Digital Economy Communities and Culture Network+
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leeds
Department Name: School of Media & Communication
Abstract
Rapid advances in digital technologies have converged with research in business, social science and humanities to dissolve the boundaries between disciplines, institutions and practices. The Digital Economy Communities and Culture Network+ (CCNetwork+) engages with transformations in these different streams of research, bringing them together with a wider public through direct engagements, innovative methods and digital resources. Advances in digital technologies have also brought about the transformation of cultural institutions such as libraries, museums, schools, media and arts centres, whose interactions with their users, researchers, and information 'itself', is increasingly digital. As a direct consequence, the notion of 'culture' as a static resource or located place is no longer tenable. A third transformation has been in the concept of 'community', as interest groups, social/political capital, and connectivity are mediated, produced and reconfigured in different ways through social and other digital media. These new and converging frontiers of knowledge and communication mark the CCNetwork+ as a timely and crucial intervention into a shifting digital landscape.
Digital technologies are not just impacting on a meta level, however, they are also felt through everyday experiences. Digital technologies have become so embedded into our daily lives that it is impossible to imagine daily interactions without them. Cultural and social exchanges now occur through mobile devices; personal and cultural artifacts are stored virtually rather than in particular places, and the products that circulate at greater speed and intensity are being read, downloaded and appropriated in new and innovative ways. The successful user of digital technology is now posing real critical questions in terms of civic engagement, investment in community, or even a wider social or political efficacy. Pervasive media and technology means that these wider shifts are no longer based on-screen but are integrated into everyday life and the very fabric of urban and rural environments and institutions. At a policy level, the ubiquity of digital technologies have sparked a range of reactive legislation that attempts to deal with the fast pace of information flows, concerns about intellectual property, and copyright issues.
The impacts brought on by the convergence of digital technology, culture, and practice raise real questions around how and what communities and cultures might/could/should be understood. Indeed, when our everyday experiences are seen in conjunction with the industrial, social, on-the ground and policy responses to the digital economy, it is clear that digital technologies are changing forever how we understand and engage in community and culture. Despite the speed and intensity of digital transformation that has marked our lives on every level, it is vital that we do more than simply react to it if we are to understand, and shape, changes that are determining culture and community in profound ways.
The CCNetwork+ Project is designed to facilitate this. It is an ambitious intervention into a landscape marked by fast pace and innovative technologies. We aim to produce creative and response led activities that directly speak to the speed and scope of digital technological change while simultaneously critically interrogating it. Working with the communities and cultures to which and through which we speak, and using a range of methods including action research, critical investigation, sociological analysis, co-production (crowd source/public knowledge projects), pilot technology and code projects, we will directly intervene in policy initiatives, shape practice, refigure the moral and ethical issues of this environment, and identify dangers, risks, opportunities and evolutions.
Digital technologies are not just impacting on a meta level, however, they are also felt through everyday experiences. Digital technologies have become so embedded into our daily lives that it is impossible to imagine daily interactions without them. Cultural and social exchanges now occur through mobile devices; personal and cultural artifacts are stored virtually rather than in particular places, and the products that circulate at greater speed and intensity are being read, downloaded and appropriated in new and innovative ways. The successful user of digital technology is now posing real critical questions in terms of civic engagement, investment in community, or even a wider social or political efficacy. Pervasive media and technology means that these wider shifts are no longer based on-screen but are integrated into everyday life and the very fabric of urban and rural environments and institutions. At a policy level, the ubiquity of digital technologies have sparked a range of reactive legislation that attempts to deal with the fast pace of information flows, concerns about intellectual property, and copyright issues.
The impacts brought on by the convergence of digital technology, culture, and practice raise real questions around how and what communities and cultures might/could/should be understood. Indeed, when our everyday experiences are seen in conjunction with the industrial, social, on-the ground and policy responses to the digital economy, it is clear that digital technologies are changing forever how we understand and engage in community and culture. Despite the speed and intensity of digital transformation that has marked our lives on every level, it is vital that we do more than simply react to it if we are to understand, and shape, changes that are determining culture and community in profound ways.
The CCNetwork+ Project is designed to facilitate this. It is an ambitious intervention into a landscape marked by fast pace and innovative technologies. We aim to produce creative and response led activities that directly speak to the speed and scope of digital technological change while simultaneously critically interrogating it. Working with the communities and cultures to which and through which we speak, and using a range of methods including action research, critical investigation, sociological analysis, co-production (crowd source/public knowledge projects), pilot technology and code projects, we will directly intervene in policy initiatives, shape practice, refigure the moral and ethical issues of this environment, and identify dangers, risks, opportunities and evolutions.
Planned Impact
The DE 'Communities and Culture' Network+ will impact onto policy, the creative and cultural industries, the wider public, media and education, and will leave a lasting legacy in the Digital Economy theme. It will impact onto the communities and cultures it engages with, including communities in need, third sector organisations, small, local, national and global businesses, the public sector and cultural institutions.
The impact strategy for the CCNetwork+ Project is embedded into the research itself: every activity within the CCNetwork+ will have demonstrable impact. As each activity will be both cross-disciplinary and involve communities and industries through close collaboration, such impact will have breadth and depth. The communities and cultures we engage with will all benefit directly from the discrete-but-connected activities, specifically through exchanges of good practice, knowledge, skills and people. The activities themselves will produce innovative responses to specific and tangible needs, directly benefitting the communities and cultures each activity works with. The response-mode allocation of research budgets allows for a high level of response to a fast paced digital environment, in turn producing quality interventions and responses that are pertinent and profound. The findings and exchanges will feed back into the CCNetwork+ as a whole, forging new avenues for research and identifying key and emerging research areas.
In conjunction with the specific activities, the DE 'Communities and Culture' Network+ also has a range of impact strategies at a meta level that will consolidate the research of the activities themselves into a cohesive and powerful narrative. Our workshops, events, entrepreneur days and public events (that will form one element of the output for discrete projects) all aim to directly address the different communities we engage with, from academics, to small businesses and entrepreneurs, to the communities and cultures themselves. These events are underpinned by a virtual presence that will consolidate and disseminate the findings, grow a community of expertise, develop agendas and share expertise. Along with tangible fact sheets and policy reports that will target key individuals and groups such as local government, policy makers, and communities of practice, we will generate a real awareness of the CCNetwork+ thus ensuring a powerful position for further impact and intervention. This two-tier approach is both targeted and broad, and, along with the design of the project as a whole, will facilitate rapid responses to policy reports, think tanks, and community and culture needs.
Finally, open dialogue and communication with the existing DE and AHRC Hubs and the subthemes within the DE Challenge Areas offers wider and deeper impact potential as we consolidate findings, extend research avenues and construct an international network of expertise around the theme of digital transformations. Along with the three other DE Challenge Areas, this means that the grand challenges across the entire spectrum of society will be identified in order to plan and shape future areas. In short, the impact for the DE 'Communities and Culture' Network+ is both micro and macro, targeted and broad, pertinent and profound. The project is entirely designed to impact in a way that best fits the digital environment to which it responds.
The impact strategy for the CCNetwork+ Project is embedded into the research itself: every activity within the CCNetwork+ will have demonstrable impact. As each activity will be both cross-disciplinary and involve communities and industries through close collaboration, such impact will have breadth and depth. The communities and cultures we engage with will all benefit directly from the discrete-but-connected activities, specifically through exchanges of good practice, knowledge, skills and people. The activities themselves will produce innovative responses to specific and tangible needs, directly benefitting the communities and cultures each activity works with. The response-mode allocation of research budgets allows for a high level of response to a fast paced digital environment, in turn producing quality interventions and responses that are pertinent and profound. The findings and exchanges will feed back into the CCNetwork+ as a whole, forging new avenues for research and identifying key and emerging research areas.
In conjunction with the specific activities, the DE 'Communities and Culture' Network+ also has a range of impact strategies at a meta level that will consolidate the research of the activities themselves into a cohesive and powerful narrative. Our workshops, events, entrepreneur days and public events (that will form one element of the output for discrete projects) all aim to directly address the different communities we engage with, from academics, to small businesses and entrepreneurs, to the communities and cultures themselves. These events are underpinned by a virtual presence that will consolidate and disseminate the findings, grow a community of expertise, develop agendas and share expertise. Along with tangible fact sheets and policy reports that will target key individuals and groups such as local government, policy makers, and communities of practice, we will generate a real awareness of the CCNetwork+ thus ensuring a powerful position for further impact and intervention. This two-tier approach is both targeted and broad, and, along with the design of the project as a whole, will facilitate rapid responses to policy reports, think tanks, and community and culture needs.
Finally, open dialogue and communication with the existing DE and AHRC Hubs and the subthemes within the DE Challenge Areas offers wider and deeper impact potential as we consolidate findings, extend research avenues and construct an international network of expertise around the theme of digital transformations. Along with the three other DE Challenge Areas, this means that the grand challenges across the entire spectrum of society will be identified in order to plan and shape future areas. In short, the impact for the DE 'Communities and Culture' Network+ is both micro and macro, targeted and broad, pertinent and profound. The project is entirely designed to impact in a way that best fits the digital environment to which it responds.
Organisations
- University of Leeds (Lead Research Organisation)
- KEELE UNIVERSITY (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF READING (Collaboration)
- University of Surrey (Collaboration)
- Museum of English Rural Life - MERL (Collaboration)
- Swirrl (Collaboration)
- University of Warwick (Collaboration)
- London Borough of Lambeth Council (Collaboration)
- Barber Institute of Fine Arts (Collaboration)
- University of California, Berkeley (Collaboration)
- Goldsmiths University of London (Collaboration)
- Robert Gordon University (Collaboration)
- University of Sheffield (Collaboration)
- Trussell Trust (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM (Collaboration)
- Dig the City (Collaboration)
- Medical Research Council (MRC) (Collaboration)
- Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) (Collaboration)
- Old Trafford Community Centre (Collaboration)
- Showcase Cinema (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF BRIGHTON (Collaboration)
- RMIT University (Collaboration)
- Connected Communities (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD (Collaboration)
- Biosperic Foudation CIC (Collaboration)
- MANCHESTER METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY (Collaboration)
- Space2 (Collaboration)
- Studio12 (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF SALFORD (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF DUNDEE (Collaboration)
- University of Glasgow (Collaboration)
- Canterbury Christ Church University (Collaboration)
- MIND (Mental Health Charity) (Collaboration)
- Leeds City Council (Collaboration)
- Edinburgh Napier University (Collaboration)
- Engage Bristol (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS (Collaboration)
- Research Councils UK (RCUK) (Collaboration)
- Leeds Citizens Advice Bureau (Collaboration)
- Open University of Catalonia (Collaboration)
- University of Bristol (Collaboration)
- University of Manchester (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF EAST LONDON (Collaboration)
- University of Tampere (Collaboration)
- KNOWLE WEST MEDIA CENTRE (Collaboration)
- Terrence Higgins Trust (Collaboration)
- University of California, Santa Cruz (Collaboration)
- Left Eye Blind (Collaboration)
- IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON (Collaboration)
- University of Sussex (Collaboration)
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) (Collaboration)
- Economic and Social Research Council (Collaboration)
- BIRMINGHAM CITY UNIVERSITY (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF KENT (Collaboration)
- Arts Council England (Collaboration)
Publications
Anderson A
(2015)
Great Expectations or Small Country Living? Enabling Small Rural Creative Businesses with ICT
in Sociologia Ruralis
Ardèvol, E. & Gómez Cruz, E.
(2012)
Knowledge Politics and Intercultural Dynamics. Actions, Innovations, Transformations.
Ardèvol, E. & Gómez-Cruz, E.
(2013)
The International Encyclopedia of Media Studies: Research Methods in Media Studies
Barr M
Games for Communication Final Report.
in Working Papers of the Communities & Culture Network+
Bassett C
(2015)
Expertise A report and a manifesto
in Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies
Bassett C
(2013)
Silence, delirium, lies?
in First Monday
Bassett C
(2015)
Necessary expertise?
in Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies
Bassett C
(2015)
Plenty as a Response to Austerity: Interim Report.
in Working Papers of the Communities & Culture Network+
Bassett, C.
(2013)
Expertise' Scoping Report
Title | Elefriends animations |
Description | As part of the 'Social Media & Austerity pilot study a number of animations were produced by YooMee. These animations were used to communicate the research to the members MIND's online peer-support platform 'Elefriends' and encourage them to take part. The animations were translated into a language that is appropriate for Elefriends. |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2014 |
Impact | Recruitment of participants for the 'Social Media & Austerity' Study. |
Title | Everyday Growing Futures |
Description | The CCN+ Everyday Growing Cultures pilot project produced a video about the project to be used for dissemination and knowledge exchange (e.g. screenings at 'Dig the City 2013' in Manchester, the Everyday Growing Cultures public event, CCN+ annual event and TEDxLeeds 2013). The video features key project partners, such as the Kindling Trust, and explains the project's relationship to overseas growing projects which have made use of public data. |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2013 |
Impact | The film was an output of the CCN+ funded Everyday Growing Cultures project. The film was first screened at the EGC public event on 23rd July. The film was also shown at the following events in 2013: 28 Nov, Engage, Bristol 6 Nov, Grow Old Trafford, Old Trafford Community Centre, Manchester 6 Sep, Digital Practices, Invisible Communities, Leeds University, Leeds 9 Aug, Dig the City gardening festival Manchester Peter Jackson (Co-I, Sheffield University) secured an ESRC collaborative PhD award (through the White Rose DTC) with Grow Sheffield. The value of the studentship is approximately £55k. |
URL | https://vimeo.com/71372707 |
Title | Gourdon School Film |
Description | The film presents the fruits of a wonderful collaboration between the children and teachers at Gourdon Primary School and the Maggie Law Maritime Museum. Together teachers and volunteers running the Museum designed a project to enable children to research the local culture of the ancient fishing village of Gourdon. Many exciting connections were made as children asked community elders and local people for their stories, recollections and knowledge of boats, bait, buildings and much more. |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2015 |
Impact | As children came to realise that school subjects such as history, literacy and mathematics are about real people and real problems, so the Curriculum for Excellence came alive. As people from across the community recognised that their personal stories and knowledge was of genuine relevance to children's learning, intergenerational communication began to flow and elements of the unique fishing culture of Gordon have been recorded, curated and become central to community life. |
URL | http://www.maggielaw.co.uk/index.asp?pageid=627559 |
Title | MyMap Leeds Touchscreen |
Description | After gathering films from the through the MyMap Leeds project (a collaboration between CCN+ researchers at the University of Leeds, Studio12, Lees Libraries and Child Friendly Leeds), organisers put the short films on an interactive map. The map is based on a new touch screen table where up to 4 people can swipe their way around a map of Leeds where all the collected videos will be marked in the location they were filmed and a quick tap on the screen will let users view the videos. |
Type Of Art | Artefact (including digital) |
Year Produced | 2012 |
Impact | The interactive map was opened and on show in the central library during the CBBC Live in Leeds event. Taking place in Millennium Square from 25th-27th July, the event was a collaboration between BBC North and Leeds City Council. After this date the map was relocated to the central Library until July 2014. The map brought media and local policy visibility for young people's voices and ideas. With MyMap Leeds this was underpinned by the CBBC, the City Council and several stakeholders that used social media to discuss and support the project. This was positive not only for the Studio and participating children but served as a public example of joint projects between university and government. |
Title | Rewriting the Hack Documentary |
Description | Documentary from the CCN+ event 'Rewriting the Hack', a women-only Hackathon exploring the theme, Industrial and Post Industrial North East. |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2015 |
Impact | Furthering dissemination from the event and forwarding internet traffic to the event web page |
URL | https://vimeo.com/148378888 |
Title | Rural Crafting Communities in Digital Age Film |
Description | A short film created to communicate the work which took place as part of this project can be found at https://vimeo.com/140078711. |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2015 |
Impact | Not known |
URL | https://vimeo.com/140078711 |
Title | Rural Crafting Communities in a Digital Age video |
Description | A video introducing the project "Rural Crafting Communities in a Digital Age" which was funded jointly by Communities and Cultures Network + (CCN+) and the dot.rural DE Hub Partnership Fund. |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2015 |
Impact | The video makes the project findings accessible to a wider audience of rurally-based craftspeople (such as those involved in the study), and provides an insight into potential new methodologies for online engagement. |
URL | https://vimeo.com/140078711 |
Title | Sans Duty (A design fiction documentary about a transparent taxation system) |
Description | This is a 'design fiction documentary' film that was produced as part of a Communities and Culture Network+ seed fund grant. This is a research piece conducted between Manchester Metropolitan University (James Duggan) and the HighWire centre at Lancaster University (Joseph Lindley). |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2015 |
Impact | The design fiction documentary was shown to a group of 10 members of the Brixton Pound community. The purpose of the session was to ask the group to respond to the design fiction, with the intention of exploring whether it effectively forged a meaningful discursive space, and whether either the resulting artefact or the process made them think differently about tax. The discussion explored whether this way of working had potential wider applications in the community. In terms of impact, the documentary proposed a new method for community groups such as the Brixton Pound to explore and communicate future possibilities in an accessible way, which may, in turn, underwrite tangible, real-world change. |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yW6lhKue9dY&feature=youtu.be |
Title | Space2 Audiovisual material |
Description | Space2 edited together a series of audiovisual materials as part of the 'In/visible and un/fixed communities' scoping study. Outputs include a film - a taster has been shown as part of West Yorkshire Playhouse's Recipe for Life event, and a screening of the complete material that was part of one of the participants Art Award Activities. |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2014 |
Impact | The material was showcased at a number of third sector and community sector events including at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, to achieve local recognition. These events were attended by local residents, council members, community arts organizations, industry, and representatives of key services (social services, police, job centres, NHS). |
Title | The Networked Community |
