Issues from researching and writing collaboratively
Event details
Centre for Sustainable Business
Your invitation to
Issues from researching and writing collaboratively
A free in-person seminar/workshop on collaborative research, storytelling and writing in social work and other forms of practice.
With Professors Viviene Cree and Robert MacKenzie.
Thursday 18 June, 1.30 – 4.30 pm, Academic Building, Room AB1.01, Bishop Otter Campus, Chichester.
Please join us in a participatory gathering of people at whatever stage in their development who are interested in exploring diverse aspects of social policy, history, qualitative methodology, storytelling and narrative, writing or social work.
Early this year, our co-authored book ‘Social Work with Unmarried Mothers and Their Children: Learning from the past’ was published1 One of its reviewers had this to say about it:
“This beautifully written book tells the multi-layered story of the lives of three unmarried mothers, their children, and the social work agency which surrounded them. Written by a (former) social worker and former care leavers, this book is filled with warmth and wisdom, and creates an important lens through which to view the past, present and future of social work with children and their families. (Professor Ruth Emond, Professor of Social Work, University of Stirling)”
Drawing upon our experiences of working on this project, and upon your own interests and experiences, we’ll discuss the implications of attempting to identify and address frequently overlooked issues and silenced voices. Amongst other questions, we can reflect on why – whoever we are – we’re often enjoined as academics and practitioners not to write using the word ‘I’, to avoid putting ourselves at the heart of the story. What might be the implications of an approach that explicitly puts the author(s) into their text? More broadly, what might be the implications of such an approach for our research and practice?
Please join us to engage in conversation in small and plenary groups, as well as in informal interactions during refreshment breaks.
About the facilitators
Professor Robert MacKenzie (Bob) grew up in Edzell Lodge and Margaret Cottage children’s homes in Edinburgh. He is now Visiting Professor of Management Learning at the University of Chichester. His professional focus is on how academic and other forms of practice can connect with each other to their mutual benefit through writing and conversation.
1 Cree, V. E., & MacKenzie, R. J. (2026). Social Work with Unmarried Mothers and Their Children: Learning from the Past. Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9781003535522/social-work-unmarried-mothers-children-viviene-cree-robert-mackenzie
Professor Emerita Viviene Cree (Viv) of the University of Edinburgh worked for many years as a social worker for the agency at the heart of this book. She has conducted research in a number of social work-related fields over the last 40+ years, often with a leaning towards history, and especially focusing on the lives of women and children.
How to book
Book your place by completing our online form. Please note that we have space for up to 30 participants. So do book early if you’d like to be sure of a place.
Map and directions: https://www.chi.ac.uk/about-us/how-to-find-us/
Please note that this is a free and open in-person event. Everyone is welcome. Please let us know if you have any specific dietary or other requirements regarding your participation (tea and coffee will be served mid-way). We have no plans to record this session digitally.