Landscapes of Heathrow : the aircraft landing gear compartment and the politics of global transfer

This paper, an output of an art research project, explores the agency of the aircraft landing gear compartment in global transfer. Through the prism of historical events involving aircraft preparing to land at London Heathrow, it reflects on the part played by the compartment in ecological and humanitarian struggle. Its theoretical frameworks include John Ruskin’s writing on geology, new materialism, and the planetary garden. These are brought into proximity with methodologies and collaborations developed through practice-based elements of the research, such as architectural modelling, geoforensic science and exhibition making. It incorporates an account of the process of reconstructing a compartment, as well as extracts from a microstratigraphic survey commissioned as part of the project. It examines the landing gear compartment’s capacity as a vessel in which dust, seeds, insects, pollen and even people are transported around the globe. It explores, too, its role as expository instrument, as far as it makes available for inspection the politics inscribed into its formal, spatial and temporal configuration. The paper argues that the wheel bay gives shape to a set of otherwise intangible aeromobilities, knowledge of which is integral to a nuanced understanding of the political geography of London Heathrow

"A large can of worms": teachers' perceptions of young people's technology use

Digital technology use is increasingly impacting on the lives of young people. To gain a deeper understanding of the perceived impact of young people's digital technology use, 2 focus groups were conducted with 14 teachers recruited from 2 schools. The focus groups were transcribed verbatim and analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The analysis revealed three themes: changing social dynamics, risk and (ir)responsible behaviour, and disclosure and reporting of cyber bullying. Participants discussed how digital technology was shaping young people's social identity and impacting on established norms when interacting in the social arena. A number of benefits were attributed to technology use but participants also recognised young people's naivety and tendency to anthropomorphise the internet. Finally, there was a perception that young people underreported their experiences of cyber bullying and some of the challenges faced when tackling cyber bullying were discussed