Description | Short film providing an overview of the Community Broadband research carried out on Cromarty by CCN+ Investigators at the University of Aberdeen. |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2014 |
Impact | 1,371 YouTube views by 09/11/15 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUQsImDORAA&feature=youtu.be |
Title | The making of 'Writing Britain' |
Description | Edgar Gomez Cruz produced a short documentary as part of the 'Writing Britain- Leeds' project, which he collaborated on with Studio12. The questions the social problems facing an emerging social class and asks what more can be provided to todays' youth living within it. |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2013 |
Impact | Screening of the documentary at the Everyman Cinema, Leeds, in March 2013. Continuing support for Studio12 from Leeds City Council. |
URL | https://vimeo.com/88350946 |
Title | Website analysis |
Description | City University PhD Student converted information from an analysis of 24 websites into an Audio-Visual Package. |
Type Of Art | Artefact (including digital) |
Year Produced | 2012 |
Impact | Facilitated research on the scoping study 'Public Engagement & Cultures of Expertise'. |
Title | Writing Britain films |
Description | Writing Britain - Leeds, an extension project to the 'Writing Britain' film delivered in 2012, commissioned by the British Library. After months of workshops with over 15 young writers, the majority of which were first time writers, three individuals were chosen to have their words put to film and produced to industry standard. Edgar Gomez Cruz collaborated with Studio12 to help deliver this project. |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2013 |
Impact | Public screening of these films at the Everyman Cinema, Leeds, attended by representatives from Leeds City Council, Leeds Library, Culture Vulture, Duke Studios, Hebe Media, City Talking Newspaper, Leeds City College, Leeds Young Film, Yorkshire Business in the Arts, Logistick and Futuresound, as well as the participants and their friends and families. Launch of Leeds Libraries #whatsyourstory campaign (to raise awareness of its varied services) based on the experiences of residents including Ma Maposa (one of the 'Writing Britain' filmmakers). Ma Maposa subsequently created his own YouTube channel, which led to his own media production company and record label, BigOnRoad. Ma Maposa developed and managed Undiscovered: Leeds - a music competition in conjunction with Leeds University. Ma Maposa created, and successfully sold, his own mobile app, and is currently in pre-production for a film that he's written and produced himself. |
URL | http://www.studio12.org.uk/index.php/writing-britain/ |
Description | The key immediate findings from this project have been reported in previous years, many of which have fed subsequent funding calls and later Network+ some of our key fidnigns led to the Not Equal Network+, which followed our Network (2016-2022) |
Exploitation Route | The findings were taken up by later projects and evolved into the wider inclusion of social science disciplines within the EPSRC and greater interdisciplinarity. |
Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Education |
Description | Since the project ended in 2016, we have continued to work with many or the community and third sector organisations. In 2022 we continue to work with Space 2 as critical Advisors on the Digital Inclusive strategy through a Peter Sowerby Foundation grant. This is leading to behaviour and policy change as Space 2 writes its digital strategies and protocols for engagament. |
First Year Of Impact | 2020 |
Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Creative Economy,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education,Healthcare,Leisure Activities, including Sports, Recreation and Tourism,Government, Democracy and Justice,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
Impact Types | Societal Policy & public services |
Description | 'Digital by Default' strand policy recommendations submitted to Science and Technology Committee |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Impact | This report was also submitted to Ofcom and to all of the public and third sector organisations involved in this strand of the network's activities. |
URL | http://2plqyp1e0nbi44cllfr7pbor.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/files/2013/01/Digital-By-Default-Report-CCN.... |
Description | 'New Radicals' White Paper |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Description | 2020health Intelligence Exchange |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Description | Consultant for EPSRC Digital Personhood Sandpit |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Description | Consultant for ESRC Centre for International Social Media Research |
Geographic Reach | Asia |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Description | Digital Data Analysis Policy Impact |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
Impact | Public sector partners involved in this project have circulated reports that the research team shared with them within their organisations. The first was a partner-specific report, summarising what data the analytics experiments generated about each partner organisation. The second report was a general guide to tools. Key contacts in the partner organisations report that both the reports and the attendance of some of their staff at our end-of-project workshop have fed into the drafting of their social media policies. In this respect, the knowledge of digital data analysis tools which DDA facilitated was particularly useful, according to our key contacts. A Leeds City Council contact has said: ""We introduced wider use of the free tools mentioned in the report and now use campaign feedback including social media reach and comparisons, look at who influencers are etc. We now also have a checklist and new social media account approval process that ask folk how they intend to prove the value of social media use before they set accounts up. We now also have a digital access team and they are responsible for our perceived ?corporate accounts? (not service accounts) and they have used the report as a basis for some follow up work which is currently looking at data tools that would help with our customer services insight."" Sheffield City Council communications team held workshops based on our general guide to tools, to introduce the staff in the team to a range of available digital data analysis tools. One of these staff members has since gone to work for Barnsley Council and is using this information as part of her role there. Leeds City Museums has since taken a more proactive approach to using social media, organising awareness raising and training sessions for staff in the use and benefits of social media, weekly bulletins to gather content for channels and many more staff are now engaged and contributing content. Target Audience: Local Government |
URL | http://www.communitiesandculture.org/files/2013/02/Digital-data-analysis-guide-to-tools.pdf |
Description | Findings submitted to All-Party Parliamentary Inquiry into hunger and food poverty |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Description | Findings submitted to MIND to inform BLF-funded peer-support programme |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
Description | Giving Social Action a Voice |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Description | Hyperlocal Government Engagement Online |
Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
Description | Influence on sale and regeneration fo Temple Works site. |
Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Description | Informing YCUK Evaluation |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
Impact | Findings from the study 'Interrogating the complexities of digital communication for young people engaged in social action' are being reviewed by YCUK as part of its ongoing evaluation exercise. A summary of the report will be distributed back to the participants, so that they can see how their participation in the study generated new insights. Finally, the research will be presented and discussed at the charity's annual staff meeting in July. - The collaboration with YCUK has also already resulted in the researcher contributing to funding bids for the charity, aimed at providing further insight into how campaigners' work supports the development of voice and recognition. Discussions are also in progress about how to use the findings in a policy forum. |
Description | Involvement in further studies, contribution to MRC |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
Impact | members of the 'Reaching Out Online' research team have been invited to act as social media experts on the PROUD study. Learning and expertise developed during the pilot project are being drawn upon by the MRC as they develop a strategy for employing social media in their future participant recruitment and ongoing awareness campaign around Preexposure Prophylaxis . Learning and expertise developed during the 'Reaching Out Online' pilot project are being drawn upon by the MRC as they develop a strategy for employing social media in their future participant recruitment and ongoing awareness campaign around Preexposure Prophylaxis. . Beneficiaries: Medical Research Council |
Description | Leeds Councils Community Centre Review, Budget Review and Consultation on Youth Services |
Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Description | Living with Food Insecurity: Informing Public and Third Sector Organizations |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Impact | Research conducted as part of the CCN+ study 'Living with Food Insecurity' has informed the on-going research by Oxfam, Church Action on Poverty and Child Poverty Action Group. Both Investigators are members of the steering group for this research and the experience and findings from the scoping exercise have fed into the shape and methodological approach of this work. Secondly, both Investigators spoke at or engaged in discussion in Scotland (25th February, 2014: Emergency food aid: a national learning exchange, CFHS), at the launch of the APPG on Hunger and Food Poverty in London in April, and at exchange meetings between planners, health and social welfare professionals and academics in Bristol and the West Midlands, and as part of the Sustainable Food Cities network. |
Description | MyMap Leeds |
Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
Impact | As a result of the project, Child Friendly Leeds has made available a range of resources and created a website to support young people and organisations working with young people to create and send in videos independently. Schools are also being encouraged to run workshops and enable students to create videos and make their mark on the map. Target Audience: Local Government;Civic Organisation;General Public |
Description | Shaping Terrence Higgins Trust online engagement policies |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Impact | The research findings of the CCN+ 'Reaching Out Online' pilot study are being used to help Terrence Higgins Trust shape their national policy on developing and maintaining online intervention work . The 'Reaching Out Online' research findings are being used to help Terrence Higgins Trust shape their national policy on developing and maintaining online intervention work. . Beneficiaries: Terrence Higgins Trust |
Description | Strategic Advisory Group Member for the AHRC Connected Communities Theme |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
Description | Trafford City Council Allotment Website |
Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
Impact | Trafford Council plan to update their website, following web analysis of allotment sites across the UK. Target Audience: Local Government |
Description | AHRC Doctoral Studentship with Historic England awarded to Ian Ewart and Chris Harty |
Amount | £1 (GBP) |
Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2016 |
End | 10/2019 |
Description | Animating Local Appetites: a celebration of community food and health |
Amount | £14,658 (GBP) |
Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | British Consulate Knowledge Exchange Grant |
Amount | £12,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | GPF# 11-214 |
Organisation | Government of the UK |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2013 |
End | 08/2013 |
Description | Crafting an Alternative Politics of Debt |
Amount | £233,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | ES/M006433/1 |
Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | ESRC Big Open Data Debate |
Amount | £1,500 (GBP) |
Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2013 |
End | 12/2013 |
Description | ESRC collaborative PhD award |
Amount | £55,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2013 |
End | 12/2016 |
Description | Early Career Researcher Developmental Award (Iain Ewart) |
Amount | £63,791 (GBP) |
Funding ID | AH/N00714X/1 |
Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2016 |
End | 01/2017 |
Description | Embedded Engagement |
Amount | £7,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Higher Education Funding Council for England |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2013 |
End | 09/2013 |
Description | Ignite |
Amount | £2,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Higher Education Innovation Funding (HEIF) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | Impact Acceleration Award |
Amount | £33,500 (GBP) |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2016 |
End | 07/2017 |
Description | Mapping for Change Secondment |
Amount | £9,830 (GBP) |
Organisation | Research Councils UK (RCUK) |
Department | IT as a Utility Network+ |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2014 |
End | 06/2014 |
Description | Mistra Urban Futures |
Amount | £5,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | University of Salford |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | Newton Mobility Grant |
Amount | £10,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | The British Academy |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2015 |
End | 09/2016 |
Description | Nordic Network for Digital Visuality Travel Grant |
Amount | £1,500 (GBP) |
Organisation | NNDV – Nordic Research Network in Digital Visuality |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | Sweden |
Start | 11/2013 |
End | 11/2014 |
Description | Nordic Network for Digital Visuality Travel Grant |
Amount | £1,500 (GBP) |
Organisation | NNDV – Nordic Research Network in Digital Visuality |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | Sweden |
Start | 01/2013 |
End | 12/2014 |
Description | Picturing the Social: transforming our understanding of images in social media and Big Data research |
Amount | £205,978 (GBP) |
Funding ID | ES/M000648/1 |
Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 05/2014 |
End | 12/2015 |
Description | Project Sunshine studentship |
Amount | £76,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | University of Sheffield |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2014 |
End | 09/2018 |
Description | Reaching Out Online |
Amount | £13,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 360G-blf-0031062229 |
Organisation | Big Lottery Fund |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2013 |
End | 01/2014 |
Description | Rebuilding Macroeconomics |
Amount | £3,912,596 (GBP) |
Funding ID | ES/R00787X/1 |
Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2017 |
End | 05/2021 |
Description | Research Project Funding: 'Bring Your Own Heritage' |
Amount | £46,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Research Councils UK (RCUK) |
Department | IT as a Utility Network+ |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | Seannachies: Storytelling Addressing Social Isolation |
Amount | £20,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | University of Strathclyde |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | Seeing Data: Are good Data Visualisations Possible? |
Amount | £280,067 (GBP) |
Funding ID | AH/L009986/1 |
Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2014 |
End | 03/2015 |
Description | Terrence Higgins Trust proposal to ECDC |
Amount | € 25,000 (EUR) |
Organisation | European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | Sweden |
Start |
Description | The Cultural Values of Digging |
Amount | £40,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | AH/L006332/1 |
Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2013 |
End | 01/2014 |
Description | Understanding Social Media Monitoring |
Amount | £168,893 (GBP) |
Funding ID | AH/L003775/1 |
Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2014 |
End | 12/2015 |
Description | Understanding Social Media Monitoring |
Amount | £168,893 (GBP) |
Funding ID | AH/L003775/1 |
Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2014 |
End | 01/2015 |
Description | Visualising the 2015 UK General Election TV Debates |
Amount | £382,053 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/L003112/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 11/2013 |
End | 10/2016 |
Description | Worldwide Universities Network Travel Fund |
Amount | £3,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Worldwide Universities Network |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Title | Ethics procedure for embedding ethical and informed consent procedures into social media sites |
Description | The 'Social Media and Austerity' pilot study developed a model for embedding ethical and informed consent procedures into social media sites, which can be used in future projects. |
Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | Procedure detailed in final report for this study, published in The Working Papers of the Communities & Culture Network+. |
Title | 3-D cultural heritage visualisations |
Description | This pilot project has investigated user engagement and interaction with 3D visualisations of heritage sites. A portable laser scanner was used to capture a 3D scan of Elgin Ladyhill/Castle in the North--East of Scotland. The scan was compiled and rendered and made available for viewing through open source technology (Meshlab, on both laptop and iPad) and used as a basis for the social research. The technical findings of the project were that the new scanners allowed for sites to be captured more quickly, in better detail and were much more user friendly than laser scanners used by the project team in the past. Visualisations were easily produced but integrating data into the scans proved to be more difficult. Architectural software such as Revit were determined to have the required functionality and performance but are proprietary and not appropriate for non expert users. Open source visualisation technologies that were trialed were found to have limited functionality and did not perform well with HD data. |
Type Of Material | Computer model/algorithm |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | The impact of the CCN+ seed project 'Community engagement and participation with 3-D cultural heritage visualisations' has been to provide a proof of concept that laser scanning is a feasible mechanism for capturing community digital heritage. It has also demonstrated that there is interest in these initiatives from members of the public, from the library sector and other community heritage groups. The project has also determined that there is demand for more interactive mechanisms and that the ability to incorporate user generated content into 3D scans would be beneficial. |
Title | Elefriends dataset |
Description | The CCN+ pilot study 'Social Media & Austerity' collected a large body of data on Elefriends. The online data amounts to approximately 1.1 million words and although this project was primarily interested in austerity and peer support there is certainly scope for future projects on a range of other topics that could be explored via this data set (e.g. treatment). |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2014 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Findings from Social Media & Austerity pilot study published as a report. |
Title | Event mining methods and data |
Description | The CCN+ seed project 'Event Mining in our Rural Past developed a system of text mining to extract structured data from the free text documents associated with the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland's 'First Edition Survey Project'. This was used to populate database fields in the online Canmore database, making the data much more readily searchable. |
Type Of Material | Data handling & control |
Year Produced | 2014 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | The impact of this seed project will be largely felt by RCAHMS itself and by the users of its data - a community that includes professional archaeologists and architects, planners, and of course the ever growing band of those interested in their local culture and heritage. If the methods proposed are successful and adopted by the wider archive community, the ultimate impact of projects like this one will be a complete change in the way we view the archive curation task. There is good evidence from scientific and medical fields that assisted curation is a promising way forward. |
URL | https://canmore.org.uk/ |
Title | Games for communication |
Description | The Games for Communication project sought to explore the use of commercial video games and associated networks and communities to develop players' communication skills. Over the course of the eight week project, student volunteers were asked to take a range of psychometric tests relating to communication ability, and some relating to associated psychological traits, such as self-esteem. Tests were carried out in week one and week eight of the project. Volunteers were invited to play selected commercial video games in the intervening weeks, for two hours per week. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2015 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Title | Sans Duty Design Fiction Methodology |
Description | The CCN+ Sans Duty project developed a novel methodology in producing a 'design fiction documentary', an as-yet unseen format for design fictions. Similarly, design fiction has so far not been used as a tool for interrogating and developing insights pertaining to policy. Co-production of design fiction is also a new area. |
Type Of Material | Data handling & control |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | In this project we worked with members of the B£ everyday utopian community to develop design fictions to explore this enabled thinking of tax in ways that aligned with the practical utopianism in such a community, with the aim of developing a utopian practice and capacity. Within the constraints of the resource there are some indications that this approach may function in this way. Nevertheless, it is difficult to assess the radical or utopian dimensions of the knowledge and outputs. Thus a question we continued to ask during the research was whether or not using design fiction produced insights and ideas into community based tax systems that could not have been gleaned by a relatively intelligent person sitting and thinking. Reflecting on the project and the ideas generated we do not think this was achieved. This question, however, arguably obscures a more interesting purpose of co-producing design fiction in encouraging communities to have more interesting conversations about developing alternative and preferable futures. Thus the significant questions are not how to make tax visible in communities but rather to encourage people in communities to consider different types of communities, the relationships and obligations between citizens and within that alternative configurations of tax collection and expenditure. In the discussions the crucial dimension will be to engender the desire for a better way of being or living and then the collective engagement to make the world otherwise (Levitas 2013). |
