Methods for Exploring Cultural Spaces

When Gabriel Meisel and his team went for a two-week field research to the refugee camp in Calais, each of them defined his or her own method and way to keep a journal about their findings. These methods included: a mobile kitchen as a device of interaction, research through joint solidarity, participative cartography and reflection through writing. All of these methods are described in Gabriel Meisels diploma thesis about his Institut rén. They are inspired by but not limited to methods like participatory observation. As the team was much aware of the fact that their presence in the camp would already change the place, they took this as a chance to get actively involved.

 

The exploration of cultural spaces often draws from methods of ethnography. But as the anthropologist Heidrun Friese puts it, you only learn field research by doing it. There are no methods. You yourself are the method! This means that you need to find your unique way of exploring a cultural space, just like Gabriel Meisel and his team have done it. Another example of defining methods for exploring cultural spaces is Lea Leuenburgers format Entlang dem Weg, which is described here.

 

When exploring cultural spaces, anthropology and visual ethnography offer research methods suitable and adaptable for designers. Prof. Nina Sabnani, who is teaching at the IDC, IIT Mumbay has put together an online course of Visual Ethnography for Designers. There you find descriptions and information about methods and processes, along with a variety of sample reports and further readings.

 

Whatever media and method you use – it can become a tool of reflection, observation, interaction and research, if you are aware of what you are doing and can describe it for others, too.

 

Nina Sabnani. Visual Ethnography for Designers. http://www.dsource.in/course/visual-ethnography-designers