Intercultural ethics: questions of methods in language and intercultural communication

This paper explores how questions of ethics and questions of method are intertwined and unavoidable in any serious study of language and intercultural communication. It argues that the focus on difference and solution orientations to intercultural conflict has been a fundamental driver for theory, data collection and methods in the field. These approaches, the paper argues, have created a considerable consciousness raising industry, with methods, trainings and ‘critical incidents’, which ultimately focus intellectual energy in areas which may be productive in terms of courses and publications but which have a problematic basis in their ethical terrain. Dieser Artikel untersucht wie ethische und methodische Fragen nicht nur ineinander greifen, sondern in keiner ernstzunehmenden Studie ueber Sprache und interkulturelle Kommunikation ausgelassen werden duerfen. Es wird hier argumentiert, dass der Schwerpunkt auf Verschiedenheit und Problemorientierung im interkulturellen Konflikt einen wesentlichen Einfluss auf theoretische Entwicklungen, Datenerhebung und Methoden in diesem Bereich hatte. Dieser Artikel legt auch dar, wie diese Ansaetze eine betraechtliche ‘Bewusstseinsbildungs – Branche' erzeugt haben, mit Methoden, Trainings, und ‘kritischen Interaktionssituationen’, welche letztendlich allen intellektuellen Arbeitseifer auf Bereiche konzentriert hat, die zwar ertragreich sind in Bezug auf Kurse und Publikationen, jedoch eine problematische Grundlage im ethischen Bereich aufweisen

Transition to parenthood after successful non-donor in vitro fertilisation: The effects of infertility and in vitro fertilisation on previously infertile couples' experiences of early parenthood

Recent social science research in the field of parenting following assisted conception has focused on the experiences of donor assisted conception and surrogacy. This paper draws from a study which explored the experiences of the transition to early parenthood in 16 heterosexual non-donor couples and includes a specific consideration of the experiences of men as they navigate this journey. We argue that these couples’ transition to early parenthood can be as complex and provisional as in other newer forms of family making as they struggle with an emerging identity as a parent after successful non-donor IVF following their experiences of infertility. Their family making is contingent upon their ability to work at integrating their experiences of infertility and IVF into their emerging identity as a parent. This struggle is prominent when they contemplate a further pregnancy. Considering a sibling causes them further uncertainty and anxiety because it reminds them of their infertile identify and the possibility of further IVF. We report novel findings about the experiences of this transition to parenthood: how couples’ identity as parents is shaped by the losses and grief of infertility and the anxiety of IVF. We argue that their struggle with an emerging parenthood identity challenges the normative, naturalised view of non-donor heterosexual IVF parenthood. Our work contributes to the work on identity in parenthood after IVF in an ongoing effort to understand how assisted technologies shape infertile parents’ lives. This paper reports a small study with a relatively homogenous sample recruited from one fertility clinic. Nevertheless as an exploratory study of an under researched topic, we discuss useful insights and ideas for further research with larger and more diverse samples

Midwifery students' significant birth stories: Telling the drama, Part 1

This article presents the first part of a narrative inquiry which aimed to explore the value students place on storytelling, and the significant birth stories they hear and tell during their midwifery programme. Here the findings of the analysis of the significant 'birth stories' are explored. Participants consisted of five final-year midwifery students, on a 3-year BSc (Hons) midwifery programme in 2007, from one university in the south east of England. Data were collected through two focus groups, and analyzed narratively. Four types of 'story-telling' themes emerged, each with a different learning purpose: dramatic stories helped to affirm students' decision-making in practice; humorous stories, embedded in memories, are deliberately retold to help other students 'not to take anything for granted' in practice; emotional and traumatic stories facilitate reflection on practice; and lecturers' well-told stories influence students' practice beyond the original telling. The findings suggest that stories do assist students to link theory to practice and facilitate deeper learning. They have implications for students, midwifery mentors and lecturers

Telling stories, hearing stories: The value to midwifery students, Part 2

This article reports on the findings of a narrative inquiry that aimed to explore the value that students place on birth storytelling, and the significant stories that they tell and hear during their midwifery programme. This is the second of two articles and focuses on whether storytelling is valued by students in developing their learning. Purposive sampling of two cohorts of final year midwifery students from one university in the south east of England in 2007 elicited five participants. Two focus groups enabled data collection and seven themes emerged from the data analysis: Validating experiences; stories used as reflection; listening to other students' stories; retold stories; lecturers' humorous stories; not wanting to be judged by mentors when recounting stories; and opportunities for story-sharing. Storytelling appears to assist students to integrate and enhance their experiential learning, particularly on returning from practice placements into the classroom. The findings suggest storytelling is valued by students and does facilitate learning. This study can have implications for students, mentors, midwifery lecturers, others in higher education and for curriculum development