a) What have been the major obstacles you have faced in putting a research project together?
One of the key obstacles I have found when approaching my research project concerning the coverage of racial violence during the period of the Great Migration and its connection to projecting white supremacist ideology, lies in the multitude of case studies I attempt to examine. It can be easy to get lost in simply retelling the narrative which may offer immediate assumptions but this can lead to drifting away from recognising the broader theoretical framework which encapsulates the evolution of change occurring as a result of these events. Additionally, I will be relying on newspaper and visual aids as my sources which need careful analysis in order of avoiding bias.
b) What strategies have you adopted to overcome these obstacles?
There are however ways of combatting this. By taking a comparative method when analysing these case studies, I can better recognise the connection they hold to the way in which coverage in the media changed and pin point the reasons why, instead of relying on the assumption that such social change was ‘inevitable’ and unrelated to the influence of media. Through the application of a postmodernist theory, a better relationship of the power relations of the intentionality behind publications and editorial choices can be exposed. Moreover, newspapers are an excellent source for understanding the power structures behind them and therefore through close analysis, bias can be overcome.
c) What has this taught you about approaching your dissertation?
By looking more closely at methodology, I have gained a new perspective on the research of racial discourse. It has taught me to look more intently to the intentionality of the media and the major role it played in facilitating social change.
d) Which aspects of the 9X6 module have been the most useful in helping you get your project ready to start?
I believe that I have gained a clearer understanding on the variety of methods which can be used for research topics and more importantly, this module has taught me the significance of choosing the most appropriate one as this can impact the success of my study. Lastly, it has made the process of attempting a dissertation seem like a much less daunting task.