"I have never welcomed the weakening of family ties by politics or pressure" - Nelson Mandela.
"He who travels for love finds a thousand miles no longer than one" - Japanese proverb.
"Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence." - Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
"When people's love is divided by law, it is the law that needs to change". -
David Cameron.

Thursday 9 April 2015

Keele University - Transnational Relationships study

For those who are separated from their partner by an ocean and the elusive £18,600 tag, a researcher at Keele University is looking to speak with you for their Transational Relationships study.

If interested, please contact Dr Sirriyeh by email: a.sirriyeh@keele.ac.uk or phone: 0758 402 4964

Note, whilst interviews will generally be in the UK (Skype, phone or in person), if your partner lives in Chicago, Philadelphia or Sydney (Australia), then Dr Sirriyeh may be able to meet them in person as she is visiting those places over the next few months.


The study is about intimate partner relationships in which partners live in different countries from one another. Relationships increasingly take place at an international scale, due in part to factors such as migration, changes in the global labour market and also development in communication and transport technologies.  Partners may be living in this way by choice or because of circumstances that make living in the same place difficult or impossible (such as immigration policy, work opportunities, or family commitments), but this remains a very under-researched area. Keele University is keen find out more about why people enter into these relationships and how these relationships are experienced.   In order to do so, their researchers will be interviewing people who live in the UK and are in an intimate partner relationship with a partner who usually lives abroad so that they can find out more about their experiences. 

More on the research from Drr Sirriyeh below, but we urge those who are willing to please contact Dr Sirriyeh, as such research can feed into future policy making.

Regards

Sonel

Q&A:

Aims of the Research

This is a study about intimate partner relationships in which partners usually live in different countries from one another. In recent years relationships increasingly take place at an international scale, due in part to factors such as migration, changes in the global labour market and also development in communication and transport technologies.  Intimate partners may be living in this way by choice or because of circumstances that make living in the same place difficult or impossible (such as immigration policy, work opportunities, or family commitments), but this remains a very under-researched area. I would like to find out more about why people enter into these relationships and how these relationships are experienced.  



Invitation

You are being invited to take part in the research study Living Apart Together: Transnational Relationships.  This project is being undertaken by Dr Ala Sirriyeh (Lecturer in Sociology, School of Sociology & Criminology, Keele University).



Before you decide whether or not you wish to take part, it is important for you to understand why this research is being done and what it will involve. Please take time to read this information carefully and discuss it with friends and relatives if you wish. Ask us if there is anything that is unclear or if you would like more information.

  

Why have I been invited?

You have been invited to take part in this research because you self-define as being in an intimate partner relationship with a partner who usually lives in another country.

  

Do I have to take part?
You are free to decide whether you wish to take part or not.  If you do decide to take part you will be asked to sign two sets of consent forms, one is for you to keep and the other is for our records. You are free to withdraw from this study at any time and without giving reasons.

What will happen if I take part?
You will be invited to take part in a qualitative interview which will be arranged at a time that is convenient to you. The interview can be conducted online via Skype or face to face in your home or in another agreed location (e.g. a community centre, your workplace). You will be asked if the interview can be digitally audio recorded. You can decline without giving a reason if you would prefer not to be audio recorded.

 What are the benefits (if any) of taking part?
There are no direct benefits for you in taking part in this research. However, the findings of this research will be disseminated to relevant policy makers and stakeholders in order to contribute to policy debates on migration and family.
  
What are the risks (if any) of taking part?
The discussion is focused on experiences of relationships, a sometimes personal and sensitive topic. The interview method that is used is very open ended so you will be able to steer the direction of their responses and you can choose not to answer or comment on issues you do not want to talk about. You can also pause or stop the interview at any point if you feel uncomfortable or distressed.


How will information about me be used?
Anonymised information that you provide to me during the interview will be analysed alongside data from other research participants in the study and will be used to write a research report, academic journal articles, blog posts and media outputs. Anonymised quotes from you may also be used, if you give permission for me to do so.

 Who will have access to information about me?
Your personal data will remain confidential. The research data will be anonymised so that your identity is not disclosed in the findings. You will be given or can choose a pseudonym. Identifying features (e.g. your name, where you live) will be removed. It may be, however, that someone who knows you well could detect your identity through reading findings data about you.

I do, however, have to work within the confines of current legislation over such matters as privacy and confidentiality, data protection and human rights and so offers of confidentiality may sometimes be overridden by law. For example, I will usually respect your privacy and will not share information you give to me with a third party. However, in circumstances whereby I am concerned over any actual or potential harm to yourself or others I must pass this information to the relevant authorities. 

 Information about you which has been recorded and obtained in this research project will be safeguarded during and after the research project has been completed and will be secured on a password protected file on a university computer in Ala Sirriyeh’s office. Any paper copies will be secured within a filing cabinet. The key for the cabinet and password for computers files will only be retained by Ala and will not be shared with third parties. Data will be stored in line with Keele University’s guidelines and will be retained by the principle investigator, Ala Sirriyeh, for at least five years and will then be securely destroyed when no longer required.

 Who is funding and organising the research?
There is no external funding for this research.

What if there is a problem?
If you have a concern about any aspect of this study, you may wish to speak to the researcher(s) who will do their best to answer your questions.  You should contact Ala Sirriyeh at a.sirriyeh@keele.ac.uk.  Alternatively, if you do not wish to contact the researcher you may contact Professor Ronnie Lippens (Head of School of Sociology and Criminology) at r.lippens@keele.ac.uk.

If you remain unhappy about the research and/or wish to raise a complaint about any aspect of the way that you have been approached or treated during the course of the study please write to Nicola Leighton who is the University’s contact for complaints regarding research at the following address:-

Nicola Leighton
Tel: 01782 733306

1 comment:

  1. i am interested, as someone that has had to take a 2nd job to meet the requirement, so now working 2 full time jobs back to back for over 9 months.
    55% of the UK is below the £18600 minimum requirement.
    There is something called the North/South devide which is not taken into consideration by these rule makers. Basically my primary job that i have been in for 2 years earns £17670 gross per annum. If i did the same job for the same company in London i would be on more like £28000 - £30000 gross per annum.
    This basically means that the working class in areas outside of london or areas of more unemployment are be prejudiced against.

    Also with EU citizens allowed to come here with there non EU spouse with no financial requirement required, we are handed a double dose of prejudice!

    EU citizens are allowed more spouse rights the UK Nationals, EU citizens are using EU law, even though UK nationals are part of the EU, we are bound by national law and everyone else is bound by EU law which is diabolical.

    Either allow UK nationals the same rights in the UK as EU members ( which we are part of after all ) or Ammend the policy to eradicate the EU law that so many are taking advantage of, so that the working class UK nationals are not being discriminated against in their own country that they were born and bred in and have paid taxes to all their lives!

    FYI i am English and am married to an American.
    America not being part of the EU, BUT..... is an allied nation that has supported us in times of war, and whose first language is English!

    ReplyDelete