all about bp

[bp]

My name is Michael, and I am a graduate student working on my Ph.D. in Sociology. Before I get into my project, I think it's best to explain why I didn't mention this to start, and why I'm bringing it up now.

First of all, what I am doing here is not actual "research". My goals are to learn more about what is going on in SA in terms of cross-national relationships/marriages, international introduction agencies, etc., so that I can design actual research. Therefore, nobody has to worry about whether anything said here is going to be part of a study later on. I'm really just trying to educate myself on what's going on. I didn't mention this before because I wasn't sure if it was allowed (by my department).

There were two reasons I was concerned about being able to disclose this information. One, there's usually a mountain of paperwork that a researcher has to fill out before being able to walk into a place in an official capacity. However, there's no paperwork involved if someone just wants to ask general questions in a public community (as long as the information isn't used in actual research). Also, a few years ago, another researcher (in a different field, doing a different study) had been to Planet Love as a part of her research. I also wanted to make sure that coming here as a researcher would not be considered "poaching". Once again, this is not a problem if a researcher just wants to ask general questions in a public community.

However, as my questions are starting to get more specific and pointed, I thought it was only fair to fully explain what I'm doing here. Granted, I'm still just asking asking questions in a public community, but I prefer to keep everything in the open. Also, all issues of paperwork and poaching have been resolved. Of course, if anyone has any questions, I'd be happy to answer them in public or private (PM).

Now, regarding my project...

I don't yet have a specific "study" in mind. I'm most interested in the aspects of families and relationships that are somewhat on the fringe in society. For example, my Master's thesis was on internet matchmaking sites and what people are looking for when using those sites. With regards to Planet Love, I have an idea of how I'm going to study cross-national marriages, but not yet a specific "what" to study. Whatever I come up with, I plan to do for my dissertation, and I still have over a year to figure that out.

For the study itself, I intend to live in (most likely) Colombia for a year or two. I figure that anyone who is seriously interested in cross-national marriages/relationships will actually pass through the country. My research would probably involve interviews (of both the men and women), and working out of Colombia would probably be more practical (and less expensive) than taking repeated trips.

I've been asking about agencies because (at this point) I think they would be the easiest way to find people to interview. Also, I want to get a variety of agencies because I'm sure it will be important to capture the diversity of experience in this phenomenon. For example, Eric and Caro at Colombian Introductions are operating with a very different business model than AFA, and this will likely mean a different clientele and different experiences for their clients.

I've also been asking about the culture of the women to get an idea as to what cities are more receptive to cross-national marriages and why. Before I pick a place, I want to get a feel for what the various cities are really like by way of “gringo-local” relationships. As this is likely going to be the focus of my research, I want to know as much as possible about how these relationships play out before choosing a city.

Finally, I've been asking about the weather because I really am a New Englander and the thought of living in a place that is about 90deg with 90% humidity year round is a little scary. I think I'm more worried about that than my personal safety. Like, seriously. I lived in Buffalo for a while, not too far from the water, with double digit feet-high blizzards and winter temperatures regularly in the negatives...without a winter coat. Colombia would definitely be a change of environment for me.

Anyway, in the interest of honesty, I wanted to share all this with the community. As I said before, I'm completely open to questions, whether in this thread or privately. Thanks.

Michael

[Dan]

My name is Michael, and I am a graduate student working on my Ph.D. in Sociology. Before I get into my project, I think it's best to explain why I didn't mention this to start, and why I'm bringing it up now.

First of all, what I am doing here is not actual "research". My goals are to learn more about what is going on in SA in terms of cross-national relationships/marriages, international introduction agencies, etc., so that I can design actual research. Therefore, nobody has to worry about whether anything said here is going to be part of a study later on. I'm really just trying to educate myself on what's going on. I didn't mention this before because I wasn't sure if it was allowed (by my department).

