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*Apologies for cross-posting* This is a gentle reminder that the deadline for abstracts for the below session is tomorrow (14/02/2015). Uncalled for or Just (Un)Cool? Young People-Friendly Research Methods CFP Annual International Conference, Exeter, 2nd – 4th September, 2015. Royal Geographical Society (RGS) with Institute of British Geographers (IBG) Session sponsorship: Participatory Geographies Research Group Modifying Punch’s (2002) question, this session asks: ‘is doing research with young people different from doing research with children, or adults?’ In recent decades, scholarship has emerged which presents young people as more than adults-in-waiting (Matthews et al., 1998), seeing them instead as agentic beings and social and spatial actors in their own right (e.g. Morrow, 2000; Evans, 2008). As the perspectives of young people as research participants change, so too do the methods and methodologies from which we research (into/with) them. However, whilst ‘child friendly’ methods are now commonplace in the literature, as seen in studies by: Barker and Weller (2003); Mandleco (2013); and Mitchell (2006), for example, methods that are culturally appropriate for young people have been relatively neglected. This may reflect the fact that the terms ‘children’ and ‘young people’ are often used interchangeably (Weller, 2006). Nonetheless, this conflation may have led to ‘young people’ friendly research methods being overlooked, with child-friendly methods commonly being employed in research with young people. This conflation depreciates the fact that young people have different experiences of space and place compared to children. The uniqueness of young people’s lives, and their different stage in the life course, may mean that certain methods are more or less culturally credible for them. Thus, just as with children, should a special suite of methods be in place to explore young people’s everyday/everynight lives? The emergence of participatory geographies has stood to bring young people, who were conventionally ‘researched’, on board as co-researchers, therefore mobilising their assets. The proposed session questions whether young people-friendly methods, and indeed a participatory methodology, are ‘uncalled for or (un)cool?’ Contributions are invited which engage with, but are by no means limited to, the following themes: - Multiple methods - (Auto)ethnography - Innovative methods e.g. audio diaries, text messaging, walking interviews - Participatory research designs - Researcher positionality (including seldom explored aspects, such as appearance and personality) Alongside more traditional oral paper presentations, this session welcomes alternative presentational styles. For instance: performative contributions; audio/visual presentations; (auto)ethnographical pieces; and other artistic/imaginative formats. Please email prospective contributions, or any queries, to Catherine Wilkinson ([log in to unmask]) The deadline for submission is Saturday 14th February 2015. Please include: - Presentation title - Abstract of maximum 250 words - Your name, affiliation and e-mail address Session Conveners Catherine Wilkinson (University of Liverpool) Samantha Wilkinson (University of Manchester)