Human experience in the natural and built environment : implications for research policy and practice

22nd IAPS conference. Edited book of abstracts. 427 pp. University of Strathclyde, Sheffield and West of Scotland Publication. ISBN: 978-0-94-764988-3

Literature review of the remote sensing of natural resources

Abstracts of 596 documents related to remote sensors or the remote sensing of natural resources by satellite, aircraft, or ground-based stations are presented. Topics covered include general theory, geology and hydrology, agriculture and forestry, marine sciences, urban land use, and instrumentation. Recent documents not yet cited in any of the seven information sources used for the compilation are summarized. An author/key word index is provided

Landscape performance : the development of a performance philosophy practice

PhD ThesisThis practice-based thesis presents a body of work comprised of four performance projects conducted by the author. Each project occupies a separate chapter and is articulated in a manner appropriate to the specific nature of that project’s activity and outcomes. Whilst the performances themselves are not part of this PhD submission, documentation of making and events has been included throughout to give the reader an indication of the type of work and context from which this thesis was written. Presentation of the four projects supports a critical dialogue around a lineage of Heideggerian phenomenologies of landscape. The thesis is supported by appendixes, which include material from the development of each project as well as further documentation and a number of talks and publications relating to the author’s body of work. The research offers new insights into performance as a philosophical practice by looking specifically at how performance thinks in relation to landscape. The projects are understood as part of a developing ‘landscape performance’ practice situated within the field of performance philosophy, and defined in direct relation to the projects presented. Within this practice-based research landscape is considered in relation to the staging of a performance event, as a geographical context in which performance is made, as a philosophical framework for the development of a performance practice, and as a performing agent in and of itself. Each of the four projects employs an expanded practice of close reading to work with text, place, scenography and sound. Articulation of this close reading approach supports the thesis’ discussion of phenomenological notions of landscape as follows: Alice in Bed (2008-2013): a production of a play by Susan Sontag surrounded by a programme of talks, symposia, workshops, gallery installations and a photography 5 exhibition. The first project chapter is a reflexive account of how staging of the play was developed in relation to a close reading of Sontag’s implied philosophy. Project R-hythm (2013-14): a yearlong performance-led research process undertaken in partnership with a resident of a tidal island, which concluded with a daylong public walking performance. Presented here as a series of project narratives that offer an account of working with a landscape that was experienced as primarily temporal rather than spatial. Sounds & Guts (2014-15): a studio performance written and directed by the author, which toured to arts and community venues around the UK. Sounds & Guts is presented as an annotated script, which reveals the philosophical bearing of the making process. The thesis’ discussion of this project employs Heidegger’s notion of ‘things’ as a framework for examining the phenomenological foundations of the work’s landscape. Time Passes (2008-2017): a performance project that takes Virginia Woolf’s landscape writing as a starting point. The final project chapter is an articulation of how Time Passes is informed by the work that precedes it, and addresses broader philosophical implications of Woolf’s writing in relation to phenomenology, landscape and Heidegger’s notion of ‘things’. The central contributions of this thesis are as follows: The research speaks to the growing field of performance philosophy in its consideration of the philosophical bearing of performance making. Focusing on the making process from the artist’s perspective, each chapter presents a different relationship between performance and philosophy. The thesis articulates how new understandings of landscape emerge out of philosophically oriented performance making. Articulation of the making process offers performance practitioners and researchers practical insights into how performance works with landscape, how a philosophical enquiry into the nature of landscapes can form the basis of a body of work, and the nature of performance as research. 6 The research’s definition of ‘landscape performance’ offers new perspectives on performance practices that have an emphasised concern for space, place or landscape. Building upon established notions of ‘site-specificity’, the thesis reveals the workings of performance in relation to landscapes that are understood as more-than-geographical and more-than-representational. This research has used performance practice to conduct an integrated and in-depth inquiry into a particular lineage of thinking on landscape. The inquiry is presented in this thesis through discussion on the philosophical framework of Sontag’s theatrical landscape, phenomenological conceptions of landscape from a variety of disciplines, Heidegger’s notion of ‘things’, and the landscape philosophy of Virginia Woolf’s fiction writing. In its approach to articulating how that inquiry was conducted the thesis offers re-readings of various source materials and models of performance-led and practicebased research.UK AHRC KE Hub for the Creative Economy (ref: AH/J005150/1 Creative Exchange) and Newcastle Universit

