History of P-SEC

Dr. Carmen Poulin and Dr. Lynne Gouliquer are the cofounders of the P-SEC methodology and research group. They first worked together investigating transition house usage in New Brunswick in the early 90s. Carmen was teaching psychology at the University of New Brunswick and Lynne, a retired soldier with 16 years of service, had started on a second career in sociology.

While trying to bridge the disciplinary differences to better understand the reality of marginalised people, they saw the need for and developed a new research methodology. In 2005, they outlined the structure of the Psycho-Social Ethnography of the Commonplace approach (P-SEC; Gouliquer & Poulin, 2005).

Using the P-SEC Methodology, their research brings to light formal and informal practices of institutions, which influence and complicate the lives of  marginalised groups. Based on the insights learned by using the P-SEC methodology to study the experiences of marginalised people, specific social/policy recommendations are developed to address inequalities. Thus, a P-SEC study comprises different objectives, including suggestions for positive social changes.

If you are interested in finding out more about P-SEC, please contact us.

Reference

Gouliquer, L., & Poulin, C. (2005). For better and for worse: Psychological demands and structural impacts on gay servicewomen in the military and their long-term partners. In D. Pawluch, W. Shaffir, & C. Miall, Doing ethnography: Studying everyday life (pp. 323-335). Canadian Scholars’ Press.