importance of the conjunction between gender and the political sphere, new methodological insights are needed to account for the complexity, multi-causality and nuances of the intersection between the two phenomena.
This session encourages the submission of empirical-based original contributions that address innovative methodological approaches on the conjunction of gender and politics from a broad perspective. Welcome contributions include, but are not limited to, papers that address:
● Innovative operationalisations of gender within political research.
● New techniques applied to studying gender and politics: Big Data, large-language models, IA, etc.
● Mixed-method research designs: practices, strategies, and protocols with a gender perspective.
● Reflections on the use of gender in political research and proposals for further developments.
● Gender and political behaviour: the impact of gender on political preferences in comparative perspective.
● Intersectionality and politics: assessing the role of gendered social identities on political behaviour.
● Measuring gender in the political supply: actors and organisations’ narratives, discourses, and manifestos.
Keywords: gender, politics, methodology, political behaviour
Daniel Romero Portillo, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, drompor@upo.es, Spain
Pablo Ortiz Barquero, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, portbar@upo.es, Spain
Antonia María Ruiz Jiménez, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, amruiz@upo.es, Spain
Panel Session
Empirically, uncovering negative attitudes and its effects on outcomes ranging from education, to labour, to housing, and beyond, presents numerous challenges. Survey-based research has often sought to systematically control for known factors contributing to unequal outcomes and attribute unexplained residuals to unobserved attitudes including discrimination. Self-reports on the part of students, job applicants, and those looking for housing rely on individual perceptions and understandings that may or may not involve discrimination. Understandings among those making decisions about who to hire or let an apartment , for example, are susceptible to social desirability bias. In sum, survey work cannot rule out unmeasured differences between individuals that may be unrelated to their status, nor directly identify mechanisms that can lead to similar outcomes. Field experiments are thought to generate a better more direct understanding of the potential mechanisms involved in producing unequal outcomes because they provide a way to isolate discrimination as a cause of inequality. However, they also face their own challenges in implementation and variation in how status-based cues are signaled. They have been critiqued for lacking internal validity, ignoring intersectional statuses and characteristics, and that evidence of discrimination is over-interpreted. After 60 years of modern correspondence-based audit methods, this panel investigates its virtues and disadvantages, its application across contexts and status characteristics, developments in the methodology, and the overall contribution of this method in advancing sociological insights on taste-based and statistical discrimination.
Keywords: field experiments, inequality, discrimination, mechanisms
David Pettinicchio, University of Toronto, d.pettinicchio@utoronto.ca, Canada
Michelle Maroto, University of Alberta, maroto@ualberta.ca, Canada
TBD
Panel Session
The proposed session aims to explore the use of autoethnography as an applied methodology in social and social-health service contexts.
The autoethnographic approach overturns standard procedures of “doing research” and represents, through personal culture, unconscious social and political aspects of a professional culture (Ellis et al. 2011). From an organizational perspective, it allows access to the world of Organization codes (Garfinkel 1967) and the development of collective reflexivity to investigate discrimination in the workplace; from a professional point of view, it can foster the self-perception of the professionals in the management of relationships with the users (Witkin 2014), as well as prevent possible moments of burnout, typical of jobs in social and social-health services (Mastracci, Mourtgos 2021; Borozdina 2022); finally, autoethnography is also a tool and product of academic and professional training.
As ethnography is the “study of one’s tribe” (Di Gennaro 2005), autoethnography is the exploration of oneself within that tribe, as a community, whether in the guise of social worker, physician, nurse, but also researcher or patient.
However, critical issues, risks and limitations of the transformative practice of this method are not ignored (Custer 2014); therefore, we will welcome contributions addressing the following aspects of autoethnography as:
• Tool for exploring workplace discrimination, applying anti-oppressive practice and institutional discrimination (Ambrosini et al. 2024; Baines 2023; Allegri and Sanfelici, 2023);
• Method of applying innovative studies and approaches such as Resistance Studies, Gender and Queer Studies, and the triple transition (Alga 2023; Rinaldi and Benvenuti 2023; Dominelli 2014, 2003);
• Tool for reflexivity and training;
• Lens through which “Living” the Social and Health Organization, considering positive and negative emotions;
• Critical aspects of method implementation.
