Robin Danzak | Qualitative Research and Perspectives About Adoption

How can academic researchers convey insight and meaning about the world of child adoption? Auto-ethnography, focus groups, and photo-voice (a combination of images and recorded narratives) are qualitative research tools that can provide meaningful context and insight into personal experiences. In this episode, Dr. Robin Danzak, discusses how she combines these tools in order to explore the spectrum of adoption from the perspective of those whose lives it has touched. ABOUT OUR GUEST... As a member of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Robin teaches courses in language and literacy. Her research focuses on bilingual writing of adolescents and adults, examining connections between language, culture, and identity. Currently, she is also investigating the impact of global/local service learning on student learning and intercultural competence, and co-writing an autoethnography of adoption. Robin taught Spanish in Florida public schools for several years. Prior to that, she lived in Chile for five years. In 2014, she spent a semester in Italy as a Fulbright Scholar. In teaching, Robin is passionate about community-engaged and project-based learning. At her previous university, she led global health programs and recently coordinated a collaborative student exchange with a university in Guatemala. Outside of work, Robin spends her time trail running, hiking, and attempting to experience all the cultural-historical sites of Boston. A member of Emerson's faculty since 2019, Robin earned her B.A. from New College of Florida, an M.A. from Chile's Universidad de Concepción, and her Ph.D. from the University of South Florida.