Description | Accessing and Consuming News |
Organisation | Goldsmiths, University of London |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | CCN+ funded. |
Collaborator Contribution | This comparative research will investigate digital transformation in the access to and use of news in student communities in three countries. It will do so by assessing the role of mobile technologies and personal networks in news consumption patterns. It is concerned to establish whether the growing reliance on mobile technology and social networking sites as platforms for news content, results in a significant tendency for users to narrow engagement to events recommended to them by peer networks, or whether mobile access leads to broader engagement. Recent studies have shown a bias towards entertainment-related information, rather than social or political content, circulated via Facebook. More fine-grained research is needed to find out not only how young people access news, but also what information they consider to be ?news? and the extent to which broader socio-political circumstances influence news consumption habits. This bid for seed funding is for the quantitative aspect of the research only and will allow survey work to be carried out in parallel with researchers in Norway and Israel who already have funding and are due to start gathering data in January. The surveys will be followed up by in-depth interviews, which aim to provide a nuanced picture of media usage and news consumption among contrasting cohorts of students in three countries at a point of rapid technological change. |
Impact | Final report published at http://2plqyp1e0nbi44cllfr7pbor.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/files/2014/10/Accessing-News-Final-Report2.pdf. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Analysing housing benefit and council tax support |
Organisation | Leeds City Council |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | I have been working with Leeds City Council (LCC) since 2012 to investigate the local impacts of national government reforms to the welfare and benefits system. This ongoing project has specifically explored the socio-economic and spatial effects of housing benefit rule changes and the implications of the new online benefit claiming system (Universal Credit) for different communities in Leeds (see Final Report - http://doi.org/10.5518/wp/3). An innovative claimant-tracking methodology and geo-mapping tools has been developed in the project to analyse 8 years' worth of anonymised, individual-level housing benefit records of approximately 480,000 unique claimants. LCC now wants to use the highly-automated open source software we developed, and evolve the research methodology and visualisation techniques, to improve both its data analytical capacity and its evaluation tools with respect to planning local welfare and benefit policies going forward. It also wants to scale up the work in collaboration with us and its local authority partners in the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to better understand the regional impacts and policy implications of welfare reform. As such, this impact proposal cross-cuts EPSRC and ESRC remits and strategic priorities and support from both IAA funds will help to maximise its real world application. |
Collaborator Contribution | The main external partner, LCC, has made both data and officer time available to the partnership. Most recently, LCC has provided provided both financial and in-kind support to help us to analyse the impact of its local welfare support policies for housing benefit and council tax support claimants. They form part of the project team that meets every few months and have facilitated the secondment of my colleague, Andy Turner, into the local authority for 2.5 days a week over 6 months from October 2016 where he has been given access to a desk, computer and keyholder access and to LCC welfare officers time as appropriate. LCC has agreed to share council tax and other relevant data and facilitate contacts with other key stakeholders in preparation for the academic team's planned ESRC large grant application in 2017-18 including attending meetings around the UK and the final impact event in Leeds; and provide written evidence of the impact of the project on the council's policies and systems to support a REF 2020 Case Study. |
Impact | The main written output from this collaboration is a report published in April 2016: Exploring Digital Transformations of Community, Culture and Welfare in Austere Times: the Case of Leeds (EPSRC-CCN2014-P8) http://doi.org/10.5518/wp/3. The main funding outcome is a University of Leeds ESRC / EPSRC Impact Acceleration Account project with Leeds City Council that began in October 2016 and will complete in July 2017. The main impact of this collaboration to date is to change the way in which the local authority visualises and statistically analyses the impact of welfare reform on its population. We are in the process of providing a new statistical and visual update to the local authority's welfare reform board that uses our analysis of their data. We have also helped them to correct erroneous postcode data in their housing benefit and council tax database. |
Start Year | 2012 |
Description | Arab-Trans: Political and Social Transformations in the Arab-World |
Organisation | University of Aberdeen |
Department | ArabTrans Consortium |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Co-I Claire Wallace and Kathryn Vincenet (University of Aberdeen) will be collaborating with the European Commission grant ?Arab-Trans: Political and Social Transformations in the Arab-World? http://www.arabtrans.eu. The Arab-Trans project will be carrying out a large-scale survey in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Iraq and Jordan in the spring. The Aberdeen team will be contributing a battery of questions on social quality which will compliment the questions about availability and usage of ICT in these countries. In addition, we will be carrying out expert interviews with researchers in the region about the impact of social media, and portable digital communication upon citizens? participation in democratic transformations. Arab-Trans is an international research project executing within the FP7 program of the European Commission.The aim is to look comparatively at the beliefs, values and behavior with respect to political and social transformations in 7 Arab countries through use of comparative sample surveys. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Beyond the Foodbank |
Organisation | Arts Council England |
Department | New Vic Theatre |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | This CCN+ study asked 'In what ways can digital technologies be used to help users of food banks move out of food poverty'? To answer this question, the pilot project adopts a community based approach, involving those who use and work in food banks to identify their needs and requirements. These groups will then work together with experts in the field of digital technology at a "Hackathon" to explore the ways in which digital technologies can be best utilised to meet these identified needs, to overcome the 'digital divide' and in particular to explore the ways in which users can develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to move out of food poverty. |
Collaborator Contribution | Keele University provided 20% funding. New Vic Theatre's Sue Moffat acted as Co-Investigator. |
Impact | a) The research and findings of the 'Beyond the Food Bank' project' have contributed to making food poverty and security a central theme of the recently launched research centre, Community Animation and Social Innovation Centre (CASIC) at Keele University (https://www.keele.ac.uk/casic/). Both PI and CI are founding members and sit on the CASIC steering committee. b) In support of participant's aspiration to make food a community asset rather than individual privilege, funding was obtained to host a food festival in the local community. Part of the AHRC Connected Communities festival, the food festival was part of a two day event linking health and food. The event entitled 'Local, local plates, local people', drew on the pot making traditions of the area to make connections between local people and their food. http://www.keele.ac.uk/casic/connectedcommunitiesfestival/foodfestival/ Prior to the festival, workshops were held in various locations and with local community groups, encouraging people to share their experiences of food and using this as inspiration to decorate their own plates. The technical team behind the Keele Active Virtual Environment (KAVE) created a 3D installation of the plates, combining images with songs, voices and discussion from the workshops. A version of this is now available on line as an interactive game see: http://www.keele.ac.uk/pharm-docs/platesWebBuild.html The food festival attracted 600 guests and activities included: • Community chef providing cooking demonstrations on the theme of cooking on a budget • Stand and information from the local food bank • Vegetable puppet making • Demonstrations from a community bread making project, fruit pressing, smoothie making, porridge project, allotment society etc. For a press release about the event please see: http://www.keele.ac.uk/pressreleases/2015/localfoodlocalplateslocalpeople.html The event was also recorded on Storify, see: https://storify.com/KeeleMngtSchool/local-food-local-plates-local-people c) A grant application has been submitted in conjunction with Stoke-on-Trent foodbank and local community gardeners to Big Local in support of a community service to collect and redistribute surplus fresh produce. d) The PI is a founding member of North Staffs Community Food Network. This is a group formed to take forward many of the food aspirations identified in this project. e) Application to be made as part of North Staffordshire's bid to Building Better Opportunities Fund, bringing together a wide range of local groups to secure funding and develop projects to enhance skills and employment opportunities and grow food related activity in the local area. f) The New Vic Theatre has been commissioned to devise and deliver a training course for food bank volunteers. The focus of the training is to enable volunteers to capture guests' stories with the aim of changing the perception of food banks and people who use them in the wider population. Digital technologies are a key part of the capturing and broadcasting of these stories. g) Material from the 'Beyond the food bank' project is being exhibited at 'Look and Look again: Keele's community based research'. An exhibition, hosted by ArtsKeele and the Community Animation and Social Innovation Centre (CASIC) in October 2015. The exhibition is open to the general public. h) AHRC grant: 'Animating Local Appetites: a celebration of community food and health in Stoke-on-Trent'. Prof M Kelemen (PI), Dr E Surman (CI), and Prof R Fischman (CI), part of the Connected Communities Festival, 25th and 28th June, 2015 (£14,658). |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Beyond the Foodbank |
Organisation | Keele University |
Department | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This CCN+ study asked 'In what ways can digital technologies be used to help users of food banks move out of food poverty'? To answer this question, the pilot project adopts a community based approach, involving those who use and work in food banks to identify their needs and requirements. These groups will then work together with experts in the field of digital technology at a "Hackathon" to explore the ways in which digital technologies can be best utilised to meet these identified needs, to overcome the 'digital divide' and in particular to explore the ways in which users can develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to move out of food poverty. |
Collaborator Contribution | Keele University provided 20% funding. New Vic Theatre's Sue Moffat acted as Co-Investigator. |
Impact | a) The research and findings of the 'Beyond the Food Bank' project' have contributed to making food poverty and security a central theme of the recently launched research centre, Community Animation and Social Innovation Centre (CASIC) at Keele University (https://www.keele.ac.uk/casic/). Both PI and CI are founding members and sit on the CASIC steering committee. b) In support of participant's aspiration to make food a community asset rather than individual privilege, funding was obtained to host a food festival in the local community. Part of the AHRC Connected Communities festival, the food festival was part of a two day event linking health and food. The event entitled 'Local, local plates, local people', drew on the pot making traditions of the area to make connections between local people and their food. http://www.keele.ac.uk/casic/connectedcommunitiesfestival/foodfestival/ Prior to the festival, workshops were held in various locations and with local community groups, encouraging people to share their experiences of food and using this as inspiration to decorate their own plates. The technical team behind the Keele Active Virtual Environment (KAVE) created a 3D installation of the plates, combining images with songs, voices and discussion from the workshops. A version of this is now available on line as an interactive game see: http://www.keele.ac.uk/pharm-docs/platesWebBuild.html The food festival attracted 600 guests and activities included: • Community chef providing cooking demonstrations on the theme of cooking on a budget • Stand and information from the local food bank • Vegetable puppet making • Demonstrations from a community bread making project, fruit pressing, smoothie making, porridge project, allotment society etc. For a press release about the event please see: http://www.keele.ac.uk/pressreleases/2015/localfoodlocalplateslocalpeople.html The event was also recorded on Storify, see: https://storify.com/KeeleMngtSchool/local-food-local-plates-local-people c) A grant application has been submitted in conjunction with Stoke-on-Trent foodbank and local community gardeners to Big Local in support of a community service to collect and redistribute surplus fresh produce. d) The PI is a founding member of North Staffs Community Food Network. This is a group formed to take forward many of the food aspirations identified in this project. e) Application to be made as part of North Staffordshire's bid to Building Better Opportunities Fund, bringing together a wide range of local groups to secure funding and develop projects to enhance skills and employment opportunities and grow food related activity in the local area. f) The New Vic Theatre has been commissioned to devise and deliver a training course for food bank volunteers. The focus of the training is to enable volunteers to capture guests' stories with the aim of changing the perception of food banks and people who use them in the wider population. Digital technologies are a key part of the capturing and broadcasting of these stories. g) Material from the 'Beyond the food bank' project is being exhibited at 'Look and Look again: Keele's community based research'. An exhibition, hosted by ArtsKeele and the Community Animation and Social Innovation Centre (CASIC) in October 2015. The exhibition is open to the general public. h) AHRC grant: 'Animating Local Appetites: a celebration of community food and health in Stoke-on-Trent'. Prof M Kelemen (PI), Dr E Surman (CI), and Prof R Fischman (CI), part of the Connected Communities Festival, 25th and 28th June, 2015 (£14,658). |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Big Talk about Big Data: Discourses of ?Evidence? and Data in British Civil Society |
Organisation | University of Oxford |
Department | Migration Observatory |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Big Talk about Big Data will significantly extend existing knowledge about how Big Data and evidence-based research are culturally perceived by creating one of the first textual datasets that comprehensively documents the discussion of data in public life. From the perspective of sustainability, it is envisioned that it will form a platform on which debates about the value and role of research in British civil society can be launched. If discursive preferences by civil society groups for data and evidence are actually related to wider changes in visions of what research should accomplish, then answering these questions of representation have significant implications for future academic practice which partly relies upon the stated and real public impact of research. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Big Talk about Big Data: Discourses of Evidence and Data in British Civil Society |
Organisation | University of Oxford |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Big Talk about Big Data will significantly extend existing knowledge about how Big Data and evidence-based research are culturally perceived by creating one of the first textual datasets that comprehensively documents the discussion of data in public life. From the perspective of sustainability, it is envisioned that it will form a platform on which debates about the value and role of research in British civil society can be launched. If discursive preferences by civil society groups for data and evidence are actually related to wider changes in visions of what research should accomplish, then answering these questions of representation have significant implications for future academic practice which partly relies upon the stated and real public impact of research. |
Collaborator Contribution | University of Oxford provided funding at 20%. |
Impact | - Following the funding of this seed project, the author was successful as a named Co- Investigator on an Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) project titled 'Seeing Data: Are Good Big Data Visualisations Possible?' along with Principal Investigator Dr Helen Kennedy of the University of Leeds, and Consultant Researcher Mr Andy Kirk of Visualising Data, Ltd. - This research may inform other knowledge exchange work that is already on-going or under development at COMPAS. - Final report published at http://www.communitiesandculture.org/projects/big-talk-about-big-data/ - Easton-Calabria, E. and Allen, W. (2015) 'Developing Ethical Approaches to Data and Civil Society: From Availability to Accessibility', Innovation: The European Journal of Social Science Research, 28(1): 52-62 [OPEN ACCESS] - Allen, William (October 2014). Evidence and Data in British Civil Society: Results from a Pilot Study. (Centre on Migration, Policy, and Society Works-In-Progress Seminar Series: University of Oxford). |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Birmingham Surrealist Laboratory |
Organisation | Barber Institute of Fine Arts |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Intellectual contribution given in papers on subject of Birmingham Surrealism and summarising findings of the Balsall Heath workshops. |
Collaborator Contribution | Hosted the Birmingham Surrealism event and publicised the event to network of over 30,000 people. |
Impact | -Film of papers and roundtable discussion -Multi-disciplinary: Modern languages; art history; human geography; film. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Capturing the lived experience of food bank clients and volunteers |
Organisation | London Borough of Lambeth Council |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | As part of a second phase of Investigator-led CCN+ scoping studies, the aim of this research is to increase understanding of how food banks are embedded into community ecologies, and to identify the points at which they intersect with formal, and informal, local networks and organisations. To achieve this aim we will: - Gather a wide range of information from people familiar with the day-to-day lived experience of food banks. - Superimpose collected information onto a spatial representation. - Examine the potential to understand food bank support networks in the local area. The proposed work connects with the CCNetwork+ themes of welfare and austerity through the lens of food banks and explores these themes in the context of the built environment and communities. |
Collaborator Contribution | University of Kent acted as the project host institution and provided 20% of total project funds. Trussell Trust helped to facilitate interviews and participatory mapping sessions with foodbank clients and volunteers. Lambeth Council hosted a presentation of the findings and a stakeholder workshop, as well as considering the findings and ways to act on them. |
Impact | Academic impact ITaaU Network+ community conference, June 2014 RGS---IBG Annual international conference, August 2014 Creative Citizens conference, September 2014 Cities Methodologies, Working with vulnerable communities panel with Proboscis and Mapping for Change, October 2014 Design for sharing, workshop, November 2014 CCN+ conference, December 2014 Two journal papers being written (on methods of working with vulnerable groups and on findings) Additional grant funding ITaaU Network+ secondment with Mapping for Change Non-academic impact: Presentation to Lambeth Council foodbank managers group and invited guests, May 2014 Key findings submitted as evidence to All-Party Parliamentary Inquiry into hunger and food poverty, via Food Matters, July 2014 Stakeholder workshop at Lambeth Council, November 2014 Additionally, as a result of our findings about middle---aged men being particularly affected and isolated the foodbank has set up a men's group that runs immediately after one of the foodbank sessions for men to come together and discuss their problems. A separate report on the findings was submitted to Lambeth Council and they have been using it, as the have been setting up a new food poverty initiative. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Capturing the lived experience of food bank clients and volunteers |
Organisation | Trussell Trust |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | As part of a second phase of Investigator-led CCN+ scoping studies, the aim of this research is to increase understanding of how food banks are embedded into community ecologies, and to identify the points at which they intersect with formal, and informal, local networks and organisations. To achieve this aim we will: - Gather a wide range of information from people familiar with the day-to-day lived experience of food banks. - Superimpose collected information onto a spatial representation. - Examine the potential to understand food bank support networks in the local area. The proposed work connects with the CCNetwork+ themes of welfare and austerity through the lens of food banks and explores these themes in the context of the built environment and communities. |
Collaborator Contribution | University of Kent acted as the project host institution and provided 20% of total project funds. Trussell Trust helped to facilitate interviews and participatory mapping sessions with foodbank clients and volunteers. Lambeth Council hosted a presentation of the findings and a stakeholder workshop, as well as considering the findings and ways to act on them. |
Impact | Academic impact ITaaU Network+ community conference, June 2014 RGS---IBG Annual international conference, August 2014 Creative Citizens conference, September 2014 Cities Methodologies, Working with vulnerable communities panel with Proboscis and Mapping for Change, October 2014 Design for sharing, workshop, November 2014 CCN+ conference, December 2014 Two journal papers being written (on methods of working with vulnerable groups and on findings) Additional grant funding ITaaU Network+ secondment with Mapping for Change Non-academic impact: Presentation to Lambeth Council foodbank managers group and invited guests, May 2014 Key findings submitted as evidence to All-Party Parliamentary Inquiry into hunger and food poverty, via Food Matters, July 2014 Stakeholder workshop at Lambeth Council, November 2014 Additionally, as a result of our findings about middle---aged men being particularly affected and isolated the foodbank has set up a men's group that runs immediately after one of the foodbank sessions for men to come together and discuss their problems. A separate report on the findings was submitted to Lambeth Council and they have been using it, as the have been setting up a new food poverty initiative. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Capturing the lived experience of food bank clients and volunteers |
