In this course, you learn to reflect critically on your research findings with regard to broad questions of diversity, nature and/or social change and make these findings available and understandable for relevant interested parties. Central issues that you need to consider are: the type of material that constitutes the research results; the relation between this data and the (original) research questions; the methodology that has been employed during the research; the implications of the results, not only for the analytical questions but also for the research participants and other stakeholders in the study; and the way that results can be structured and reported in a logical, convincing, attractive and ethically responsible way. In addition, you learn about ‘public anthropology’ and the different forms this can take (intervention in public debates; policy recommendations to stakeholders; advocacy or other recourses to ‘give back’ to research population).

The course is built around (text and discussion) assignments that need to be handed-in every week. These assignments are tailored to take you through the different phases of writing a thesis: from the return of fieldwork, getting a handle on your data, to writing the conclusion of your thesis. Near the end of the course, you learn what constitutes a policy brief, a good non-academic opinion piece, and a community resource. In tandem with writing your thesis, you design a short extra-academic text of your choice (policy brief, opinion piece, community resource) based on your research findings.

The course is paired with the guidance provided by the individual thesis supervisors, and with the thesis rings.