‘The Phenomenalisation of Heritage: Digital interactions through mobile devices with tangible and intangible heritage’

Within the ever developing field of digital heritage, mobile technology has enabled museums, and other cultural heritage institutions, to create platforms and activities that not only extend the reach and depth of their collections, but also their nature. Through the digital mapping of both tangible and intangible heritage, items become phenomena through a process of engagement and interpretation that not only re-models the role of the artefact in question, but also the perception of its meaning and the reframing of the contexts from which they, and we as users, come from. The result of this process is defined by this work as the phenomenalisation of heritage, and this thesis charts how this philosophical theory has emerged within the contemporary landscape of museology, as well as how it may be employed by heritage practitioners in creating a coherent structure for the development of mobile-driven activities that align with the participatory paradigm of museum practices. As a result, the chapters that follow here look at the evolution of the museum, the expansion of museum territory through the use of mobile technology, and the nature and impact of this process on users experiences, learning, and curation. Drawing from studies in museology, human computer interaction (HCI), and phenomenology, this thesis provides a philosophical analysis of the development and use of mobile technology in the wild outside of the traditional walls of the museum. Furthermore, through an empirical and embedded approach to research, the thesis also presents auto-ethnographic and ethnomethodological case studies in order to show evidence that this model of digital heritage produces both personal and shared interpretations of heritage phenomena through metaphorical excavation and co-curation

Educator Perceptions: The Impact of Male Elementary School Teachers

Male teachers at the elementary school seem to have stagnated over the years, hovering between 18-20 percent levels. Much commentary and popular press articles attribute this phenomenon to the notion that elementary school is a female occupation. As a male elementary school teacher, I wanted to explore the reasons why this might occur and to find out if what was true for my male colleagues was also true for me. This phenomenological study examined the potential impact male elementary school teachers have within their professional environment. Data collection included in depth interviews with male teachers as well as meaningful conversations to discern perceptions regarding role and function. Results from the data indicated that male teachers view themselves as an important and viable entity within a predominantly female elementary school environment. The investigation also corroborated current research regarding gender differences and how those differences impact instruction, decision-making, and interaction at the elementary school level. Perceptions discerned from the interviews provided an enhanced understanding of the complexities of the role as well as the importance of gender balance and equity in order to provide male students with not only role models, but with differing points of views, attitudes, and most notably, teaching styles. It also provided an opportunity to reflect on my practice as male teacher and the impact I can make now and in the future

An Island’s Lazy Eye. Interweaving Pedagogical Dimensions in Fire at Sea.

open2noIn this study, the two authors focus on the analysis of Gianfranco Rosi’s documentary film Fire At Sea in which a child, just as a contemporary Virgil, becomes the narrator of an emblematic historical context and peculiar socio-cultural dynamics. The setting of the island of Lampedusa and Rosi’s characters are symbolically used to reflect on the human tragedy in the Mediterranean Sea and question its relational outcomes on an existential level: meetings, clashes, rejection, indifference, recognition, care. This research aims to provide a double reading of this filmic narration by taking into account the dialogical relation between representation and ethics. The film is interpreted through the lens of children’s literature and of collective imagery analysis, thus exploring its narrative dimension from the point of view of philosophy of education and its axiological reflections.openGabriele Brancaleoni; Paolo BonafedeGabriele Brancaleoni; Paolo Bonafed

Understanding modes of dwelling: A transdisciplinary approach to phenomenology of landscape

