Research Assistant: Belonging, Identity and Community Building in Study Abroad

Location: Copenhagen

Type: Research

Term: Semester

Introduction to the topic

Study abroad has long been framed as a transformative educational experience that fosters personal growth, intercultural competence, and identity development. For students who identify as LGBTQ+, however, research shows that international mobility carries distinct meanings and challenges shaped by the intersection of sexuality, gender, and place. This research project explores the experiences of LGBTQ+ students coming to DIS and Copenhagen, examining how queer belonging and identity formation are connected to community building and social integration.

Project details

The project asks what draws LGBTQ+ students to Copenhagen and how the city and DIS as particular sites shape their study abroad experience. It examines how institutional structures and identity-based affinity spaces influence students’ sense of belonging, how queer identities are shaped through the experience of studying abroad, and whether different subgroups within the LGBTQ+ umbrella — including groups that are underrepresented in existing research, such as gay men and bisexual students — have distinct experiences and practices.

The project draws on qualitative methods, with interviewing and ethnographic observations being our main tools to map student experiences. The project spans several semesters. As a Research Assistant you will gain hands-on experience with literature reviewing, data production (interviewing, transcriptions, observations, fieldnotes) and/or interpretive qualitative analysis, including the use of software.

Your exact contribution depends on when you join the project and will be agreed upon at the beginning of the semester. Within the framework of the project, Research Assistants can shape the focus of their individual work according to specific interests. All Research Assistants will gain insights into research ethics and project management.

The project is particularly suited to students with interests in sociology, psychology, gender and sexuality studies, anthropology, public health, or education, and to those considering graduate study in the social sciences or health professions.

Applicants are not expected to identify as LGBTQ+, nor will identity disclosure be required during the application process. However, as the project engages with researcher positionality and research ethics, discussions of identity and lived experience may arise throughout the semester.

Syllabus

Coming soon

Selected relevant publications

– Campbell, A.C., Dezago, J. & Townsend, Q. Queer students in international higher education: a review of distinct motivations, considerations, and challenges. High Educ 88, 1567–1588 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-024-01183-4

– Hipple, E., Soltis, D., & Hyers, L. (2020). Queering Study Abroad: Web-Based Outreach to LGBTQ+ University Students by Study Abroad Programs. Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 32(2), 175–186. https://doi.org/10.36366/frontiers.v32i2.473

– Bingham, W. P., Brunsting, N., & Katsumoto, S. (2023). A Systematic Literature Review on LGBT+ U.S. Students Studying Abroad. Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 35(1), 152–187. https://doi.org/10.36366/frontiers.v35i1.736

Additional research application required

You will need to submit an additional research application through Student Registration in order to enroll in this course.
To submit your research application, you must already be admitted to DIS.

All research application materials must be submitted on the following dates by 23:59 Central European Time:
– November 1 for spring semester applicants
– May 1 for fall semester applicants

Complete your additional research application through Student Registration.
If you are not already enrolled, use this link to apply to DIS before completing a research application.

Anna Sofie Bach

Ph.D., Sociology and gender studies, University of Copenhagen 2016. Ph.D fellow, Department of Sociology, University of Copenhagen 2012-15. DIS Faculty 2015-2018. Postdoc at Department for the Study of Culture, University of Southern Denmark 2017-2020. Postdoc at Department for Culture and Learning, Aalborg University in Copenhagen 2020-2021. Postdoc at the Sociology Department, University of Copenhagen 2021-2024. With DIS since 2024.

Research Assistantship FAQ

Learn more about research at DIS.

: Earning authorship within the course of a semester is challenging. Exceptional Research Assistants may be considered for co-authorship, subject to evaluation from the supervising Research Mentor.

Though you may not ultimately become an author on a published paper, you will gain many practical skills and insights into the publication process.

: Many research projects last across several semesters, so not all RAs on the same project will conduct the same research.

: On average, students in 3-credit Research Assistantships spend at least 10 hours a week on research tasks. These 10 hours per week consist of a variety of different research-related tasks, including conducting a literature review, data collection, analyses, coding, documentation, and meetings with your mentor. You may decide on a particular block of time (consistent each week) for you to carry out the work, or adjust it on a week-by-week basis.

Students in a 6-credit Research Assistantships spend an average of 20 hours per week with lab and clinically based research tasks. You decide the exact meeting and lab times with your supervisor, but your schedule consists of classes at DIS two days a week, with two days a week in the lab.

There may be peak times in the research process where all Research Assistant students are expected to spend a few more hours, and then possibly fewer hours another week – to reflect the individual research project and process.

: Work for the 3-credit Research Assistantships may take place outside DIS, on your own time at a location of your choosing, or at DIS – this varies from project to project. The 6-credit research assistantships generally take place at labs in Copenhagen or Stockholm outside DIS.

: Students with a variety of academic backgrounds are encouraged to apply for the 3-credit Research Assistant course. While some courses do have prerequisites, many opportunities do not require prior research experience.

The 6-credit Research Assistant opportunity is designed for highly motivated students who have a strong science background within the field of interest and some basic research experience. The student must be willing to commit a large portion of their semester to an engaging opportunity involving hands-on research in universities and medical institutes in Copenhagen or Stockholm.