Special Lecture on Qualitative Research

On December 8, 2022, the Department of Sociology in collaboration with the IQAC, Loreto College invited Dr. Abhijit Dasgupta, Assistant Professor of Sociology at GITAM University, Visakhapatnam to deliver a special lecture on “Interrogating Qualitative Research: Differences, Challenges and Possibilities.” The event was attended by the Sociology General Elective students of Semesters 1 and 3. Dr. Dasgupta’s lecture explored ‘how’ and ‘why’ qualitative methodology differs from its quantitative counterparts; and the meanings and motivations associated with qualitative research. Students were introduced to the nature, scope, and possibilities of qualitative research, with particular emphasis on the unique methods and challenges of the fieldworker. Dr. Dasgupta also highlighted the ways in which the knowledge of the twin disciplines of sociology and social anthropology can guide us in our understanding of social life and its multifarious complexities. The students attending the lecture responded keenly to the presentation and were encouraged to incorporate qualitative research and fieldwork in their future academic endeavours.