Organisation | University of Kent |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | As part of a second phase of Investigator-led CCN+ scoping studies, the aim of this research is to increase understanding of how food banks are embedded into community ecologies, and to identify the points at which they intersect with formal, and informal, local networks and organisations. To achieve this aim we will: - Gather a wide range of information from people familiar with the day-to-day lived experience of food banks. - Superimpose collected information onto a spatial representation. - Examine the potential to understand food bank support networks in the local area. The proposed work connects with the CCNetwork+ themes of welfare and austerity through the lens of food banks and explores these themes in the context of the built environment and communities. |
Collaborator Contribution | University of Kent acted as the project host institution and provided 20% of total project funds. Trussell Trust helped to facilitate interviews and participatory mapping sessions with foodbank clients and volunteers. Lambeth Council hosted a presentation of the findings and a stakeholder workshop, as well as considering the findings and ways to act on them. |
Impact | Academic impact ITaaU Network+ community conference, June 2014 RGS---IBG Annual international conference, August 2014 Creative Citizens conference, September 2014 Cities Methodologies, Working with vulnerable communities panel with Proboscis and Mapping for Change, October 2014 Design for sharing, workshop, November 2014 CCN+ conference, December 2014 Two journal papers being written (on methods of working with vulnerable groups and on findings) Additional grant funding ITaaU Network+ secondment with Mapping for Change Non-academic impact: Presentation to Lambeth Council foodbank managers group and invited guests, May 2014 Key findings submitted as evidence to All-Party Parliamentary Inquiry into hunger and food poverty, via Food Matters, July 2014 Stakeholder workshop at Lambeth Council, November 2014 Additionally, as a result of our findings about middle---aged men being particularly affected and isolated the foodbank has set up a men's group that runs immediately after one of the foodbank sessions for men to come together and discuss their problems. A separate report on the findings was submitted to Lambeth Council and they have been using it, as the have been setting up a new food poverty initiative. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Community engagement and participation with 3-D cultural heritage visualisations |
Organisation | Robert Gordon University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This pilot project will investigate user engagement and interaction with 3-D visualisations of heritage sites. A portable laser scanner will be used to capture a 3-D scan of Elgin Ladyhill/Castle in the North-East of Scotland. These are important local landmarks; the ruins of Elgin castle date back to the 12th century and stand at one end of the Royal Burgh High Street. The scan will be rendered using open source technologies and used as a basis for the social research. User engagement activities and social research interviews with members of the community will be conducted in Elgin Library. As well as investigating the user experience of viewing local heritage sites in a virtual environment, this pilot project will also investigate mechanisms for incorporating user-generated content into the visualisations. We believe that this can provide means through which non professional users can contribute information to these visualisations and thereby enhance knowledge and understanding through ?tagging? and commenting on digital artefacts (Basu, 2012). This project addresses the key aspects of the Communities and Culture Network+. It complements work that has been previously conducted in the network in the domain of digital cultural heritage (e.g. the work of Dr David Beel and Professor Claire Wallace) by investigating a novel application of laser scanning and 3-D visualisation of community heritage resources. Further the project proposes an innovative approach to add value to these visualisations by the inclusion of user-generated content. |
Collaborator Contribution | Robert Gordon University provided funding at 20% |
Impact | The impact of this project has been to provide a proof of concept that laser scanning is a feasible mechanism for capturing community digital heritage. It has also demonstrated that there is interest in these initiatives from members of the public, from the library sector and other community heritage groups. The project has also determined that there is demand for more interactive mechanisms and that the ability to incorporate user generated content into 3D scans would be beneficial. Final report published at http://2plqyp1e0nbi44cllfr7pbor.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/files/2014/03/Tait-Final-Report.pdf. TAIT, E., LAING, R., GRINNALL, A., BURNETT, S. and ISAACS, J. 2016. (Re)presenting heritage: laser scanning and 3D visualisations for cultural resilience and community engagement. Journal of information science [online], OnlineFirst. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0165551516636306 PI Elizabeth Tait received further funding from IT as a Utility Network+ for the project 'Bring Your Own Heritage' (total award £46000). |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Consultancy with Medical Research Council |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | As a direct result of the CCN+ 'Reaching Out Online' pilot study members of the research team have been invited to act as social media experts on the PROUD study. Learning and expertise developed during the pilot project are being drawn upon by the MRC as they develop a strategy for employing social media in their future participant recruitment and ongoing awareness campaign around Preexposure Prophylaxis. Details of the PROUD study are available at http://www.proud.mrc.ac.uk/default.aspx |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Consultant for EPSRC Digital Personhood Sandpit |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | - Consultant for EPSRC Digital Personhood Sandpit (scope, themes, call) (2012) |
Collaborator Contribution | - Consultant for EPSRC Digital Personhood Sandpit (scope, themes, call) (2012) |
Impact | ? |
Start Year | 2012 |
Description | Consultant, ESRC Centre for International Social Media Research |
Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | CC_+ P_ _elen Thornham acted as a Consultant for ESRC Centre for International Social Media Research: designing policy, ethical guidelines, logistics, remit and scope. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Creating a Virtual Museum |
Organisation | Museum of English Rural Life - MERL |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Creating a Virtual Museum in a way that is practical for smaller museums, and bringing the resulting representations to communities at the fringes of existing outreach activities is the basis of this CCN+ pilot study. We will take advantage of a rare opportunity at the University of Reading's 'Museum of English Rural Life' (MERL ), which is due to close temporarily to undergo a major redevelopment, to provide unencumbered access to the interior space and key objects in the collection . Using a novel mix of proprietary and emerging digital technologies, we will create a prototype Virtual Museum and explore the possibilities for enhanced interactivity. The prototype will be imported into a new form of 3D gaming headset and taken to communities who have restricted access to the museum, through reduced mobility or perceptions of socio-cultural exclusion, and to the wider public, at which time ideas and opinions can be gathered to inform future research and development. |
Collaborator Contribution | University of Reading provided 20% funding MERL provided access to its collections and helped to organise and deliver demonstration events. |
Impact | The majority of the MERL buildings were modelled along with nine objects. These ranged in size, shape and materials to test the digital scanning technologies, and were chosen for their appeal to school age children. The finished model was demonstrated at two events, one for museum staff and volunteers, and another to groups of children at a local school. At each of these events, three formats of the model were available to experience: iPad, PC monitor, and Oculus Rift headset, alongside four of the objects scanned into the model and brought from MERL. Around 80 people attended the two events and were able to experience the VR models, and provide feedback, thoughts and comments on their experience. Teaching: The MERL model and the techniques used to create it were used as the main teaching example in a one week module for MSc students from the School of the Built Environment at the University of Reading - 'Advanced visualization and interactive technologies'. Twelve students produced their own 3D models using photogrammetry, and four students have taken this research as the starting point for their individual projects. The feedback was universally positive, especially the new 'hands-on' approach this project allowed. Software Development: Revizto, the software used to bring together the various parts of the model (architecture, objects and additional information) and make it navigable, heard of the project through Twitter and contacted IE to write a case study and suggest ways the software could be developed to suit this type of application. The context for the case study was the re-purposing of the software from a building information management tool, to a visitor experience. This went live on their website (https://revizto.com/en/blog/entry/university-of-reading-merl) in October 2015. Further Funding: An AHRC grant was awarded to IE for a new 12 month project: 'Sensations of Roman Life' beginning March 2016. This will build on this project to create a VR Roman house, but including sounds and smells, to be displayed at Chedworth House - a National Trust managed Roman villa complex. An AHRC PhD studentship was awarded to IE/CH for a project devised in association with Historic England, to start in October 2016. This will use a highly accurate 3D model as the basis for a data management system to allow heritage professionals to document and manage their built assets, and provide visitors with a more informed experience. |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Creating a Virtual Museum |
Organisation | University of Reading |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Creating a Virtual Museum in a way that is practical for smaller museums, and bringing the resulting representations to communities at the fringes of existing outreach activities is the basis of this CCN+ pilot study. We will take advantage of a rare opportunity at the University of Reading's 'Museum of English Rural Life' (MERL ), which is due to close temporarily to undergo a major redevelopment, to provide unencumbered access to the interior space and key objects in the collection . Using a novel mix of proprietary and emerging digital technologies, we will create a prototype Virtual Museum and explore the possibilities for enhanced interactivity. The prototype will be imported into a new form of 3D gaming headset and taken to communities who have restricted access to the museum, through reduced mobility or perceptions of socio-cultural exclusion, and to the wider public, at which time ideas and opinions can be gathered to inform future research and development. |
Collaborator Contribution | University of Reading provided 20% funding MERL provided access to its collections and helped to organise and deliver demonstration events. |
Impact | The majority of the MERL buildings were modelled along with nine objects. These ranged in size, shape and materials to test the digital scanning technologies, and were chosen for their appeal to school age children. The finished model was demonstrated at two events, one for museum staff and volunteers, and another to groups of children at a local school. At each of these events, three formats of the model were available to experience: iPad, PC monitor, and Oculus Rift headset, alongside four of the objects scanned into the model and brought from MERL. Around 80 people attended the two events and were able to experience the VR models, and provide feedback, thoughts and comments on their experience. Teaching: The MERL model and the techniques used to create it were used as the main teaching example in a one week module for MSc students from the School of the Built Environment at the University of Reading - 'Advanced visualization and interactive technologies'. Twelve students produced their own 3D models using photogrammetry, and four students have taken this research as the starting point for their individual projects. The feedback was universally positive, especially the new 'hands-on' approach this project allowed. Software Development: Revizto, the software used to bring together the various parts of the model (architecture, objects and additional information) and make it navigable, heard of the project through Twitter and contacted IE to write a case study and suggest ways the software could be developed to suit this type of application. The context for the case study was the re-purposing of the software from a building information management tool, to a visitor experience. This went live on their website (https://revizto.com/en/blog/entry/university-of-reading-merl) in October 2015. Further Funding: An AHRC grant was awarded to IE for a new 12 month project: 'Sensations of Roman Life' beginning March 2016. This will build on this project to create a VR Roman house, but including sounds and smells, to be displayed at Chedworth House - a National Trust managed Roman villa complex. An AHRC PhD studentship was awarded to IE/CH for a project devised in association with Historic England, to start in October 2016. This will use a highly accurate 3D model as the basis for a data management system to allow heritage professionals to document and manage their built assets, and provide visitors with a more informed experience. |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | DERC Workshop |
Organisation | RMIT University |
Department | Digital Ethnography Research Centre (DERC) |
Country | Australia |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Attended workshop led by Sarah Pink and Helen Thornham and Edgar Gomez planned a trip to Australia for further workshops. |
Collaborator Contribution | Sarah Pink attended the annual CCN+ event and delivered a workshop and invited Helen Thornham and Edgar Gomez to go to Australia for further workshops. |
Impact | Travel to Australia |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Digital Data Analysis |
Organisation | University of Leeds |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The Network+ is funding a £25k pilot project which will examine public sector data analysis to understand the processes, uses and impacts of social media analytics and intelligence, and think about how they might be made available, ethical and transparent to a broad range of actors in society and business. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Digital Ethnography Research Centre, RMIT, Melbourne |
Organisation | RMIT University |
Department | Digital Ethnography Research Centre (DERC) |
Country | Australia |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | As part of an on-going series of exchanges with the Digital Ethnography Research Centre (DERC) at the RMIT, Larissa Hjorth was invited to be a keynote speaker at the CCN+ Annual event and Sarah Pink to deliver a workshop and a public talk, both in Leeds. At the same time, Helen Thornham and Edgar Gomez are planning a visit to the DERC in 2014. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Digital Media Exchange |
Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
Department | Consortium for the Humanities and the Arts South-East England (CHASE) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Members of the CCN+ network, relating to the 'Sustaining Networked Knowledge' project and the 'Expertise' scoping study developed the University of California Santa Cruz - University of Sussex Digital Media Exchange. This strategic partnership activity consisted of a group of research students and faculty from Sussex visiting UCSC's Digital Arts and New Media (DANM) programme in December 2014. Activities also linked in to the Centre for Science and Justice, Open Lab and the Art Department at UCSC. A series of activities includes research in progress presentations and participation in workshops and seminars. A workshop on 'Liveness' (co-sponsored by the CHASE consortium and organized by Professor Sally Jane Norman and Dr Emile Devereaux) also provided a focal hands-on event offering opportunities for PhD training and exchange and sharing of approaches and expertise. The bulk of the funding for this activity was provided by the University of Sussex partnership office, some from CHASE. The CCN+ funded one of the workshops: 'Wearable biosensors: expertise, sensor data and interfaces with data'. |
Collaborator Contribution | A group from UCSC returned the visit by coming to Sussex in March 2015 and participated in another set of work in progress presentations and teaching workshops and seminars. |
Impact | A workshop on 'Liveness' (co-sponsored by the CHASE consortium and organized by Professor Sally Jane Norman and Dr Emile Devereaux) provided a focal hands-on event offering opportunities for PhD training and exchange and sharing of approaches and expertise. A strategic partnership memorandum of understanding between Sussex and UCSC is anticipated in 2016. The collaboration is multidisciplinary, linking researchers in art, new media and computing. The practice based CCN+ research workshop will bring together people from Europe and the USA, consolidating existing networks and developing a new line of research. The questions are simultaneously humanistic and philosophical concerns and technology and interaction design questions. One output from the workshop will be a prototype (biosensor platform and interface) that can used as the basis for further work. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Digital Media Exchange |
Organisation | University of California, Santa Cruz |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Members of the CCN+ network, relating to the 'Sustaining Networked Knowledge' project and the 'Expertise' scoping study developed the University of California Santa Cruz - University of Sussex Digital Media Exchange. This strategic partnership activity consisted of a group of research students and faculty from Sussex visiting UCSC's Digital Arts and New Media (DANM) programme in December 2014. Activities also linked in to the Centre for Science and Justice, Open Lab and the Art Department at UCSC. A series of activities includes research in progress presentations and participation in workshops and seminars. A workshop on 'Liveness' (co-sponsored by the CHASE consortium and organized by Professor Sally Jane Norman and Dr Emile Devereaux) also provided a focal hands-on event offering opportunities for PhD training and exchange and sharing of approaches and expertise. The bulk of the funding for this activity was provided by the University of Sussex partnership office, some from CHASE. The CCN+ funded one of the workshops: 'Wearable biosensors: expertise, sensor data and interfaces with data'. |
Collaborator Contribution | A group from UCSC returned the visit by coming to Sussex in March 2015 and participated in another set of work in progress presentations and teaching workshops and seminars. |
Impact | A workshop on 'Liveness' (co-sponsored by the CHASE consortium and organized by Professor Sally Jane Norman and Dr Emile Devereaux) provided a focal hands-on event offering opportunities for PhD training and exchange and sharing of approaches and expertise. A strategic partnership memorandum of understanding between Sussex and UCSC is anticipated in 2016. The collaboration is multidisciplinary, linking researchers in art, new media and computing. The practice based CCN+ research workshop will bring together people from Europe and the USA, consolidating existing networks and developing a new line of research. The questions are simultaneously humanistic and philosophical concerns and technology and interaction design questions. One output from the workshop will be a prototype (biosensor platform and interface) that can used as the basis for further work. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Digital Networks of Political Action |
Organisation | University of Leeds |
Department | School of Media and Communication |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This study investigated emergent conversation online, generated in response to political events, focussing specifically on statements or declarations of political action - including signing petitions, boycotting, voting, gathering and marching, contacting representatives and institutions. The goal was to investigate the forms and directions of linkage between spaces online where political action is discussed, inspired, and realised, and to ask whether political action is fomented in online spaces, or networks of spaces, and if so, what, and who, the influential spaces and actors might be. |
Collaborator Contribution | University of Leeds provided funding at 20%. |
Impact | •Birchall, C., 'Digital Networks of Political Action.' Working Papers of the Communities & Culture Network+ Vol.8 (July 2016). |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Digital Technologies of Debt Resilience |
Organisation | Goldsmiths, University of London |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This project will investigate the intersection between the civil society organizations that advocate or provide services to people in debt and information sharing forums for people in debt. In other words, to what degree is the information provided by civil society organizations in online debt forums; and, is information shared by the indebted addressed in civil society public information campaigns. Our partner Centre for Economic and Social Inclusion is an umbrella organisation that co-ordinates and builds capacity between the public, private and third-sector organisations working within the area of financial inclusion and welfare. Here we will focus on two particular civil society groups: those that engage in advocacy for (Trade Unions, The Money Charity/Credit, Credit Union Trade Associations), and those providing services to the indebted (Citizens Advice Bureau, Money Advice Trust, Turn2U, StepChange). The first part of this project preliminarily maps these two groups and the content of their digital information. Specifically, how key civil society groups use digital platforms to highlight, educate, inform, and coordinate action related to politics of indebtedness? What are the perceived strengths and weaknesses of digital platforms in enabling a culture of resilience? Next, we analyse peer-to-peer information sharing of the indebted on two key digital forums (consumeractiongroup.co.uk, debtforum.org) specifically: How do peer-to-peer forums on indebtedness identify, inform, or enact resilience to get ?out of debt?? To what degree to they identify digital and/or real world actions by civil society organizations as source of information, advice, advocacy? These four research questions seek to enhance our understanding of the transformative impact of digital technologies on the culture of indebtedness and its impact on wider communities. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Event Mining in our Rural Past |
Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Provided funding at 80% |
Collaborator Contribution | This seed project, Event Mining in our Rural Past aimed to make the FESP data more accessible and useful to users such as the local history enthusiasts of SRP, by using text mining to extract structured data from the free text documents associated with the 'First Edition Survey Project', FESP. This will be used to populate database fields in Canmore, making the data much more readily searchable. University of Edinburg provided 20% funding. |
Impact | Final report published at http://2plqyp1e0nbi44cllfr7pbor.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/files/2014/01/EventMining-final-report.pdf Development of text mining method to produce datasets: The impact of this seed project will be largely felt by RCAHMS itself and by the users of its data - a community that includes professional archaeologists and architects, planners, and of course the ever growing band of those interested in their local culture and heritage. If the methods proposed are successful and adopted by the wider archive community, the ultimate impact of projects like this one will be a complete change in the way we view the archive curation task. There is good evidence from scientific and medical fields that assisted curation is a promising way forward. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Everyday Growing Cultures in the North of England |
Organisation | University of Manchester |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The Network+ is funding a £25k pilot project which will examine howasks the national open data agenda can be furthered so that it benefits citizens. How can a more widely adopted and enacted open data strategy benefit local economies? There are two main outputs for this project. The first is a toolkit for citizens and publics to access and interpret open data that is available to them (and learn how to lobby for data that is not yet available). The second is an audio-visual output for the communities with which we engage, which will capture and document the major issues and concerns of the project. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Everyday Growing Cultures in the North of England |
Organisation | University of Sheffield |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The Network+ is funding a £25k pilot project which will examine howasks the national open data agenda can be furthered so that it benefits citizens. How can a more widely adopted and enacted open data strategy benefit local economies? There are two main outputs for this project. The first is a toolkit for citizens and publics to access and interpret open data that is available to them (and learn how to lobby for data that is not yet available). The second is an audio-visual output for the communities with which we engage, which will capture and document the major issues and concerns of the project. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Everyday Growing Film |
Organisation | Dig the City |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Distributed and presented film. |
Collaborator Contribution | Provided space and equipment |
Impact | Films were shown. TV deal. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Everyday Growing Film |
Organisation | Engage Bristol |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Distributed and presented film. |
Collaborator Contribution | Provided space and equipment |
Impact | Films were shown. TV deal. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Everyday Growing Film |
Organisation | Old Trafford Community Centre |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Distributed and presented film. |
Collaborator Contribution | Provided space and equipment |
Impact | Films were shown. TV deal. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Everyday Growing Film |
Organisation | Showcase Cinema |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Distributed and presented film. |
Collaborator Contribution | Provided space and equipment |
Impact | Films were shown. TV deal. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Exploring Digital Transformations of Community, Culture and Welfare in Austere Times: the Case of Leeds |
Organisation | Leeds Citizens Advice Bureau |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | The pilot study was commissioned in December 2013 against the background of the 2010-2015 UK Coalition Government's programme of austerity-driven spending cuts and reforms to public services, voluntary bodies and welfare provision. Digitalisation is a key aspect of Welfare Reform and central to the new Universal Credit (UC) system being rolled out gradually across the country with an original target of 80% of claimants making and managing their UC benefit claims online by 2017. This research focused on three specific communities of interest: public administrators of welfare; frontline welfare law advisors; and welfare claimants. Our research questions explored the potential impacts of an austerity-driven digital welfare system on these different communities and welfare systems, and on the everyday relationships between claimants and welfare providers. While evidence grows about the financial and legal impacts of welfare changes, the cultural and community implications of this new welfare system and its digital character are far less well evidenced and understood. This pilot project will explore this uncertain landscape of a digitally transformed welfare system for our three specific stakeholder groups through a partnership that builds on existing pro bono research collaborations between the School of Geography (SoG), Leeds City Council (LCC), and the Advice Leeds Partnership of public and voluntary sector advice services (see Letters of Support). |
Collaborator Contribution | University of Leeds provided funding at 20% Leeds City Council and Leeds CAB provided us with new datasets for this project that offer potential insights into the transformations being unleashed by austerity, welfare reform and digitisation |
Impact | We have so far communicated to our stakeholders in the following ways: ? A series of informal meetings with Advice Leeds and Leeds City Council to brief on progress and receive feedback; ? A formal presentation and discussion with our stakeholder Advisory Group in June 2014 at the University of Leeds; ? A briefing in July 2014 to Leeds CAB containing our geographical and deprivation analysis of the Leeds CAB client base; ? A formal presentation about the research and some initial findings to the Advice Leeds Summit on 7 November 2014 at the St George's Centre, Leeds; ? An academic paper was written and presented to the GISRUK 2015 conference in February 2015 (see Hodkinson and Turner, 2015 ). Our intention is to now write up our Housing Benefit data methodology and engage with local authorities who are interested in mapping and analysing their data. We will be feeding the key findings of the research into Leeds City Council's Welfare Reform Board in December 2015. These engagement events will be supplemented by a series of smaller informal briefings targeted at specific user communities and an accessible public report. We are currently creating a large inventory of our maps, graphs and tables that we will be linking to on the Communities and Culture+ Network website. Finally, we aim to publish two academic journal articles on the research findings. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Exploring Digital Transformations of Community, Culture and Welfare in Austere Times: the Case of Leeds |
Organisation | Leeds City Council |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | The pilot study was commissioned in December 2013 against the background of the 2010-2015 UK Coalition Government's programme of austerity-driven spending cuts and reforms to public services, voluntary bodies and welfare provision. Digitalisation is a key aspect of Welfare Reform and central to the new Universal Credit (UC) system being rolled out gradually across the country with an original target of 80% of claimants making and managing their UC benefit claims online by 2017. This research focused on three specific communities of interest: public administrators of welfare; frontline welfare law advisors; and welfare claimants. Our research questions explored the potential impacts of an austerity-driven digital welfare system on these different communities and welfare systems, and on the everyday relationships between claimants and welfare providers. While evidence grows about the financial and legal impacts of welfare changes, the cultural and community implications of this new welfare system and its digital character are far less well evidenced and understood. This pilot project will explore this uncertain landscape of a digitally transformed welfare system for our three specific stakeholder groups through a partnership that builds on existing pro bono research collaborations between the School of Geography (SoG), Leeds City Council (LCC), and the Advice Leeds Partnership of public and voluntary sector advice services (see Letters of Support). |
Collaborator Contribution | University of Leeds provided funding at 20% Leeds City Council and Leeds CAB provided us with new datasets for this project that offer potential insights into the transformations being unleashed by austerity, welfare reform and digitisation |
Impact | We have so far communicated to our stakeholders in the following ways: ? A series of informal meetings with Advice Leeds and Leeds City Council to brief on progress and receive feedback; ? A formal presentation and discussion with our stakeholder Advisory Group in June 2014 at the University of Leeds; ? A briefing in July 2014 to Leeds CAB containing our geographical and deprivation analysis of the Leeds CAB client base; ? A formal presentation about the research and some initial findings to the Advice Leeds Summit on 7 November 2014 at the St George's Centre, Leeds; ? An academic paper was written and presented to the GISRUK 2015 conference in February 2015 (see Hodkinson and Turner, 2015 ). Our intention is to now write up our Housing Benefit data methodology and engage with local authorities who are interested in mapping and analysing their data. We will be feeding the key findings of the research into Leeds City Council's Welfare Reform Board in December 2015. These engagement events will be supplemented by a series of smaller informal briefings targeted at specific user communities and an accessible public report. We are currently creating a large inventory of our maps, graphs and tables that we will be linking to on the Communities and Culture+ Network website. Finally, we aim to publish two academic journal articles on the research findings. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Exploring Digital Transformations of Community, Culture and Welfare in Austere Times: the Case of Leeds |
Organisation | University of Leeds |
Department | School of Geography Leeds |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The pilot study was commissioned in December 2013 against the background of the 2010-2015 UK Coalition Government's programme of austerity-driven spending cuts and reforms to public services, voluntary bodies and welfare provision. Digitalisation is a key aspect of Welfare Reform and central to the new Universal Credit (UC) system being rolled out gradually across the country with an original target of 80% of claimants making and managing their UC benefit claims online by 2017. This research focused on three specific communities of interest: public administrators of welfare; frontline welfare law advisors; and welfare claimants. Our research questions explored the potential impacts of an austerity-driven digital welfare system on these different communities and welfare systems, and on the everyday relationships between claimants and welfare providers. While evidence grows about the financial and legal impacts of welfare changes, the cultural and community implications of this new welfare system and its digital character are far less well evidenced and understood. This pilot project will explore this uncertain landscape of a digitally transformed welfare system for our three specific stakeholder groups through a partnership that builds on existing pro bono research collaborations between the School of Geography (SoG), Leeds City Council (LCC), and the Advice Leeds Partnership of public and voluntary sector advice services (see Letters of Support). |
Collaborator Contribution | University of Leeds provided funding at 20% Leeds City Council and Leeds CAB provided us with new datasets for this project that offer potential insights into the transformations being unleashed by austerity, welfare reform and digitisation |
Impact | We have so far communicated to our stakeholders in the following ways: ? A series of informal meetings with Advice Leeds and Leeds City Council to brief on progress and receive feedback; ? A formal presentation and discussion with our stakeholder Advisory Group in June 2014 at the University of Leeds; ? A briefing in July 2014 to Leeds CAB containing our geographical and deprivation analysis of the Leeds CAB client base; ? A formal presentation about the research and some initial findings to the Advice Leeds Summit on 7 November 2014 at the St George's Centre, Leeds; ? An academic paper was written and presented to the GISRUK 2015 conference in February 2015 (see Hodkinson and Turner, 2015 ). Our intention is to now write up our Housing Benefit data methodology and engage with local authorities who are interested in mapping and analysing their data. We will be feeding the key findings of the research into Leeds City Council's Welfare Reform Board in December 2015. These engagement events will be supplemented by a series of smaller informal briefings targeted at specific user communities and an accessible public report. We are currently creating a large inventory of our maps, graphs and tables that we will be linking to on the Communities and Culture+ Network website. Finally, we aim to publish two academic journal articles on the research findings. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | For the allotment data we will release this under an open data license via our SME partner, Swirrl. |
Organisation | Swirrl |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Provided allotment data. |
Collaborator Contribution | Provided open data licence. |
Impact | Open data access to allotment data |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Games for Communication |
Organisation | University of Glasgow |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The Games for Communication project sought to explore the use of commercial video games and associated networks and communities to develop players' communication skills. |
Collaborator Contribution | University of Glasgow provided funding at 20%. |
Impact | - Barr, M. Games for Communication Final Report.' Working Papers of the Communities & Culture Network+ Vol.6 (Oct 2015). |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Girls Making History |
Organisation | Knowle West Media Centre |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | This pilot study harnesses research by and amongst a peer group of teenage girls who have experienced / are experiencing domestic violence in order to address the following aims: To develop our understandings of 'community' as it is envisioned by teenage girls To enable teenage girls to overcome the barriers to discussing the normalisation of violence within teenage communities, and to understand the value of dissent, through a programme of up-skilling, peer mentoring and co-creation in digital media To build confidence in this group of teenage girls to challenge the normalisations of their community and enable them to support; through a wider campaign; other teenage girls at risk of becoming involved in abusive / violent relationships To develop our understanding of the potential use of digital tools and of digital realms as supportive spaces employed by teenage girls experiencing intimate partner violence. ? To explore how these spaces can be employed as transformative arenas subverting the normative nature of teenage intimate partner violence. ? To enable the ideas co-developed throughout the project to be tested and put to work in other communities that are part of the Productive Margins programme, through the creation of reflexive diaries by the participants in the project and other evaluative methods employed from the start of the project |
Collaborator Contribution | University of Bristol provided 20% funding KWMC collaborated on all aspects of the project. 'Girls Making History' is an ongoing and integrated part of Knowle West Media Centre's (KWMC) young people's programme. |
Impact | The work of Girls Making History has been highly commended by the University of Bristol Engagement Competition 2014/15. Fourteen young women aged 13 - 24, who wanted to encourage other young people to recognise when relationships become unhealthy, took part in a series of day-long workshops. Working with artists, creative technologists and engineers they have co-designed a game and a piece of 'wearable techology'. Two digital prototypes were collaboratively devised: the 'Emoti-meter' and the 'Knowing the Signs' game. The University of Bristol produced a short video outlining the engagement elements of the project (available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cqtI5p5T1g). As a result of her involvement in the project, one young participant decided to become a solicitor and is now studying Law. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Girls Making History |
Organisation | University of Bristol |
Department | Law School |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This pilot study harnesses research by and amongst a peer group of teenage girls who have experienced / are experiencing domestic violence in order to address the following aims: To develop our understandings of 'community' as it is envisioned by teenage girls To enable teenage girls to overcome the barriers to discussing the normalisation of violence within teenage communities, and to understand the value of dissent, through a programme of up-skilling, peer mentoring and co-creation in digital media To build confidence in this group of teenage girls to challenge the normalisations of their community and enable them to support; through a wider campaign; other teenage girls at risk of becoming involved in abusive / violent relationships To develop our understanding of the potential use of digital tools and of digital realms as supportive spaces employed by teenage girls experiencing intimate partner violence. ? To explore how these spaces can be employed as transformative arenas subverting the normative nature of teenage intimate partner violence. ? To enable the ideas co-developed throughout the project to be tested and put to work in other communities that are part of the Productive Margins programme, through the creation of reflexive diaries by the participants in the project and other evaluative methods employed from the start of the project |
Collaborator Contribution | University of Bristol provided 20% funding KWMC collaborated on all aspects of the project. 'Girls Making History' is an ongoing and integrated part of Knowle West Media Centre's (KWMC) young people's programme. |
Impact | The work of Girls Making History has been highly commended by the University of Bristol Engagement Competition 2014/15. Fourteen young women aged 13 - 24, who wanted to encourage other young people to recognise when relationships become unhealthy, took part in a series of day-long workshops. Working with artists, creative technologists and engineers they have co-designed a game and a piece of 'wearable techology'. Two digital prototypes were collaboratively devised: the 'Emoti-meter' and the 'Knowing the Signs' game. The University of Bristol produced a short video outlining the engagement elements of the project (available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cqtI5p5T1g). As a result of her involvement in the project, one young participant decided to become a solicitor and is now studying Law. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Global Digital Cultures |
Organisation | University of Aberdeen |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | New scoping study for CCN+ Investigators at the University of Aberdeen: The CCN+ has hitherto been focused upon national participation in digital cultures with some international comparative dimensions (Finland, USA, China, New Zealand). The Oxford Internet Institute report for 2013 (to which we contributed: Dutton, W. and Blank, G. (2013) Oxford Internet Institute Report, Oxford) has identified at least five ?cultures of the internet? in the UK based upon ways in which people use digital media and attitudes towards it . But would we find the same elsewhere? The aim of this scoping project is to develop a set of hypotheses and research questions that could help to us to understand cultures of the internet globally. We assume that in developing countries, for example, the use of mobile phones is more important than computers or mobile devices, whilst in China and Russia, people will use national equivalents of face book and twitter or other national social media sites. The outcome of the project will be to design a set of questions which can be applied worldwide on the World Values Survey next wave (2015-2017). The questions should enable us to be able understand cultures of the internet in different global locations by analysing these questions alongside questions about politics, civil society, religion, work and family in Europe and the North America etc. However, they should also be culturally sensitive enough to encompass developments in sub-Saharan Africa, South East Asia, Arab countries and Latin America. The scope of this project is potentially very large and will help to update and improve the existing technology questions used on the WVS, which were invented 20 years ago and tend to reflect the technology at the time. This project will also involve overseas students at the University of Aberdeen to develop and test ideas. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Gypsy travellers |
Organisation | University of Aberdeen |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | To date, little digital economy research has been conducted that engages with 'outsider' groups such as gypsy travellers who are often peripheral to more mainstream currents in society (Sibley, 1981,1995). This project aims to fill this lacuna by researching the ways in which travellers, as individuals or as groups engage with digital technologies on an everyday basis, as well as exploring any barriers to accessibility that they may face. Leanne Townsend will explore how traveller groups participate (or do not participate) in the digital economy and how this impacts on their engagement more widely with 'society' as a whole. |
Collaborator Contribution | Resources and research time |
Impact | Pilot study; Spiralling into second, independently funded project in the Netherlands |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Heat or Eat: Food and Austerity in Rural England |
