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research in China

kaddibuddy (45 posts) • 0

I wouldn´t do that anyway, so if I would try to do it with a language study visa I would ask my friend if there are any in Pu'er. Because otherwise I wouldn´t have a good time in China, just too risky.
But for that, I will wait if kurtosis knows if his friend got the permission for his research or if he knows how he handled it.
I don´t want to do research without permission anyway, so some schools already know what I want to do, because my friends asked them. And the schools said that they can´t decide it. But I guess, the best option still is, when I am there and ask for the permission (as still no one answered me), my friend in Pu'er even made a phone call to the office of foreign affairs in Pu'er, asked if they could help me. But there is still no way.

Peter99 (1246 posts) • 0

Maybe your subject on 'socializing' in a Puer school is too odd for practically oriented Chinese, and anyone who sees the first page of the application cant read more than a few sentences before feeling dizzy. Or feeling uncomfortable it could be sensitive somehow. Maybe if you put it in more partical terms you could have more luck. I mean, if youd be researching the excellent school system of Puer it could get you a fish on the hook. Maybe nobody wants to give u assistance if theres the slightest uncomfort of your possible results.

kaddibuddy (45 posts) • 0

yes, of course, I need to be careful how I tell others about my project and what it is about. But fun fact, I never sent anyone any of my proposals or anything else. Because my first sentences are always just introducing, where I am from, what I am doing and that I want to do research at chinese schools, but not my specific topic. (not like 'to go like a bull at a gate') Because the first steps were to get in contact with the person and then go deeper. I always mentioned that i could send my research plan or anything else. But as I said, no one ever answered me.

Peter99 (1246 posts) • 0

Yea, probably even with phone calls it would be hanging. Sounds unfeasible, but anyway, good luck.

kaddibuddy (45 posts) • 0

yes, my friend from pu'er already called the office of foreign affairs, his friend works at the pu'er college. So it doesn´t matter if email or personal contact, the people in pu'er just can´t help me. I didn´t think that it would be so difficult to get the visa for more than three months, I really thought that it wouldn´t be that difficult to geht some help. But, I will ask for the language school and I also asked my german professor. And I don´t know, maybe it will work out. Others also handled it, so I also need a way to handle it.
Thank you!

Peter99 (1246 posts) • 0

Mind asking why did you choose 'socializing' as the subject. Is it from an educational perspective? State? Or how pupils make friendship? Or socializing in a classroom?

Anyway feel free to skip this question, just curious, bcs even here on a forum its hard to get hold on it.

GoK Moderator (5096 posts) • 0

It might help if you have a covering letter that frames your purpose/outcomes in a positive light. People may be afraid that your aim, or your outcome, is to show that the subjects are in some way dysfunctional.

This does not put a presupposition into your research, the letter is just to get your foot in the door. What you do afterwards can follow normal research protocols.

kaddibuddy (45 posts) • 0

so as my major is sociology my intenton is to look at teachers´s ageny and how they act in classroom (seen as a social field). I don´t know how familiar you with sociology, but I will make use of Pierre Bourdieu and Anthony Giddens. Socialization isn´t the "main" topic, but of course, it will be part of it, because socialization also takes part in the classroom. It is about interaction, different methods, how students learn and how teachers motivate them to learn and then look into different schools and how they (maybe or maybe not) handle it different. I want to have a look at different ages, to see how the process can be seen at what differences at different ages I can see. I chose moral education, because it is an important topic for the idenity of student and it is interesting how they learn about.
Obviousely, these are just some words about my topic and I already did a lot of research and I know a lot of chinese schools and how they teach and I already have been one year at a chinese school. So I have an idea, I have an impression, I have theories and so on and so on, but how it really differs (or if it differs) I will only see when I am able to observe classes and interview teachers. It isn´t at all a political topic, but of course, I need to know the contect of tje subject and so on, but I will not make the political content to a topic during my interviews.

I hope this gave you an insight, because most of the time people misunderstand me or think my topic is an illusion and I am stupid that I want to do it. But I know what I do, I know the risks, how sensitive it is and that teacher maybe don´t say anything, because they are not allowed. :)

But as if I am not able to get the visa, I maybe will not be able to even go to China.

And, minorities is very interesting, because I lived in a small village near Pu'er. I really would like to go to the countryside and go to more rural areas and have an insight in the school situations and then compare it with a "bigger" city.

Peter99 (1246 posts) • 0

Its not particularly sensitive, if sensitive at all. So why not try to detail your research and interest when you try to make contacts. And in fairly simple terms.

You might also want to arrive as teacher again, and then make contacts, talk to people, explain your interest and such. Or as student in the purpose to make preparations.

Your topic is common interest, unless you have any political motives, so you may need to oil up on that educational method focus. Probably oil it a bit in Germany too.

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