Photos & Words

Conclusion

Though this dissertation is not over yet, I must admit that from the day I wrote the last word and got the overall feedback on the manuscript I feel relieved. Overall, I can say that after some initial difficulties I found my own pace in the writing. This was helped by setting clear deadlines and the number of pages for each chapter. One important lesson from this experience has been about the importance of being precise, a problem I have because I tend to be carried away by ideas and thoughts. The dissertation has taught me the necessary patience required to check, re-check, and check once more information, data, and text (and hope not be proved wrong here).
Some more general comments I would like to add here are the following:
• Beside Prof. Takala comments, feedback, and questions on the overall structure, content, and academic standards, I found also useful to remain in touch with colleagues and friends in Cambodia who provided feedback on the accuracy of specific sections of the thesis such as, for example, the correct reference to laws and sub-decrees regulating decentralisation in Cambodia or the recent history of the country. These comments have also helped to find new references and sources.
• David Ayres, who is one of the main reference in my thesis because of his research con education and state formation in Cambodia, has poof checked the whole manuscript. This means that one more person has red the whole thesis and has makes the correction in the English language.
• All the writing took place at the University, either in the library or in the PC labs. This created sometimes logistical problems with books and articles that were solved by occupying two or three lockers at a time. Nevertheless, coming to the University every day has provided the regular schedule and rhythm that I need when working.
I can certainly agree now with the description by Simon Down about the intensity of the process, particularly due to the deadline set by the birth of my daughter in November. After crossing the finish line of the Tampere marathon, I remember that my first thought was: “I did it”. Followed by: “never again!” But then the days and weeks passed, the legs recovered, and I started again to go for some evening runs. I know that next year I will look again for a half marathon to participate to. Similarly, once I wrote the last word of the dissertation I felt happy that most of it was over. However, I know that, without going back to the whole doctoral research process, at some point in the near future I will look again for materials and resources to learn more about development and to write a chapter in a book or an article in a journal. Therefore rather than a point of arrival, this dissertation represents a point of departure.

30 – 42 km: legs feel the distance, but you can’t stop at this point

The positive feedback on Chapter Five gave new energy to continue with Chapter Four, the research methodology section. The description of the personal context and research activities was relatively easy to write, what I found more difficult, as you already know from my previous presentations, has been the justification of the qualitative methodology and the link with the dual role researcher – project advisor. Without going back to it, I can say how I tried to overcome this difficulty that has been with me all along. First of all, I found very useful some of the reference on the principle of qualitative research and the role of the researcher in participatory research I got from the TAMCESS “Theory of Social Science” course I followed last May and from Virve Lapinlampi and Anne-Mari Raivo presentation in our seminar. Secondly, I used a comment by Nelli Piattoeva made some years ago to describe the advantages and shortcomings of the two roles for the research process.
Only after the feedback on Chapter Four I started to see the end; like passing the 35 km sign and realising that the kilometres left to the end of the race are now one digit numbers.
I began with the conclusions, Chapter Six, until I realised that what I was writing could also be part of the introduction. I left the chapter half done and moved to Chapter One, the introduction. This helped to avoid repetitions, leave for the end real conclusions and suggestions, and limited the use of references in the final chapter. Working on the Introduction and Conclusions, I felt the pressure of being short, clear, and avoid repetitions with other parts of the dissertations. Since these are probably the parts that people will be most likely to read, they are also the ones I revised the most and where I had to struggle the most with the language.