Sociology Seminar Series: 4th Oct 2018, 2-3pm - Dr Vanessa May & Dr Camilla Lewis: 'Using sensory methods: researching home, belonging and atmosphere'
| Dates: | 4 October 2017 |
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| Times: | 14:00 - 15:00 |
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| What is it: | Seminar |
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| Organiser: | School of Social Sciences |
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| Who is it for: | University staff |
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| Speaker: | Dr Vanessa May, Dr Camilla Lewis |
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You are warmly invited to the first Sociology seminar of this academic year, given by Dr Vanessa May and Dr Camilla Lewis, Sociology, SoSS.
The seminar will take place on Wednesday the 4th October, 2-3pm, in the Arthur Lewis Boardroom.
Vanessa and Camilla's talk is entitled: 'Using sensory methods: researching home, belonging and atmosphere'
Abstract
Based on a research project on Claremont Court, a modernist housing scheme in Edinburgh designed by Sir Basil Spence, this paper explores the utility of sit-down interviews, in comparison to walk-along interviews for researching the role that the sensory plays in how residents build a sense of home, belonging and atmosphere. While acknowledging the multisensory nature of perception (e.g., Rodaway, 1994; Ingold, 2000; Pink, 2009), we focus on two senses in particular – sight and hearing – and explore the reasons why some of the sit-down interviews we conducted were highly sensory in nature (and in some cases, more sensory than subsequent walk-along interviews). We argue that while the walk-along interviews, which tend to be used specifically as a way of gaining access to sensory experiences, did indeed prove useful in this regard, it is important to not undervalue the usefulness of more ‘traditional’ and on the face of it ‘non-sensory’ methods such as semi-structured interviews as a way of eliciting talk about the sensory.
Speakers
Dr Vanessa May
Organisation: Sociology, SoSS
Dr Camilla Lewis
Organisation: Sociology, SoSS
Travel and Contact Information
Find event
Arthur Lewis Boardroom
Arthur Lewis Building
Manchester