This transdisciplinary PhD addresses the research question: Can some form of phenomenology provide an effective over-arching paradigm for transdisciplinary research in ethnophysiography? Ethnophysiography studies the way people within a language community conceptualise natural landscape, including terms for landscape features and toponyms (placenames). Dwelling involves conceptualisations and affects regarding physical, utilitarian, cultural, spiritual and ethical relationships with landscape. A key achievement is development of an enhanced ethnophysiography case study methodology, supporting the Ethnophysiography Descriptive Model (EDM). Summary phenomenographic tables were prepared from literature reviews of ethnophysiography, transdisciplinarity, phenomenology, concepts of place and relationships with place. The use of tables, summarising key results of literature reviews (via a phenomenographic approach), is integral to the methodology, to operationalize transdisciplinarity. Some tables are utilised in the PTM-ECS, facilitating identification of relevant issues, collection of appropriate data, and hermeneutic analysis processes. To facilitate comparison of landscape terms and toponyms between languages, the EDM was developed and tested. A key contribution is interpretation of the phenomenological concepts of ‘lifeworld’, ‘topology’ and ‘habitus’. Creation of landscape, as place, involves synergistic integration, in a non-deterministic and emergent manner, of the physical attributes of an area of topographic environment (terrain and ecosystem) with the socio-cultural characteristics of a group of people (including linguistic and spiritual aspects). This produces a particular topo-socio-cultural-spiritual mode-of-dwelling (topology). A partial trial of the new methodology is provided, via an ethnophysiography case study with Manyjilyjarra Aboriginal people in Australia’s Western Desert (undertaken by this author with linguist Clair Hill). It demonstrates how the adopted approach facilitates understanding of traditional forms of dwelling and how this relates to Jukurrpa (The Dreaming), the law, lore and social structure of their society. Review of research processes indicates they effectively utilised key features of transdisciplinarity. A summary of the findings, their potential application, a statement of research limitations, and proposals for further research, are provided

Improving the aesthetic and other experiential design aspects of bicycle paths in Western Australia

Governments around Australia are in the process of promoting cycling as both a sustainable form of transport that can be a viable alternative to the motor vehicle, particularly for shorter trips, and as a healthy recreational pursuit that can play an important role in addressing the growing problem of obesity and illnesses associated with a sedentary lifestyle in the community. As part of this initiative, the development of effective and efficient infrastructure for bicycles is seen as a vital step for achieving higher participation rates. A major component of the nation’s bicycle infrastructure is the growing networks of paved paths and natural surface trails located in both urban and regional areas. A well-designed path or trail must meet agreed standards related to safety and function and, in order to achieve maximum usage, it must also create a desirable riding experience. While requirements for safety and function are well understood by path and trail planners, little empirical information has been produced to enable these planning professionals to understand the elements that impact upon an individual’s riding experience and to then incorporate them into the design process. Accordingly, the overall aim of this research was to investigate how the aesthetic, cultural and other experiential design aspects of bicycle paths and trails can enhance the perceived riding experience. A secondary objective of the project involved a determination of the procedural factors guiding the local path and trail design protocols and process. A third objective was to gain an insight into the most effective method of communicating the benefits of these riding environments to important target groups. Following the establishment of a theoretical framework incorporating the psychophysical nature of cycling, the effect of landscape and current design practices, the research progressed through several stages beginning with an autoethnography examining the researcher’s extensive experience in the promotion of cycling in Western Australia, augmented by in-depth discussions with leading key informants. This was followed by a mix of quantitative and qualitative methodology to gauge perception of various elements of in-situ and photo-surrogate path-riding environments among the general population in Perth, Western Australia. The findings indicate that there are specific experiential design aspects related to the riding environment, surrounding landscape or associated features that can directly influence a person’s decision to use a particular path, trail or route. The research also identified preferred communication strategies and found deficiencies in the current design process that if addressed, could lead to the development of better received and patronised riding environments. It is intended that the outcome of this research will be to provide a design framework to guide path and trail planners in the development of facilities that enhance the overall riding experience. A number of agencies responsible for developing bicycle infrastructure, or design standards, have indicated a desire to access parts of this research project for use in the decision-making process, thus achieving a better balance between safety, functional and experiential aspects