Open Research: What does it mean in Humanities and Social Sciences?

‘Open research’ is often defined through the lens of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM), with a focus on practices such as data sharing, open code and reproducibility. However, these STEM-oriented models do not always reflect the diverse epistemologies, methods, values, or outputs of research in the humanities and social sciences (HaSS). So what does open research mean and look like for HaSS disciplines? This interactive two‑hour workshop invites researchers and research‑enablers to explore a broader and more inclusive understanding of open research, drawing on insights from the Materialising Open Research Practices in the Humanities and Social Sciences project. Through collaborative activities, participants will identify existing open practices within their own work, examine multiple forms and meanings of openness, and reflect on the ethical, practical and disciplinary considerations involved in being open. Rather than promoting a one‑size‑fits‑all model, the workshop supports participants in developing context‑sensitive, meaningful approaches to openness that align with their research practices, communities and values.

The workshop is designed for researchers, doctoral students, and research support staff in HaSS disciplines – and anyone with a general interest in what open research means from these disciplinary perspectives.

This workshop will be facilitated by Professor Natasha Mauthner, Associate Dean for Good Research Practice. The event is co-organised by the HaSS Faculty Research Office (Post-Award Manager – Libby.Johnston@ncl.ac.uk), and the Library Open Research Team (Open Research Officer – Steve.Boneham@ncl.ac.uk), with input from a faculty wide working group (Alistair Cole, Anne Whitehead, Sinead Morrissey, Cong Zhang and Charlotte Veal)

When:  Wednesday 20th May, 2-4pm
Where:  Henry Daysh Building, 2.13

Registration – here