The dynamics of transnational research collaboration illustrated by a project on social media in poverty reduction

Abstract

Abstract Transnational social work usually deals with the international collaboration to solve a specific problem or case, where the representation of the individual and institutional scope of life and action – from the perspective of the beneficiaries and the social workers – are considered as transnational and thus, not nationally bound. That is where the methodological nationalism is consciously ruled out. International research collaboration in social work considers the transnational space. What does it mean to build up a common, transnational understanding of specific, socially, politically, and theoretically anchored concepts of poverty and new media in poverty alleviation programs within the international research group? When, how, and with what limits is a comparison of governmental action programs possible? Where are the opportunities and the limits of such transnational research collaborations? The research teams from Ghana, Mauritius, and Switzerland were composed of six people: two experienced researchers, two lecturers, and two professionals in social work. The scope of this article is the analysis of where the benefits and the challenges for transnational conception of poverty reduction through new media and transnational research collaboration lies.