Cultural measurement on whose terms? Critical friends as an experiment in participant-led evaluation

Critical Friends is an enquiry into the commissioning, planning and delivery of participatory art carried out by the people that such projects claim to empower. Participants become interviewers, researchers and evaluators, acting as ‘productive parasites’ to a process of socially-engaged art. Aims of social cohesion and active citizenship underpinned a series of publicly-funded art commissions in North Greenwich, London (2008-2011). The group of Critical Friends were residents of North Greenwich who came together to investigate what, why and how these socially engaged art projects were happening in their area. Did the projects reflect the ambitious aims to ‘stimulate debate to generate action and change’ and ‘develop connections and relations between people’? Facilitated by myself and Rebecca Maguire over three years, Critical Friends developed their own questions and methods for finding out. While participation and engagement is usually measured for such projects in terms of numbers of people who attend workshops, Critical Friends was a space for enacting a different kind of cultural measurement. The group focused on trying to find out the qualitative experiences of other participants and interrogated the underlying motives, targets and politics behind the commissions. They did this by acting as participant observers in the projects themselves and by interviewing artists, commissioners, board members, their neighbours and friends (http://criticalfriends.sophiehope.org.uk/)

Using obstacle detection to identify appropriate illuminances for lighting in residential roads

This paper uses data regarding detection of pavement obstacles to explore two approaches to establishing an appropriate illuminance for road lighting designed to meet the needs of pedestrians. A previous obstacle detection experiment was repeated using young observers under high pressure sodium (HPS) lighting. One approach was to identify whether there is a plateau-escarpment relationship between obstacle detection ability and illuminance – better detection with increasing light level until further increases bring little improvement: This suggested an appropriate illuminance of 5.7 lux. The second approach was to identify the size of an obstacle that a pedestrian should expect to be able to detect and the associated probability of detection: An obstacle of height 25 mm located 6 m ahead may require 1.8 lux to be detected with 95% probability

"Study Alternatif Pengendalian Banjir Sungai Tandano di kota Manado."

Civil Engineering, Forum Teknik sipil, Volume: XVIII/ 1- Januari 2008; hal. 756 - 767, No.ISSN: 0854-111

Geoconservation and geotourism in Luochuan Loess National Geopark, China

The Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) is the largest area of loess deposits in the world. Loess sediments in the CLP have high scientific value for global climate change research and are also important resources for tourism, especially science-based tourism. Unfortunately, loess conservation and geotourism do not attract much attention from the general public in China. This study briefly introduces the history of geoconservation and geotourism in China and uses Luochuan Loess National Geopark (LLNG) as an example to review problems with the development of geotourism and geoconservation. The main problems identified are inadequate measures to protect the loess geoheritage, a conflict between ecological restoration and scientific observation, ineffective interpretation of geological features for visitors, a lack of an engaging way to exhibit the materials in the Loess Museum and insufficient financial support. We propose new strategies for the sustainable development of LLNG, such as improving infrastructure, improving management actions, planting grass rather than trees for ecological restoration, popularizing science and increasing its practical use, developing a modern geological museum, and integrating the park into a global network of geological parks.</p