Organisation | Trussell Trust |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | This research project explores the theme of food and austerity through the lens of one of the most high profile, yet under-evidenced, phenomena in the current era of austerity: the decision to 'heat or eat'. With support from National Energy Action and the Trussell Trust foodbank Network and focusing on experiences in Cornwall, England, this project scrutinises the 'heat or eat' dilemma in a rural context, investigating the legitimacy and complexity of such claims, and critically assessing existing and potential policy responses. |
Collaborator Contribution | University of Sheffield provided 20% funding Trussell Trust Foodbank Network provided data |
Impact | - Interim report and Final Report published at http://www.communitiesandculture.org/projects/outputs/ - Stakeholder event, 21st July 2015 - Lambie-Mumford, H. (2015) 'Addressing Food Poverty in the UK: Charity, Rights and Welfare', SPERI Paper No. 18 online here Lambie-Mumford, H. and Dowler, E. (2015) 'Review Article: Hunger, Food Charity and Social Policy - Challenges Faced by the Emerging Evidence Base', Social Policy and Society, 14, 3, 497-506 online here Dowler, E. and Lambie-Mumford, H. (2015) 'How Can Households Eat in austerity? Challenges for Social Policy in the UK', Social Policy and Society, 14, 3, 417-428 online here Lambie-Mumford, H. and Dowler, E. (2014) 'Rising use of "food aid" in the United Kingdom', British Food Journal, 116, 9, 1418-1425 online here Lambie-Mumford, H. (2014) 'Food Bank Provision and Welfare Reform in the UK', SPERI Policy Brief, No.4 online here Lambie-Mumford, H. (2014) 'Food banks and welfare reform: A 'right to food' approach can help to determine ultimate responsibility for preventing hunger,' SPERI Blog Post, 9th April 2014 online here Lambie-Mumford, H., Crossley, D., Jensen, E., Verbeke, M. and Dowler, E. (2014) 'Household Food Security in the UK: A Review of Food Aid,' Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) [SEG 1205] online here |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Heat or Eat: Food and Austerity in Rural England |
Organisation | University of Sheffield |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This research project explores the theme of food and austerity through the lens of one of the most high profile, yet under-evidenced, phenomena in the current era of austerity: the decision to 'heat or eat'. With support from National Energy Action and the Trussell Trust foodbank Network and focusing on experiences in Cornwall, England, this project scrutinises the 'heat or eat' dilemma in a rural context, investigating the legitimacy and complexity of such claims, and critically assessing existing and potential policy responses. |
Collaborator Contribution | University of Sheffield provided 20% funding Trussell Trust Foodbank Network provided data |
Impact | - Interim report and Final Report published at http://www.communitiesandculture.org/projects/outputs/ - Stakeholder event, 21st July 2015 - Lambie-Mumford, H. (2015) 'Addressing Food Poverty in the UK: Charity, Rights and Welfare', SPERI Paper No. 18 online here Lambie-Mumford, H. and Dowler, E. (2015) 'Review Article: Hunger, Food Charity and Social Policy - Challenges Faced by the Emerging Evidence Base', Social Policy and Society, 14, 3, 497-506 online here Dowler, E. and Lambie-Mumford, H. (2015) 'How Can Households Eat in austerity? Challenges for Social Policy in the UK', Social Policy and Society, 14, 3, 417-428 online here Lambie-Mumford, H. and Dowler, E. (2014) 'Rising use of "food aid" in the United Kingdom', British Food Journal, 116, 9, 1418-1425 online here Lambie-Mumford, H. (2014) 'Food Bank Provision and Welfare Reform in the UK', SPERI Policy Brief, No.4 online here Lambie-Mumford, H. (2014) 'Food banks and welfare reform: A 'right to food' approach can help to determine ultimate responsibility for preventing hunger,' SPERI Blog Post, 9th April 2014 online here Lambie-Mumford, H., Crossley, D., Jensen, E., Verbeke, M. and Dowler, E. (2014) 'Household Food Security in the UK: A Review of Food Aid,' Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) [SEG 1205] online here |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Hyperlocal Government Engagement Online |
Organisation | Edinburgh Napier University |
Department | Centre for Social Informatics, Institute for Informatics and Digital Innovation |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This CCN+ seed project investigated digital engagement by three neighbouring Scottish Community Councils (CCs) in a distinct area of a Scottish city. Recent work had shown that CCs generally do not use the internet well to engage with their citizens, despite being required to find and deliver citizens' views to Local Authorities. In fact, over half had no observable internet presence, while a large proportion of CCs that earlier had informative internet presences no longer do so. Therefore there is a pressing need to learn how CCs' internet use can be strengthened so that CCs can live up to their requirements. This project researched whether the Community of Practice model could be used to understand relationships between CC members involved in digital engagement work, and to find techniques to improve practices. Interviews with CC members investigated how knowledge was and could be managed and the digital tools desired for digital engagement work. Action research was used to follow and support a CC beginning to use Twitter as a dissemination and engagement channel, to understand whether it could sustainably generate social capital despite CCs' low budgets and voluntary nature. |
Collaborator Contribution | Edinburgh Napier University provided funding at 20%. |
Impact | The impact of this research includes strengthening working relationships with the Improvement Service and relevant Scottish Government officials. Presentations on previous related work and on the aims of this research were given at a meeting of Community Council Liaison Officers (CCLOs) in October - attendance at this meeting helped cement relationships between the researchers, CCLOs, the IS and SG officials. At this meeting, CCLOs helped verify and prioritise recommendations for strengthening CC online presences from the 2012 and 2014 surveys, as detailed in the published report. - Final report published at http://2plqyp1e0nbi44cllfr7pbor.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/files/2015/02/CCN-Final-report-Hyperlocal-Engagement.pdf. - Ryan, B., Cruickshank, P. (2016). Digital engagement workshop for Community Councils: Glasgow 2016 Report. IIDI. - Cruickshank, P., Ryan, B. (2016). Digital engagement workshops for Community Councils and Registered Tenant Organisations. IIDI. - A further presentation was made to CC1 about its online and social media performance. - Connections have been made with CCs in many areas of Scotland - these will be cemented in a workshop to be held in January 2015, using further funding secured from Edinburgh Napier University's public engagement stream. - Resources have been gathered and shared via a research blog - see http://bruceryan.info/resources. - Support in kind has been offered by researchers at Edinburgh University, the Improvement Service and the Democratic Society9. Scottish Government officials have asked to be involved with this workshop, so that they can present to and directly converse with CC members. Topics will include the forthcoming Community Empowerment Bill, designed to give community bodies such as CCs much greater influence over local services and other local matters. - The network that will be created among delegates to this event will be used as the basis for a substantive research proposal to follow the topics discussed above. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | In/visible and un/fixed Communities: Living with the Welfare Reforms |
Organisation | Space2 |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Our overarching aim is to critically interrogate the assumptions that are at the heart of the welfare reforms- around digital literacy, around individualism, around politics and identity, and understand how these are revealed through the framing issues of homelessness, housing and the lived experiences of the reforms. As part of this larger project, one 18 month work package, designed in collaboration with Leeds organisation Space2, seeks to understand the lived engagements with the reforms as they fundamentally shift domestic and leisure power relations, identity and lived realities of communities and individuals. Space2 is a third sector organisation working with disenfranchised populations around Leeds: the nearly homeless, NEET individuals, immigrants, and those whose local communities are seen to be increasingly precarious as a result of the reforms. The Welfare Reform project aims to fulfill our academic concerns whilst also actively contributing to Space2?s goals to: build confidence; develop creative thinking and responsibility; and encourage commitment and investment. In order to contribute to these latter goals we will host workshops at Leeds University, engage local facilitators from Space2, digital media experts and film-makers in order to contribute to a widening of horizons for the project participants. |
Collaborator Contribution | Space2 ran a programme of workshops, co-devised with researchers, and recruited project participants. They also organised showcase and discussion events. |
Impact | Multidisciplinary: Media, ethnography, arts The project has had an important amount of impact items reaching several stakeholders. Here are some of the most important: 1. Media and local policy visibility for young people's voices and ideas. With MyMap Leeds this was underpinned by the CBBC, the City Council and several stakeholders that used social media to discuss and support the project. This was positive not only for the Studio and participating children but served as a public example of joint projects between university and government. 2. The shooting of a short documentary, following the ethnographic work with Studio12. This documentary was produced to support the three films completed by the young people. This documentary, along with the films, were screened to city authorities and representatives from local media industries and later became part of the BBCFresh webpage and screened in different festivals around the world. 3. Space2 edited together a series of audiovisual materials. Outputs include a film - a taster has been shown as part of West Yorkshire Playhouse's Recipe for Life event, and a screening of the complete material that was part of one of the participants Art Award Activities. These were showcased at a number of third sector and community sector events including at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, to achieve local recognition. These events were attended by local residents, council members, community arts organizations, industry, and representatives of key services (social services, police, job centres, NHS). 4. The event Tea, Cake and Conversation co-organized by the CCN+ and Space2, reunited council members, scholars and families of Space 2 participants who are living on benefits to discuss some of the facing challenges in everyday life- It became an important forum to bridge two groups that are usually disengaged. This event constituted a key methodological prototype we are currently developing whereby creative methods are used as a starting point for political discussion. 5. Helen Thornham, PI of the project, has been engaging in a number of local policy initiatives and working with Leeds Council Third Sector Organisations and Industry on the digital policy of the city. She has also written a number of articles for the Conversation, which have resulted in invitations across the disciplinary sectors for research project involvement and research projects outside academia. Publications Gómez Cruz, E. & Thornham, H (2015). 'Raw talent in the making': Imaginary journeys, authorship and the discourses of expertise. Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies. 21: 314-32. Gómez Cruz, E. & Thornham, H. (Forthcoming). [Im]mobility in the Age of [im]mobile phones: young NEETs and digital practices. New Media & Society Gómez Cruz, E. & Thornham, H. (Forthcoming). Selfies beyond Self-Representation: The (theoretical) frictions of a Practice. Continuum. Journal of Media & Cultural Studies. Thornham, Helen (2014) You Can't Write a CV on A Smartphone in The Conversation http://theconversation.com/you-cant-write-a-cv-on-a-smartphone-digital-literacyis-no-help-to-unemployed-youth-30545 Thornham, Helen et al (2014) [In]Visible and un/fixed Communities: Living with the Welfare Reforms. Interim Report Working Papers of the Community and Cultures Network+ Vol. 4 Oct. 2014, http://www.communitiesandculture.org/files/2013/01/interim-report.docx Thornham, Helen (2013) Digital Welfare only Deepens the Class Divide' in The Conversation http://theconversation.com/digital-welfare-only-deepens-theclass-divide-15828 Thornham, Helen (2014) 'Claiming 'Creativity': discourse, 'doctrine' or participatory practice?' in the International Journal of Cultural Policy 20:5 pp 536-552 Thornham, Helen & Parry, Katy (2014) 'Constructing Communities: The Community Centre as Contested Site'. Community Development Journal; doi: 10.1093/cdj/bst088 Thornham, Helen et al (2014) [In]Visible and un/fixed Communities: Living with the Welfare Reforms. Interim Report Working Papers of the Community and Cultures Network+ Vol. 4 Oct. 2014 http://www.communitiesandculture.org/files/2013/01/interim-report.docx |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Interrogating the complexities of digital communication for young people engaged in social action |
Organisation | University of Leeds |
Department | School of Media and Communication |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The initial seed project was designed to answer two questions. First, how do the complexities of digital technology facilitate or constrain narratives deployed by young people as interventions in their communities? And second, how do the complexities of digital technology affect young communicators' sense of voice and recognition, and of being able to make an effective intervention in their communities? The follow-on study sought to make a critical contribution to the social action agenda in ensuring that the transformative nature of an individual experiencing their voice as 'value' remains at the forefront of their social action. |
Collaborator Contribution | University of Leeds provided funding at 20%. |
Impact | - McKenna, G. & Edwards, L., 'Giving Social Action a Voice: Final Report.' Working Papers of the Communities & Culture Network+ Vol.7, March 2016. - Edwards, L., 'Interrogating the complexities of digital communication for young people engaged in social action. Final Report.' Working Papers of the Communities & Culture Network+ Vol.6, Oct 2015 - The study's findings are being reviewed by YCUK as part of its ongoing evaluation exercise. A summary of the report will be distributed back to the participants, so that they can see how their participation in the study generated new insights. Finally, the research will be presented and discussed at the charity's annual staff meeting in July. - The collaboration with YCUK has also already resulted in the researcher contributing to funding bids for the charity, aimed at providing further insight into how campaigners' work supports the development of voice and recognition. Discussions are also in progress about how to use the findings in a policy forum. - The study will also form the basis of a larger research council funding bid exploring the intersection between voice and recognition, digital technologies, and democracy in the context of social action campaigns. - Two academic journal papers are planned, the first focused on the ways that digital technology shapes the communication process in the context of social action (target journal: New Media and Society), and the second on the wider issue of how digital technologies play into the creation of voice and recognition (target journal: Media, Culture and Society). - The research will form the basis of a case study to be included in a forthcoming book on PR, voice and recognition, authored by the researcher. It will also be the subject of a conference paper on PR, voice and recognition, to be delivered at the end of June 2015. - The follow-on study produced a series of policy recommendations aimed at challenging perceptions and professional approaches, and learning from best practice. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Knowledge Exchange Programme with AHRC Connected Communities |
Organisation | Connected Communities |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | CCN+ PI, Helen Thornham, has joined the advisory board for the AHRC Connected Communities theme. CCN+ has agreed to collaborate with Connected Communities Research Fellows Keri Facer and George McKay and large grant holders, drawing ontheir research for CCN+ horizon scanning activities and organising a series of knowledge exchange activities. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Living with Food Insecurity |
Organisation | University of Warwick |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The overall aim of this project is to map the relations within a local food aid landscape (Sheffield) from the perspective of recipients and to place these highly localised experiences within a wider political, economic and cultural framework. Aim 1: To work with food assistance recipients to better understand their experience of the process of local food aid in Sheffield and ?managing? with food insecurity and to highlight the key issues which are raised for future research and policy making. Through the use of narrative ethnographic methods and participatory mapping techniques this part of the research will seek to meet the following objectives: (1) Obtain narratives of a range of recipient experiences in order to understand their experience of support (including, related to and beyond food aid). (2) Map recipients? wider food insecurity coping strategies and the place of food assistance within them. (3) Explore how narrative methods may be utilised to empower the voice of food assistance recipients and enlighten future research and policy agendas. Aim 2: To locate food banks and other forms of charitable food assistance within their contemporary political, economic and cultural frameworks. This part of the research will seek to meet the following objectives: (1) Inform understanding of the terminology that has developed around the UK ?food aid? landscape. (2) Explore key aspects of the policy context which surrounds the growth of food banks and other forms of assistance. (3) Explore the role of the recent economic recession and current era of austerity on household food budgets. (4) Highlight key themes which are emerging in the growing food assistance evidence base relating to cultural dimensions within the sector. (5) Map these wider frameworks and their relationship to food banks and food aid. NEMODE, Sustainable Society Network+ and Communities and Culture Network+ are launching a joint, interdisciplinary two-year project focusing on food banks. We aim to use food banks as a focal point and case study for a range of connected issues that vary in scope from the very local to the global. Communities and Culture Network+ is interested in the relationship between food banks and the wider political, economic and social landscape. |
Collaborator Contribution | University of Warwick provided funding at 20%. |
Impact | One key impact of this research has been to inform the on-going research by Oxfam, Church Action on Poverty and Child Poverty Action Group. Both authors are members of the steering group for this research and the experience and findings from the scoping exercise have fed into the shape and methodological approach of this work. Secondly, both authors are speaking at or engaged in discussion in Scotland (25th February, 2014: Emergency food aid: a national learning exchange, CFHS), at the launch of the APPG on Hunger and Food Poverty in London in April, and at exchange meetings between planners, health and social welfare professionals and academics in Bristol and the West Midlands, and as part of the Sustainable Food Cities network. Final report published at http://www.communitiesandculture.org/projects/mapping-the-food-aid-landscape/ |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Mobilising Cultural Nationalism |
Organisation | University of Aberdeen |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This project will look at how arts communities mobilise in favour of Scottish independence through examination of the structure, message and method of communications used. The academic and political debate surrounding the Scottish independence referendum tends to be focused upon the economic, fiscal and democratic processes involved in choosing either to remain within a ?union of four nations? or to become a politically independent unit. However, there is extensive work being done online, in person and through grassroots efforts to define the type of nation the people of Scotland would like to build ? whether with a yes or a no vote. One prominent aspect of this discussion is about the creative industry in Scotland. Though government-funded organisations, such as Creative Scotland are attempting to remain neutral, there are a number of grass-roots organisations attempting to define the debate within the creative sector, whilst also using their creative talents to campaign. One of these groups, National Collective, has agreed to work with us on a new scoping project. Their work is presented on a website, Facebook page and very active twitter feed as well as across the independence activist network. There are photographic projects, comics, musical events, interviews, debates and now a full-length film. Our work will focus upon the structure of the collective, its position within the independence debate, interaction with other campaign groups, and discourse about nation, identity, and political action. We will begin with expert interviews with those identifying as the leaders of the organisation and with regular members to analyse whether there is a converging or diverging perception of the purpose of the community. Participant observation will be carried out at events ? both organisational and campaigning. Finally, we will analyse their website output and twitter network. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | New Knowledge Networks in Communities |
Organisation | Birmingham City University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This project intends to examine, through a case study, the complex online/offline interactions that give strength to the relationships between hyperlocal practitioners and their communities. In doing so it will seek to test an approach to ethnography that may uncover theeveryday nature of doing and engaging with hyperlocal. The project will engage with the tensions in the debate around the role of technology as a tool for participation in the process of doing journalism. Although there is much work in this field (summarised in Borger et al. 2012) this is often from a technological determinist viewpoint. Borger et al. argue that scholars tend to display a ?strong faith in the democratic potential of digital technologies? (Borger et al. 2012:125). The context and framework for this study then are ideas of alternative and idealised public spheres. |
Collaborator Contribution | BCU provided funding at 20%. |