There were two reasons I was concerned about being able to disclose this information. One, there's usually a mountain of paperwork that a researcher has to fill out before being able to walk into a place in an official capacity. However, there's no paperwork involved if someone just wants to ask general questions in a public community (as long as the information isn't used in actual research). Also, a few years ago, another researcher (in a different field, doing a different study) had been to Planet Love as a part of her research. I also wanted to make sure that coming here as a researcher would not be considered "poaching". Once again, this is not a problem if a researcher just wants to ask general questions in a public community.

However, as my questions are starting to get more specific and pointed, I thought it was only fair to fully explain what I'm doing here. Granted, I'm still just asking asking questions in a public community, but I prefer to keep everything in the open. Also, all issues of paperwork and poaching have been resolved. Of course, if anyone has any questions, I'd be happy to answer them in public or private (PM).

Now, regarding my project...

I don't yet have a specific "study" in mind. I'm most interested in the aspects of families and relationships that are somewhat on the fringe in society. For example, my Master's thesis was on internet matchmaking sites and what people are looking for when using those sites. With regards to Planet Love, I have an idea of how I'm going to study cross-national marriages, but not yet a specific "what" to study. Whatever I come up with, I plan to do for my dissertation, and I still have over a year to figure that out.

For the study itself, I intend to live in (most likely) Colombia for a year or two. I figure that anyone who is seriously interested in cross-national marriages/relationships will actually pass through the country. My research would probably involve interviews (of both the men and women), and working out of Colombia would probably be more practical (and less expensive) than taking repeated trips.

I've been asking about agencies because (at this point) I think they would be the easiest way to find people to interview. Also, I want to get a variety of agencies because I'm sure it will be important to capture the diversity of experience in this phenomenon. For example, Eric and Caro at Colombian Introductions are operating with a very different business model than AFA, and this will likely mean a different clientele and different experiences for their clients.

I've also been asking about the culture of the women to get an idea as to what cities are more receptive to cross-national marriages and why. Before I pick a place, I want to get a feel for what the various cities are really like by way of “gringo-local” relationships. As this is likely going to be the focus of my research, I want to know as much as possible about how these relationships play out before choosing a city.

Finally, I've been asking about the weather because I really am a New Englander and the thought of living in a place that is about 90deg with 90% humidity year round is a little scary. I think I'm more worried about that than my personal safety. Like, seriously. I lived in Buffalo for a while, not too far from the water, with double digit feet-high blizzards and winter temperatures regularly in the negatives...without a winter coat. Colombia would definitely be a change of environment for me.

Anyway, in the interest of honesty, I wanted to share all this with the community. As I said before, I'm completely open to questions, whether in this thread or privately. Thanks.

Michael

Michael,

I believe the "other researcher" you reference was Felicity Schaeffer-Grabiel. If you call what she did "research", then we may, indeed, have a problem.

Felicity was from the Department of Feminist Studies at Univ of CA, Santa Cruz. Her publication was trash - at least, insofar as any serious researcher would be concerned.

If you care to see a stark contrast, then spend the time to read Prof. Nicole Constable's book, Romance on a Global Stage, and the differences are enormous. Also, at RWD, we have a resident researcher, Jennifer Patico, who is a social scientist from one of the Georgia universities. She has spent a ton of time with us at RWD, and even travelled to a gathering of intercultural couples/families  in the Denver area.

The research methodologies of those trained in formal research vice the cloak-and-dagger BS employed by Schaeffer-Grabiel are dramatically different.

Which are you?

- Dan

[bp]

Side note, what's RWD?

Yeah, Felicity Schaeffer-Grabiel's article is how I discovered the existence of PL, however our work is like night and day. I also read Nicole Constable's book Romance on the Global Stage, as well as a couple of chapters she wrote in other texts. I do like NCs work, and her chapter in Romance on the Global Stage on Virtual Ethnography was especially interesting.

As for FS-G, we are from different fields, in very different arenas, doing very different studies. Case in point, regardless of whether or not you like her work, the fact is that I couldn't see her work being published in any of the academic journals in my field. I'm not saying it's better or worse than the research in my field, just very very different.