Keywords: Autoethnography, Social services, Social-health services, Transformative practices
Roberta Zonno, University of Bari Aldo Moro, roberta.zonno@uniba.it, Italy
Valeria Quarto, University of Bari Aldo Moro, valeria.quarto@uniba.it, Italy
Armida Salvati, University of Bari Aldo Moro, armida.salvati@uniba.it, Italy
Panel Session
This panel proposal aims to deepen the meaning of participatory research practices in the social sciences. In doing so, it seeks to understand how these practices lead to innovations in modern paradigms of sociological theory. The concepts of participation, practice and solidarity emerge with great importance in the analysis of contemporary contexts. These concepts are reflected in the theoretical bases that have narrated the great social changes of the last century, including the public sociology of Buroway and the cultural studies of Stuart Hall. Participatory research has its roots in many other disciplines: Paulo Freire’s pedagogy is one of them.
Research using participatory methods is increasingly becoming a mirror of the practice of freedom and solidarity; participation is not understood as a standardized and defined bond or concept, but as a shared participation in situated and contextualized research. Participatory practice is part of an ongoing theory. What are the challenges facing researchers using the participatory method?
Keywords: Participatory research, public sociology, solidarity, ethics
Daria Forlenza, LUMSA, Libera Università Maria Ss. Assunta, d.forlenza1@lumsa.it, Italy
TBD
Panel Session
Data from surveys form part of the basis for the production of official statistics. Steadily lower response rates in surveys have been a clear trend over time, and the problem is of concern to statistical agencies around the world. It is particularly difficult to get vulnerable/”hard to reach” target groups to participate in surveys. These are groups that are difficult to recruit, are often underrepresented in surveys and/or require adaptations in data collection. At the same time, tighter financial frameworks mean that surveys must be changed from expensive interview-administered telephone surveys to less expensive self-administered web surveys. Stricter national and international requirements for the production of statistics mean that we must identify effective measures to ensure access to and participation in surveys for all groups in the population. As national statistical agencies and researchers, we need to develop the knowledge base and methodology on how surveys can be developed to increase response and, where necessary, adapt to vulnerable/”hard to reach” target groups. This is particularly relevant for people with disabilities, children and young people, the elderly/people with low digital skills and people with a different mother tongue than the native population, but other groups may also be relevant. Effective measures will help to ensure equal opportunities and equal rights for all groups in the population. Measures to ensure equal participation for all groups in the population must address both methods for sampling and measurement.
Keywords: Hard to reach populations, Measurement errors, Response rates
Kari-Anne Lund, Statistics Norway, Lka@ssb.no, Norway
Panel Session
There is no agreed upon international survey question to identify people with disabilities in surveys. In today’s sample surveys, people with disabilities can be defined on the basis of subjective, functional, administrative, social or relational measurements ((Grønvik, 2007). How people understand disability has changed over the past 20 years. While there was previously a strong focus on health challenges and individual inabilities, the group is now defined to a greater extent from a multifactorial perspective where disability is seen as a result of the interaction between many different factors. There is currently an international agreement of an understanding that brings in the role of the societal environment in disabling processes, which is reflected in both CRPD (UN) and ICF (WHO). The development of empirical definitions has to a limited extent taken this theoretical understanding into account (Tøssebro and Hvinden, 2017). On this background and more, it is timely to unite researchers and statisticians to share experiences and knowledge that can bring the field closer to a common understanding and harmonized measurement.
Keywords: Disability, Special target groups, Measurement, International comparison
Kari-Anne Lund, Statistics Norway, Lka@ssb.no, Norway
Step 1.
Link to Create Account/Login to the submission platform (Easychair)
Step 2.
After logging in, if you are not automatically redirected to the submission, click on the button “RC33 Sessions Easychair”
Step 3.
After you have logged in, If the system does not automatically redirect you to the session list, click on the “Abstract submission” button and continue by clicking on “Make a new submission”