Thursday, October 10, 2024
listening as community building in public spaces
It was great to begin a research side project yesterday and sit at a public community event doing some ethnography.
The side project is researching the science of listening and social connection, seeking to understand what happens when adults gather for an hour to have great literature read aloud. It is a pro-bono AngelWings Ltd project that complements and localises my Birmingham University/John Templeton Cross-training research into the social impact of listening in community organisations.
This research side project will use a mix of methods, including observation and interviews with readers and listeners. So yesterday involved not only observing, but also introducing myself and the research with information and consent forms.
Hence, the photo is of a brand new research journal and pen for taking notes, along with consent forms and information.
For those who want to know more about the project and the connections I am making between researching listening and community building, see here.