My Research Project, Blogging, and Research Ethics

I am currently enrolled at the University of Waikato in New Zealand to do a master’s thesis in Sociology. The research project I am undertaking for my thesis relates to a new social movement based on traditional “nourishing food” and includes a consideration of how recipes in blogs incorporate the principles and practices of that tradition. I am interested in the way in which blogs contribute to new social food movements by putting people into contact with one another and sharing ideas and information.  I have decided to start a blog myself to help me understand more about blogs and blogging, to present some aspects of my research journey with anyone who might be interested, to share my own thoughts about some of the food issues I have been concerned about for some years, and to post some interesting recipes. I welcome any comments that anyone might want to make on any of these matters. The main aim of the blog is not to gain such comments to include in my thesis. However, some comments may turn out to be useful to use directly in my thesis. If this happens, I will contact the person who made the comment to check that it is ok to use it in this way and whether they wish to be acknowledged. This approach to the use of comments has been approved by my Research Ethics Committee.

If you would like further information please contact me or my supervisor John Paterson