Impact | Impact: The production of the infographic was intended to be central in producing impact of the project. Upon its publication it produced 8,672 impressions on twitter (from four tweets). Amongst those retweeting the infographic were the Head of News of Twitter. During a journalism industry conference at the BBC (Revival of Local Journalism - 25 June 2014) the PI made reference to the research in a question at a panel discussion. Both Nesta and Ofcom representatives were at this event and showed interest in the research. Given the debate about the decline of mainstream journalism there is potential for the project to produce a modest impact at a policy level. B31 Voices themselves have made many references to the research on social media and two hyperlocal publishers in Birmingham attended the research seminar (mentioned below) at Birmingham Centre for Media and Cultural Research. The BBC have taken an interest in the work and have asked the PI to partner on a new project looking at community news in the West Midlands. Dissemination Presentations: Birmingham Centre for Media and Cultural Research (regular university research seminar) - 18 June 2014 Hello Culture (short presentation of this work as part of panel discussion on big data) - 10 July 2014 Web-based dissemination: Final report for the project published at http://2plqyp1e0nbi44cllfr7pbor.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/files/2014/10/New-Knowledge-Networks-in-communities-HARTE2.pdf Publication of Infographic about the project at http://daveharte.com/ccn/b31-voices- hyperlocal-blog-the-infographic/ (published on June 18 2014; 135 views up to July 18 2014). Blog post with video embed of presentation to Birmingham Centre for Media & Cultural Research http://www.interactivecultures.org/2014/02/new-knowledge-networks-active- citizenship-and-hyperlocal-publishing/ (no analytics available) Video of presentation to research centre: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bw5wstlP56I (published 19 June 2014, 13 views up to July 18 2014) Planned dissemination activities: Abstract submission to 'Local and regional journalism after Leveson' conference (5 November 2014, University of Chester). Google Hangout with hyperlocal practitioners. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | New Radicals |
Organisation | Robert Gordon University |
Department | Department of Management |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | our research set out to investigate the ways in which young people had engaged with politics during the referendum campaign and developments in their activism since the referendum. In particular, we focussed on young people's use of social media and specifically their use of Twitter for political purposes. We conducted an analysis of Twitter feeds by young people; carried out a survey of first-time voters; interviewed young first-time voters; and interviewed representatives of political parties and campaign groups. |
Collaborator Contribution | Robert Gordon University provided funding at 20%. |
Impact | Multidisciplinary: Management, Computing, Politics. Throughout the project we have worked with the Scottish Youth Parliament. We have fed back the findings from the interviews with 16-19 year old first-time voters to MSYPs and discussed the findings with them. The outcomes of the discussions have been incorporated in our subsequent work. We have shared and discussed our overall research findings with the SYP. We have written a blog for Democratic Audit Scotland setting out some of the key findings of our research. Our findings are also being disseminated through a White Paper, which will be sent to each MP and MSP in Scotland. At different times in the project, we have issued two press releases which were reported on the BBC Scotland website3 and by the Press and Journal newspaper. Members of the team were also interviewed following each press release by BBC Radio Scotland and our research and parts of the interviews were reported on the news. We are currently arranging an event to disseminate our research findings with the Scottish Parliament' Cross-Party Group on Children and Young People. The membership of this CPG includes not only Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) but representatives and members of the Scottish Youth Parliament and other organisations (e.g. YouthLink Scotland and Children in Scotland) that work with and represent young people. A further press release is about to be sent to media outlets in Scotland which will lead to the further dissemination of our findings. A local radio station, Northsound, has expressed an interest in reporting the final outcomes of our research. On the academic front, we intend to present a conference paper to at least one, and possible two, academic conferences in spring/summer 2016. We also intend to write academic journal articles around the changing patterns of young adults' engagement in politics, and their use of social media for political purposes. |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Nordic Network for Digital Visuality |
Organisation | University of Tampere |
Department | Tampere Research Center for Journalism, Media and Communication |
Country | Finland |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Asko Lehmuskallio, Postdoctoral Researcher at the Tampere Research Center for Journalism, Media and Communication of the University of Tampere and CCN+ Research Fellow Edgar Gomez Cruz have been granted and award from the Nordic Network for Digital Visuality. Following connections made on the CCN+ research trip to Berkeley in March 2013 (where Lehmuskallio was a visiting scholar at the time ), the researchers organised a panel at the 2013 Visual Sociology Conference in London. The funding will be used to pay for exchang visits between Leeds and Helsinki, allow participation in the Helsinki photomedia conference 2014 with a follow-up panel, and allow the pair to work on a book proposal. |
Collaborator Contribution | aa |
Impact | proposal for an edited volume on photographic practices. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Online Action Networks |
Organisation | University of Leeds |
Department | School of Media and Communication |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This study looks at the networked nature of political action online - investigating spaces of opinion formation, action fermentation, and end points of political action. It aims to: • investigate the potential to identify expressions of political action and intent online; • examine social media (such as Facebook and Twitter) as spaces for social sharing and discussion of political topics, placing them within the wider online political network and determining their centrality; • examine the extent of linkage to, and between, other spaces within expressions of intent and investigating the nature of any observed networks, including the identification of influential nodes and the mapping of directions of travel of messages, memes and concepts |
Collaborator Contribution | Provided funding at 20%. |
Impact | Project ongoing |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Panel Presentation: 2013 IVSA Conference |
Organisation | University of California, Berkeley |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Edgar Gómez Cruz and Asko Lehmuskallio (Researcher in Digital photography at Berkeley and Finland) organized a panel presentation for the 2013 IVSA conference in London, in preparation for a meeting which took place between them in March 2013, as part of a Communties & Culture Network+ research trip to California. This has since been accepted, and they will use this as a spring board for further collaborative work including a special issue of a journal around the themes of the panel presentation. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Paradoxes od Digital Disengagement |
Organisation | Manchester Metropolitan University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The initial seed project consisted of three components: surveying the emerging online social discourses of digital disengagement (news articles, magazines, blogs, business and organisational sites); carrying out an exploratory ethnography with two participants who actively volunteered to discuss their perceptions and lived experiences of disengagement; and finally, bringing the first and second components together and developing a conceptual map, a typology of disengagement. Overall, the study identifies different types of social groups and individuals who choose digital disengagement, common reasons and motivations behind digital disengagement, and how these acts of digital disengagement are practiced in everyday life with political, social, and economical consequences. These relate to concerns regarding social relations and privacy; finance and economy; health and well-being; ecology; and education. The follow-on project consisted of two key components corresponding to our main areas of interest. In Part 1 we document, map and review the different organisations dedicated to collective forms of digital disengagement. In particular, we focus on two initiatives, 'National Day of Unplugging' (US) and 'National Unplugging Day' (UK), conducting initial textual and visual analyses of these projects' websites. Part 2 documents, maps and reviews the different businesses, experts and services offering commercialised and corporate forms of digital disengagement. Here, we focus on a particular London-based digital life-coaching service - 'Consciously Digital' - through qualitative analysis of the company website alongside an interview with its founder and activing manager, Anastasia Dediykhina. |
Collaborator Contribution | MMU provided funding at 20% |
Impact | Kuntsman, A. & Miyake, E. 2016, 'Paradoxes of Digital dis/engagement: a follow up study (businesses and services).' Working Papers of the Communities & Culture Network+ Vol.7 (March 2016). Kuntsman, A. & Miyake, E. 2015, 'Paradoxes of Digital Dis/engagement: Final Report.' Working Papers of the Communities & Culture Network+ Vol.6 (Oct 2015). Since this project is only a preliminary exploration, the impact at this stage is limited, and is likely to occur primarily as the outcome of the larger study, for which the seed project is preparing. The expected areas of impact include: - contribution to scholarly knowledge and theoretical innovation - engagement with the community to address issues of digital freedom and coercion and explore the possibilities of collective digital refusal; and to explore what kind of services can be offered to support digital disengagement. The larger study is expected to produce research of high social impact, by focusing on the following questions: How can collective action change the dominating forms of digital media use? What forms of activism / what organisational structures are most effective in doing this? What services are needed to support those wishing to reduce their use of digital tools? What expertise is required for such services to be effective? |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Plenty as a Response to Austerity?: Expanding big data expertise in cultures and communities |
Organisation | University of Sussex |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Part of the 2nd phase of scoping studies for the CCN+. The starting point of this research is that (i), it is important to investigate ways to enable communities to engage with and build expertise in social analytics and data visualization tools; (ii) that it needs to be recognized there are structural barriers to this kind of engagement being built ? and the climate of austerity exacerbates these issues, but (iii); that many barriers to gaining expertise may be addressed. As earlier CCN+ Scoping studies have shown computational expertise is not the property of generationally defined digital natives, nor a fixed property - but is a mutual techno-social co-construction. The proposed research builds on the earlier CCN+ Scoping study on expertise (led by Bassett), on findings from the Leeds Scope on civic engagement, and on the pilot project report: Digital Data Analysis: Report on Tools for Social Media and Web Analytics and Insight? (Helen Kennedy, Giles Moss, Chris Birchall and Stylianos Moshonas), this provides an initial list of trial software. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Plugin Narratives |
Organisation | Open University of Catalonia |
Country | Spain |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Plugin Narratives is a research initiative by the University of Sussex (Brighton, UK) and the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (Barcelona, Spain), focused on the study of the roles and practices of participants in a cocreated fictional experience, with particular emphasis on creative communities, participatory processes, experience design, narrative codevelopment, literacies, playfulness, engagement and new forms of collaborative and multimodal digital storytelling. The ultimate goal of Plugin Narratives as a research project is to foster reflection and action towards a socially meaningful subject through cocreated storytelling and worldbuilding, with particular attention paid to strategies of engagement around a participatory social experience. At the seed project stage, reported here, Plugin Narratives focussed on developing the design for such an experience, by seeking input from a range of different researchers and practitioners with expertise in the area. Through two expert workshops, a literature review, and examination of existing project work, initial ideas were developed, and challenges and opportunities identified. |
Collaborator Contribution | University of Sussex provided funding at 20% plus facilities and resources. UOC provided facilities and respources. |
Impact | The Plugin Narratives seed project has developed the premise of a cocreated fictional narrative experience based around a specific local community issue, aiming to encourage reflection and community discussion of values. We have examined the opportunities and challenges for this project premise through a literature review and looking at case studies of existing projects, and with expert input from researchers and practitioners through two interactive events. We have synthesised the input from these multiple channels and drawn the key elements together to produce a set of guidelines which provide questions and suggestions for anyone taking on a project of this sort. Impact ? Project presented at the New Research Roundtable at the Pompeu Fabra University (Barcelona, November 2014) ? Project selected for presentation at the HERA Workshop (Talliin, Jan 2015) ? Invited to present project at Coastal Futures community group (local government and community representatives) in Newhaven at upcoming meeting. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Plugin Narratives |
Organisation | University of Sussex |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Plugin Narratives is a research initiative by the University of Sussex (Brighton, UK) and the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (Barcelona, Spain), focused on the study of the roles and practices of participants in a cocreated fictional experience, with particular emphasis on creative communities, participatory processes, experience design, narrative codevelopment, literacies, playfulness, engagement and new forms of collaborative and multimodal digital storytelling. The ultimate goal of Plugin Narratives as a research project is to foster reflection and action towards a socially meaningful subject through cocreated storytelling and worldbuilding, with particular attention paid to strategies of engagement around a participatory social experience. At the seed project stage, reported here, Plugin Narratives focussed on developing the design for such an experience, by seeking input from a range of different researchers and practitioners with expertise in the area. Through two expert workshops, a literature review, and examination of existing project work, initial ideas were developed, and challenges and opportunities identified. |
Collaborator Contribution | University of Sussex provided funding at 20% plus facilities and resources. UOC provided facilities and respources. |
Impact | The Plugin Narratives seed project has developed the premise of a cocreated fictional narrative experience based around a specific local community issue, aiming to encourage reflection and community discussion of values. We have examined the opportunities and challenges for this project premise through a literature review and looking at case studies of existing projects, and with expert input from researchers and practitioners through two interactive events. We have synthesised the input from these multiple channels and drawn the key elements together to produce a set of guidelines which provide questions and suggestions for anyone taking on a project of this sort. Impact ? Project presented at the New Research Roundtable at the Pompeu Fabra University (Barcelona, November 2014) ? Project selected for presentation at the HERA Workshop (Talliin, Jan 2015) ? Invited to present project at Coastal Futures community group (local government and community representatives) in Newhaven at upcoming meeting. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Putting Foodbanks out of Business |
Organisation | Biosperic Foudation CIC |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | The pilot project asked: 1) What can we learn from the actual experiences of the Biospheric Foundation in relation to building community capacity and resilience in local food production, supply, distribution and waste systems? 2) How do these lessons inform our understanding of potential responses to food austerity and the actual and potential roles of digital transformations? The work focussed on a retrospective and prospective analysis of the development of the Biospheric Foundation in the context of digital transformations. It also involved four community conversations with technologists, food poverty groups, residents and academics. A two-day community research jam was held to co-produce a Digital Action Plan for the Biospheric Foundation. |
Collaborator Contribution | University of Salford provided 20% funding Biospheric Foundation's Vincent Walsh was Co-Investigator and named collaborator on the proposal. Walsh acted as the practitioner-researcher on the project, through a 30 day placement at the University of Salford. |
Impact | The impact of this pilot project was built in as the primary intended outcome (the Digital Action Plan). Concrete progress and existing impacts have already been noted above in Section 4.3.3. It is important to note other less tangible impacts of the project: - Individual learning: reflection on the strengths and limitations of the approach to date. In particular the possibility that an online food bulk-buying network for organic foods at wholesale prices may have been a better distribution model than the physical shop. - Capacity-building networks: the project created new networks and communities, particularly between the Biospheric Foundation and urban technologists, as well as re-engaging between the Foundation and residential community. - Conceptual impact: building on previous funded work by Mistra Urban Futures, contribution to rethinking and re-energising the vision and mission behind the Biospheric Foundation. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Putting Foodbanks out of Business |
Organisation | University of Salford |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The pilot project asked: 1) What can we learn from the actual experiences of the Biospheric Foundation in relation to building community capacity and resilience in local food production, supply, distribution and waste systems? 2) How do these lessons inform our understanding of potential responses to food austerity and the actual and potential roles of digital transformations? The work focussed on a retrospective and prospective analysis of the development of the Biospheric Foundation in the context of digital transformations. It also involved four community conversations with technologists, food poverty groups, residents and academics. A two-day community research jam was held to co-produce a Digital Action Plan for the Biospheric Foundation. |
Collaborator Contribution | University of Salford provided 20% funding Biospheric Foundation's Vincent Walsh was Co-Investigator and named collaborator on the proposal. Walsh acted as the practitioner-researcher on the project, through a 30 day placement at the University of Salford. |
Impact | The impact of this pilot project was built in as the primary intended outcome (the Digital Action Plan). Concrete progress and existing impacts have already been noted above in Section 4.3.3. It is important to note other less tangible impacts of the project: - Individual learning: reflection on the strengths and limitations of the approach to date. In particular the possibility that an online food bulk-buying network for organic foods at wholesale prices may have been a better distribution model than the physical shop. - Capacity-building networks: the project created new networks and communities, particularly between the Biospheric Foundation and urban technologists, as well as re-engaging between the Foundation and residential community. - Conceptual impact: building on previous funded work by Mistra Urban Futures, contribution to rethinking and re-energising the vision and mission behind the Biospheric Foundation. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Queer, Feminist and Social Media Praxis Event |
Organisation | University of Sussex |
Department | Sussex Centre for Cultural Studies |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Members of the CCN+ funded SusNet network will be contributing to this event in May 2013. Alexandra Juhasz, who is an affiliated member of SusNet will keynote at the event. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Reaching Out Online |
Organisation | Terrence Higgins Trust |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | This pilot project builds upon the CCN+ Expertise and Knowledge scoping study, and develops an existing research relationship between the University of Sussex and the Terrence Higgins Trust (THT), the UK's oldest HIV prevention charity and a member of Health Promotion England (HPE), a newly formed consortium charged with delivering HIV prevention work to targeted 'at-risk' communities. The research speaks to some of the aims of HPE and will help to shape a key element of the intervention strategies being designed to support the health and wellbeing of gay men and men who have sex with men (MSM). Specifically, the research examines the use of online social media tools and platforms by outreach workers during sexual health interventions targeted at gay male and MSM communities. The development of social media platforms has recently contributed to a reframing of health promotion work, particularly where at-risk communities are identified as having particular investments in online social/sexual networking practices. This project feeds into the original scoping study identified above by exploring the methods and consequences of delivering sexual health knowledge and expertise via digital platforms. Follow-on funding was awarded to this CCN+ pilot study in 2014 to undertake targeted dissemination work in order to explore opportunities for knowledge transfer and knowledge exchange. |
Collaborator Contribution | During the course of the research, further funding was secured (from Terrence Higgins Trust) to undertake a complimentary piece of work that focused on MSM4 users of digital media. Terrence Higgins Trust, also secured funding from from the European Centre for Disease Control (€25,000) to undertake a pan-European scoping study that built upon the methodologies employed and findings identified in the Reaching out online. THT's Justin Harbottle Justin acted as the non-HEI project collaborator on this research. He brought to the project a wealth of expertise in the fields of sexual health and online health promotion. He also acted as a liaison between the partner institutions and played a direct role in shaping the research methods and identifying the findings. He was also be responsible for stakeholder recruitment and services buy-in. |
