Ph.D. Exit Seminar in the Graduate Field of Development Studies
Abstract
I tell the story of how I came to be engaged in a cooperative study with Black farmers, the discoveries we made through a relational approach to interviews, and the theoretical and practical contributions our discoveries make to literature about interview methods in qualitative research. This study is more than just conducting interviews; it’s a way of being in a community. Qualitative research promises that it positions the scholar as human. According to Van Klinken (2020,8), “With all the highly sophisticated talk about decolonizing academic theories and methodologies, I believe that this is the bottom line of any genuine commitment to decolonial scholarship: an interest in understanding and enhancing our shared human condition in a divided and fragmented world.” This work will lend its voice to humanize social science research by way of telling the story and key discoveries.
About the candidate
Jamila's research looks at the lessons we can learn from Black farmers who participate in farming cooperatives. How did they develop their individual sense of purpose and how do they craft their collective sense of purpose? What can we learn from the innovations in the food systems that are produced within Black farming cooperatives?
Jamila will capture the stories of Black farmers engaged in cooperative ventures and to work with the farmers to determine what their perceived individual sense of purpose was and how that may have changed or remained the same as they develop collective goals for a collective purpose. She will also capture the stories of Black farmers who are not engaged in cooperative farming ventures to see if there are differences in their sense of purpose and how they develop a collective purpose.
Date & Time
March 14, 2025
3:15 pm - 4:45 pm
Location
More information about this event.
Contact Information
Crystal Brown, Graduate Field Administrator
- cb942 [at] cornell.edu
Speaker
Jamila Walida Simon, Ph.D. Candidate, Development Studies
Departments
Department of Global Development
Related Events

We openly share valuable knowledge.
Sign up for more insights, discoveries and solutions.