Each month the SDSC research group interviews one of its own researchers. The interviewee then becomes Researcher of the Month (RM), taking the reigns of the SDSC website, blog and Twitter account. Our May RM, Jora Broerse, PhD candidate at Victoria University, focuses on multiculturalism and the use of (semi)public sport spaces. Currently, Jora is collecting qualitative data for her research.
What is your current position and background?
I completed my Bachelor’s in sport management and was thinking about what I wanted to do after graduating. One of the courses I took was sport sociology and I loved it so much, especially the critical thinking and the history aspect, that I pursued a master’s degree in sociology. After finishing a two-year Research Master in social sciences at the University of Amsterdam in 2017, I started my PhD in Melbourne.
What are your research interests?
My two main research interests are everyday multiculturalism and the use of (semi)public sport spaces. In my PhD, I am trying to bring these together. I see sport mainly as a lens to look at issues like inclusion, belonging and identity formation. I am currently in the data collection phase and as an ethnographer, I participate in and observe many different physical activities. I enjoy this method for epistemological reasons, but also on a more personal level, because it brings you to places and activities you would otherwise not participate in (who would have thought I would be doing line dancing for example?!).
How do history and context shape your research?
In my work, I look at the use and politics of space; the histories of places are central to this. Not only in a past sense, but also in how contemporary histories carries through to the present. The colonial history of this country is very much present today. Similarly important is context. Compared to my work in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, there are different migration and multiculturalism issues at stake here in Australia such as migration flows, policy and public opinions around refugees.
What books or authors are you currently reading?
My current ‘book phase’ is dominated by migration related novels and memoirs. Examples include:
Joyful Strains: Making Australia Home edited by Kent MacCarter and Ali Lemer;
How the West was One: Memoirs of Melbourne’s Western Suburbs edited by Karyn Howie and Sue O’Brien;
Growing up African in Australia edited by Maxine Beneba Clarke
Maybe Tomorrow by Boori Pryor and Meme McDonald
I am not sure if these falls under study reading or reading for pleasure; I guess the two are conflated. They will make a beautiful and important contribution to the section in my PhD where I describe the social context in which my fieldwork takes place.
What advice would you give to someone interested in a postgraduate degree?
I am thinking about pressure and cross-university contacts. The pressure to perform was very high during my Master’s and I really had to learn to cope with that. For example, I would be extremely disappointed with a 7.5/10 mark for a presentation. It was never good enough, which was unhealthy. I really had to teach myself to be content with such grades and that a presentation is more than a grade. Doing a Master’s or PhD will likely bring you into an environment with people who are passionate and determined, but also perfectionist and competitive. You will have to find a way to deal with this. Also, or in combination with being a healthy perfectionist, is taking time for yourself – no work, no studies, nothing. For me this means not touching any work during the weekend, but for others that might be in another form. This requires a daily reminder, as it is tempting to do just this little something – but then you end up spending a few hours on your work. I am really grateful that I learned this lesson before my PhD as it enabled me to enjoy my PhD so much!
What I would advise as well is to seek contact with like-minded postgraduates from other universities (especially for PhD students). The cross-university collaborations are something I am enjoying and find inspiring.