From your "cloak and dagger" comment, I get the impression that FS-G wasn't upfront with you about her work. If so, then her work is even farther afield than I originally thought. That isn't something that one can get away with in my field without some serious consequences. For me, there is an intricate system of checks and balances managed by an ethics review board. Since undergrad, I've had three of my projects killed from this board, though not from ethics violations, but simply because they took so long to analyze my proposal that I didn't have enough time between approval and deadlines to conduct the research. At most universities, sociologists like myself have to go through the same review board that monitors ethics for medical and psychological research.

If I have even the most remote desire to use anything from PL in actual research, I would first have to file some paperwork with the ethics board, probably refile it a few more times after they nitpick on specifics in my proposal, and then when/if I get approval, I also have to get informed consent (sometimes written, otherwise verbal) from anyone and everyone from whom I would be gathering information.

Long story short, everything I am discussing on this board is for my own personal edification to help me design future research. If I wanted to use anything for actual research, I will explicitly ask all individuals who would be contributing information.

I hope this answers your question. If not, let me know of your concerns and I'll address them.

Thanks,
Michael

[Dan]

Side note, what's RWD?

Yeah, Felicity Schaeffer-Grabiel's article is how I discovered the existence of PL, however our work is like night and day. I also read Nicole Constable's book Romance on the Global Stage, as well as a couple of chapters she wrote in other texts. I do like NCs work, and her chapter in Romance on the Global Stage on Virtual Ethnography was especially interesting.

As for FS-G, we are from different fields, in very different arenas, doing very different studies. Case in point, regardless of whether or not you like her work, the fact is that I couldn't see her work being published in any of the academic journals in my field. I'm not saying it's better or worse than the research in my field, just very very different.

From your "cloak and dagger" comment, I get the impression that FS-G wasn't upfront with you about her work. If so, then her work is even farther afield than I originally thought. That isn't something that one can get away with in my field without some serious consequences. For me, there is an intricate system of checks and balances managed by an ethics review board. Since undergrad, I've had three of my projects killed from this board, though not from ethics violations, but simply because they took so long to analyze my proposal that I didn't have enough time between approval and deadlines to conduct the research. At most universities, sociologists like myself have to go through the same review board that monitors ethics for medical and psychological research.

If I have even the most remote desire to use anything from PL in actual research, I would first have to file some paperwork with the ethics board, probably refile it a few more times after they nitpick on specifics in my proposal, and then when/if I get approval, I also have to get informed consent (sometimes written, otherwise verbal) from anyone and everyone from whom I would be gathering information.

Long story short, everything I am discussing on this board is for my own personal edification to help me design future research. If I wanted to use anything for actual research, I will explicitly ask all individuals who would be contributing information.

I hope this answers your question. If not, let me know of your concerns and I'll address them.

Thanks,
Michael

RWD stands for RussianWomenDiscussion.com. It is the sister site to PL where the focus is on international relationships with women from the former Soviet Union - whereas PL is focused on Asia and Latin America.

You should stop in over there and maybe trade some messages with jen (her handle at RWD). Sounds like you two would have some things in common.

As for your PC comments about the Felicity trash - I seriously doubt you will find any scientific researcher willing to endorse the horse manure she came up with. Of course, it *was* good enough for some to cite in Congressional testimony - but that is another topic entirely.

- Dan

- Dan

[bp]

As for your PC comments about the Felicity trash - I seriously doubt you will find any scientific researcher willing to endorse the horse manure she came up with.

Just to be clear, I never said I could. In fact, if she was deceptive, then I don't think I could find a scientific researcher that wouldn't outright condemn her work. You just can't do that, especially not in the social or behavioral sciences. I should add, her field (American Studies) doesn't fall under this category. I couldn't tell you what kind of ethics framework with which they're working. Maybe journalism?

Of course, it *was* good enough for some to cite in Congressional testimony - but that is another topic entirely.

Congress? *L* Oh yeah, these are the same people who brought us "Duck and Cover" right?

[Tristan]

bp,

I would like to communicate with you.  I am admin of www.onlinedatingrights.com.

Could you please email me at onlinedatingrights  -at- yahoo