Practical
Objectives of the Summer School
The course will focus on the theoretical and empirical work related to the summer school’s central topic and will offer methodology workshops suited to address the ethical and methodological challenges of researching communities that experience marginalization or are difficult to reach. Participants will engage in theoretical discussions on "othering" and power imbalances and learn how to implement innovative research methods in their own work.
Key objectives include:
- Exploring various methodologies in police studies, with a specific interest in qualitative research methods and the difficulties associated with searching for hard-to-access respondents and groups.
- Provide theoretical insights into the processes of ‘othering’ (ex. labelling, critical race, police legitimacy, etc. and multi-disciplinary approaches)
- Stimulating ethical considerations when working with marginalized populations in police research
- Encourage participants to reflect on their research projects through workshops and interactive sessions
The summer school will include:
- Individual paper presentations by all participants, including comments provided by two members of the summer school team
- Theoretical sessions on othering and doing research with vulnerable and hard-to-reach target groups within police studies, from leading experts in policing studies and participatory research
- Workshops, interactive sessions, with room for discussion and feedback, about creative and participatory methods
- Networking opportunities with scholars from diverse institutions and countries
- Informal activities
Eligible students of VUB and UGent can obtain a certification related to the VUB and UGent Doctoral Schools.
Target audience
The summer school is designed for PhD researchers and early-career scholars in criminology, sociology and broader social sciences related fields who are working on or interested in research involving the police, and vulnerable or marginalized communities.
Prior knowledge of the methods discussed is not required, but participants should have a clear research focus and proficiency in English.
Application process
PhD researchers who are (interested in) researching vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations within policing studies, are invited to apply.
Each applicant must submit a concise dossier containing their CVs and an extended abstract (1000 words) of their original empirical research.
After having received acceptance to the summer school, participants are expected to write a first full draft prior to the event. They are also required to present their papers during the event.
After the summer school, a joint book is prepared containing (some of) the full papers conceived in the process. These papers will undergo double blind peer-review before publication.
For more information or to submit your application, please contact gernsummerschool2025@vub.be
Application - Key Dates
- 1 March: dossier, including an extended abstract (1000 words) and a CV
- At the latest by 15 March: notification of acceptance
- 1 May: deadline for sending the first full draft
- The specific requirements will be made available as soon as possible, and no later than after the acceptance notification.
- 2-5 June: Summer school
- 20 June: notification of written observations from two reviewers
- 1 September: deadline for sending the second draft
- 15 September final decision on the acceptance. Possibly, sending the second draft to an external reviewer for final comments
Registration fee
The registration fee will be:
- €100 for GERN members
- €200 for non-GERN members.
This budget includes lunch, coffee breaks, and lectures. Overnight stay and travel expenses are not included.
Accommodation
Discounts on hotel rooms are available for VUB staff, students and alumni at the hotels listed below. Check out the terms and conditions before booking.
- Novotel Brussels City Center
- Motel One Brussels
- Thon Hotel Brussels City Centre
- Adagio Access Brussels Europe Aparthotel
- Aparthotel Adagio Original Grand Place