Impact | Multi-disciplinary: Digital media and HIV community outreach. - Final report for the study (reported under 'Publications'), available at http://2plqyp1e0nbi44cllfr7pbor.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/files/2013/07/Reaching-Out-Online-Final-Report.pdf - Final report for the follow-on study available at http://2plqyp1e0nbi44cllfr7pbor.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/files/2014/09/Moving-On-report-MOWLABOCUS.pdf. - Medical Research Council consultancy: As a direct result of the CCN 'Reaching Out Online' pilot study members of the research team have been invited to act as social media experts on the PROUD study. Learning and expertise developed during the pilot project are being drawn upon by the MRC as they develop a strategy for employing social media in their future participant recruitment and ongoing awareness campaign around Preexposure Prophylaxis. Details of the PROUD study are available at http://www.proud.mrc.ac.uk/default.aspx. - Presentation of findings and recommendations made at THT stakeholder seminar (London, 2014). - Oral presentation of findings from the 'reaching Out Online' pilot study at the (AHRC) 'Cultures, Communities and Connections in the HIV Sector' network - 'Virtual HIV Communities' seminar in 2014. - The findings from the CCN 'Reaching Out Online' scoping study have been taken up by Terrence Higgins Trust and used to develop a website that provides three key functions: - A training guide that will provide an effective method for training outreach workers who are new to digital outreach work. - A development tool that will support THT managers in developing new intervention sites online. - A resource portal that outreach workers can utilize when undertaking online outreach work including a monitoring and recording mechanism (replacing an older paper-based solution) that allows workers to record monitoring data at both a quantitative and qualitative level. The website is currently being developed and will be hosted at http://tht.org.uk/netreach. It has been developed in conjunction with the project team and is based solely on the primary research undertaken during this pilot project. - Sharif Mowlabocus, PI of the CCN 'Reaching out Online' study, presented the findings from the CCN funded phase of ROO, together with the THT-funded phase of the project to THT on 13th March 2014. This presentation, at THT's main offices, was attended by over 25 regional and head office stakeholders, included a guided conversation through the key research findings and a tour of the new website. Following on from this information dissemination, health professionals were invited to undertake a training event that helped them to put some of the key findings into practice. It is envisaged that further training events at regional offices will be held in the next 12 months. THT were extremely enthusiastic about the findings and will use the research in their negotiations with clinical commissioning groups and the NHS. The project partner, Terrence Higgins Trust, will benefit from the findings of the Reaching out Online project by being able to use this data in their negotiations with clinical commision bodies and the NHS. - The research findings of the CCN 'Reaching Out Online' pilot study are being used to help Terrence Higgins Trust shape their national policy on developing and maintaining online intervention work. The 'Reaching Out Online' research findings are being used to help Terrence Higgins Trust shape their national policy on developing and maintaining online intervention work. - In total, 12 organisations were invited to engage with the project findings of Reaching out online. These engagements included a series of workshops and discussion forums as well as more formal presentations. The organisations invited to participate were: Brighton & Hove Council; AllSorts (LGBT youth); MindOut LGBT mental health); Broken Rainbow (Domestic Violence & Abuse); Terrence Higgins Trust (Black & Minority Ethnic service users); GiFi - Commercial software development; Projekt - Swedish HIV/AIDS prevention; Albert Kennedy Trust (vulnerable LGBT Youth); Health & Inclusion Project (community research organisation); Birmingham CCG (primary care); Positive East (BME Community); MHealth Habitat. In October 2014, Dr Mowlabocus was presented the project's findings to the staff of GeoSpock in Cambridge, UK. GeoSpock is a technology start-up that has developed a more secure method of using GPS software than that currently used by app developers. Dr Mowlabocus was able to provide GeoSpok with a presentation that matched up the research findings of the original project with some of the aims and objectives of GiFi. Following the meeting, Dr Mowlabocus has acted as a liaison point between GeoSpock and Terrence Higgins Trust, both of whom are now in discussions regarding a possible future collaboration. - Dr Mowlabocus was invited to run two events for Brighton & Hove LGBT Switchboard - one community forum and one service provider workshop - with the aim of disseminating findings of the research and identifying further concerns that community members had regarding these heavily used technologies. - Mowlabocus was the keynote speaker at the annual gay men's health conference organised in Stockholm by RFSL, one of the oldest LGBT organisations in the world. - In January 2015, Dr Mowlabocus was the lead presenter and a co-facilitator at an MHealth Habitat workshop in Leeds. - In October 2014, Dr Mowlabocus acted as a consultant to the Albert Kennedy Trust. Dr Mowlabocus was able to talk through some of the key principles of digital outreach work and, at the present time, the two parties are in ongoing discussions regarding a future training event for new staff. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Reaching Out Online |
Organisation | University of Sussex |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This pilot project builds upon the CCN+ Expertise and Knowledge scoping study, and develops an existing research relationship between the University of Sussex and the Terrence Higgins Trust (THT), the UK's oldest HIV prevention charity and a member of Health Promotion England (HPE), a newly formed consortium charged with delivering HIV prevention work to targeted 'at-risk' communities. The research speaks to some of the aims of HPE and will help to shape a key element of the intervention strategies being designed to support the health and wellbeing of gay men and men who have sex with men (MSM). Specifically, the research examines the use of online social media tools and platforms by outreach workers during sexual health interventions targeted at gay male and MSM communities. The development of social media platforms has recently contributed to a reframing of health promotion work, particularly where at-risk communities are identified as having particular investments in online social/sexual networking practices. This project feeds into the original scoping study identified above by exploring the methods and consequences of delivering sexual health knowledge and expertise via digital platforms. Follow-on funding was awarded to this CCN+ pilot study in 2014 to undertake targeted dissemination work in order to explore opportunities for knowledge transfer and knowledge exchange. |
Collaborator Contribution | During the course of the research, further funding was secured (from Terrence Higgins Trust) to undertake a complimentary piece of work that focused on MSM4 users of digital media. Terrence Higgins Trust, also secured funding from from the European Centre for Disease Control (€25,000) to undertake a pan-European scoping study that built upon the methodologies employed and findings identified in the Reaching out online. THT's Justin Harbottle Justin acted as the non-HEI project collaborator on this research. He brought to the project a wealth of expertise in the fields of sexual health and online health promotion. He also acted as a liaison between the partner institutions and played a direct role in shaping the research methods and identifying the findings. He was also be responsible for stakeholder recruitment and services buy-in. |
Impact | Multi-disciplinary: Digital media and HIV community outreach. - Final report for the study (reported under 'Publications'), available at http://2plqyp1e0nbi44cllfr7pbor.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/files/2013/07/Reaching-Out-Online-Final-Report.pdf - Final report for the follow-on study available at http://2plqyp1e0nbi44cllfr7pbor.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/files/2014/09/Moving-On-report-MOWLABOCUS.pdf. - Medical Research Council consultancy: As a direct result of the CCN 'Reaching Out Online' pilot study members of the research team have been invited to act as social media experts on the PROUD study. Learning and expertise developed during the pilot project are being drawn upon by the MRC as they develop a strategy for employing social media in their future participant recruitment and ongoing awareness campaign around Preexposure Prophylaxis. Details of the PROUD study are available at http://www.proud.mrc.ac.uk/default.aspx. - Presentation of findings and recommendations made at THT stakeholder seminar (London, 2014). - Oral presentation of findings from the 'reaching Out Online' pilot study at the (AHRC) 'Cultures, Communities and Connections in the HIV Sector' network - 'Virtual HIV Communities' seminar in 2014. - The findings from the CCN 'Reaching Out Online' scoping study have been taken up by Terrence Higgins Trust and used to develop a website that provides three key functions: - A training guide that will provide an effective method for training outreach workers who are new to digital outreach work. - A development tool that will support THT managers in developing new intervention sites online. - A resource portal that outreach workers can utilize when undertaking online outreach work including a monitoring and recording mechanism (replacing an older paper-based solution) that allows workers to record monitoring data at both a quantitative and qualitative level. The website is currently being developed and will be hosted at http://tht.org.uk/netreach. It has been developed in conjunction with the project team and is based solely on the primary research undertaken during this pilot project. - Sharif Mowlabocus, PI of the CCN 'Reaching out Online' study, presented the findings from the CCN funded phase of ROO, together with the THT-funded phase of the project to THT on 13th March 2014. This presentation, at THT's main offices, was attended by over 25 regional and head office stakeholders, included a guided conversation through the key research findings and a tour of the new website. Following on from this information dissemination, health professionals were invited to undertake a training event that helped them to put some of the key findings into practice. It is envisaged that further training events at regional offices will be held in the next 12 months. THT were extremely enthusiastic about the findings and will use the research in their negotiations with clinical commissioning groups and the NHS. The project partner, Terrence Higgins Trust, will benefit from the findings of the Reaching out Online project by being able to use this data in their negotiations with clinical commision bodies and the NHS. - The research findings of the CCN 'Reaching Out Online' pilot study are being used to help Terrence Higgins Trust shape their national policy on developing and maintaining online intervention work. The 'Reaching Out Online' research findings are being used to help Terrence Higgins Trust shape their national policy on developing and maintaining online intervention work. - In total, 12 organisations were invited to engage with the project findings of Reaching out online. These engagements included a series of workshops and discussion forums as well as more formal presentations. The organisations invited to participate were: Brighton & Hove Council; AllSorts (LGBT youth); MindOut LGBT mental health); Broken Rainbow (Domestic Violence & Abuse); Terrence Higgins Trust (Black & Minority Ethnic service users); GiFi - Commercial software development; Projekt - Swedish HIV/AIDS prevention; Albert Kennedy Trust (vulnerable LGBT Youth); Health & Inclusion Project (community research organisation); Birmingham CCG (primary care); Positive East (BME Community); MHealth Habitat. In October 2014, Dr Mowlabocus was presented the project's findings to the staff of GeoSpock in Cambridge, UK. GeoSpock is a technology start-up that has developed a more secure method of using GPS software than that currently used by app developers. Dr Mowlabocus was able to provide GeoSpok with a presentation that matched up the research findings of the original project with some of the aims and objectives of GiFi. Following the meeting, Dr Mowlabocus has acted as a liaison point between GeoSpock and Terrence Higgins Trust, both of whom are now in discussions regarding a possible future collaboration. - Dr Mowlabocus was invited to run two events for Brighton & Hove LGBT Switchboard - one community forum and one service provider workshop - with the aim of disseminating findings of the research and identifying further concerns that community members had regarding these heavily used technologies. - Mowlabocus was the keynote speaker at the annual gay men's health conference organised in Stockholm by RFSL, one of the oldest LGBT organisations in the world. - In January 2015, Dr Mowlabocus was the lead presenter and a co-facilitator at an MHealth Habitat workshop in Leeds. - In October 2014, Dr Mowlabocus acted as a consultant to the Albert Kennedy Trust. Dr Mowlabocus was able to talk through some of the key principles of digital outreach work and, at the present time, the two parties are in ongoing discussions regarding a future training event for new staff. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Rural Crafting Communities in the Digital Age |
Organisation | University of Aberdeen |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Rural Crafting Communities in a Digital Age', a seed project carried out at the dot.rural Digital Economy Hub, University of Aberdeen, was a partnership between dot.rural (Leanne Townsend and Paul Gault), Edinburgh College of Art (Debbie Maxwell), Scottish Sculpture Workshop (Nuno Sacramento), Talk About Local (Mike Rawlins) and Make Aberdeen (now 'Peacock's Digi' of Peacock Visual Arts - Iain Gildea). It supported a group of rurally-based craftspeople and makers in Aberdeenshire to engage with digital technologies in new ways. The following research question was addressed: How can we co-produce digital practices which empower rural craftspeople and promote their professional and creative practices? We engaged with a total of 12 craftspeople over the course of three participatory workshops, using storytelling methods to encourage practitioners to co-produce practice-based narratives and share these with wider audiences online. By the end of the project, our participants had developed the skills to engage with wider networks through Twitter and through creating effective blogs/websites. They had also taken part in a workshop introducing them to digital making tools, during which they produced artefacts relevant to their ongoing practices. |
Collaborator Contribution | University of Aberdeen provided funding at 20%. |
Impact | Academic impact: For the academic researchers on the project, the research brought new insights into the peculiarities of digital engagement for rural craftspeople and makers. We have developed new methodologies for digital engagement, which although developed with and for creative practitioners, might be applicable in other contexts. A storytelling approach can be engaging for people from all walks of life - for example some of the project partners are currently working on a project using storytelling as a route to compiling a community website in a rural village (Storytelling Lumsden). Non-academic impact: Many project participants have now developed websites which they are happy with, and are engaging with broader networks through social media channels such as Twitter and Wordpress: "The Wordpress workshop provided me with new information, courage and confidence to create my own website and realise I can do it on my own". The project brought together members of different practice-based communities into one group: "it's a varied group of different people it's quite interesting to hear from different sides how they would go about doing it, and then put that into practice in your own work." Strong ties have been formed within the group which have led to mutual benefit between members, for example in collaborating in the recent North East Open Studios (NEOS) - for example by sharing venues and exhibiting spaces. These ties are maintained and developed through a Facebook group for participants, which was created by participants after they had the idea at one of the workshops. Our non-academic partners (SSW, Talk About Local and Make Aberdeen) gained a deeper understanding of the ways that social media and digital technologies can support the practices of craftspeople and makers - something that they will use to inform their work with practitioners in the future: "people at the end of [the workshops] were very, very interested. It obviously struck a chord, it's something that's needed in these rural environments, and people are super up for it because they see there is an impact for their work - be it through the selling of jewellery production, or through the engagement with communities further afield." (Nuno Sacramento, SSW). There are other potential stakeholders that would find the process and findings of our work of value, particularly other organisations that seek to support creative industries on a larger scale, such as Creative Scotland and local authority departments supporting the creative sector. We have a number of engagement activities planned with relevant stakeholders from some of these organisations (see Dissemination section). We hope to find routes to impacting policy which at the moment does not adequately emphasise support and training for rural creative industries. - A film about the project is available at https://vimeo.com/140078711. - Final project report published at http://2plqyp1e0nbi44cllfr7pbor.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/files/2013/01/Crafters-Final-Report-reduced-file.pdf |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Sans Duty: Making Tax Visible |
Organisation | Manchester Metropolitan University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The initial aim of the project was to co-produce design fictions with a community to explore near future scenarios where tax is made visible to encourage the payment of tax, to close the tax gap, to engender wealthier and more resilient communities. As the research progressed the focus on developing community-based, practicable components of the tax system was replaced with exploring the potential of design fiction methods for enabling everyday utopian communities, the Brixton Pound local currency community, to enhance and maintain the attempts to organise society otherwise. The research involved hosting an ideation workshop with community members to develop microfictions, the development of a narrative and artefacts, the filming of a speculative documentary, and a final discussion session to explore how these scenarios enabled the community members to think differently about tax. |
Collaborator Contribution | MMU provided funding at 20%. |
Impact | - Final report published at http://2plqyp1e0nbi44cllfr7pbor.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/files/2014/12/CCN-Seed-Fund-Report-Sans-Duty.pdf - The project's primary output is the documentary which can be found at https://goo.gl/te74fU - The project developed a novel methodology: We aimed to produce a 'design fiction documentary', an as-yet unseen format for design fictions. Similarly design fiction has so far not been used as a tool for interrogating and developing insights pertaining to policy. Co-production of design fiction is also a new area. - As well as a series of design fiction workshops, a roundtable discussion was held with key experts in the fields of alternative currencies and design fiction, to build a network around the project and identify the next steps for the project. |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Showcasing global expertise in digital methods for sociocultural research |
Organisation | University of Leeds |
Department | School of Media and Communication |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This project began with an investigation of the state of affairs in mixed methods research being proposed by researchers in response to Big Data. Big Data - a term to describe the extremely large datasets that are being computationally analysed to reveal patterns, trends and associations relating to human behavior - has become pervasive in the study of society these days. In response, some researchers have pushed back on the assumptions and logics underlying Big Data methods for social science research, arguing that such methods do not presuppose the need for smaller, more local analyses, and, in fact, such analyses may even be essential to gaining valuable insights into social behavior and the human experience. The goal of this project was to document the methods of this growing group of researchers who are experimenting with a research practice that makes the most of digital data while retaining the connection to the humans who produce that data. |
Collaborator Contribution | University of Leeds provided funding at 20% |
Impact | - Ford, H., 'The Person in the (Big) Data: A Selection of Innovative Methods, Strategies and Perspectives for Social Research in the Age of (Big) Data.' Working Papers of the Communities & Culture Network+ Vol. 8 (July 2016). |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Showcasing global expertise in digital methods for sociocultural research |
Organisation | University of Leeds |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The aim of this project is to respond to methodological innovations in relation to digital technologies by analysing the key digital methods that are being practiced by researchers in the Culture and Communities Network+ and according to global best case practice, and to build the capacity of those in the Network+ to incorporate such methods in their own work. |
Collaborator Contribution | University of Leeds provided funding at 20% and workshop venues. |
Impact | Project ongoing |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Smart Cities Conference |
Organisation | Research Councils UK (RCUK) |
Department | IT as a Utility Network+ |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Helen Thornham presented the interests of the CCN+ at an event organised by the Digital Economy 'IT as a Utility' Network+. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Social Media and Austerity |
Organisation | MIND (Mental Health Charity) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Mental health communities are feeling the full extent of current austerity measures due to the redistribution of social care services and significant closure of physical community spaces. This results in less provision of ?real world? peer-support initiatives that are known to enhance a greater sense of life satisfaction, social inclusion and belonging (Hodges, 2007). Mental health communities are consequently subject to radical transformation, with social media increasingly recruited to ?fill the gaps? left by reductions in physical community spaces and the support services that can occur within them. This is deemed a more cost effective strategy than traditional face-to-face services (Mental Health Network, 2011). This participatory action research seeks to address the experiences of a vulnerable community in a culture of austerity and will explore the capacity of service users to enhance their mental health by engaging with peer-support practices through social media. It is vital to examine the current experiences of service users as the introduction of social media inevitably changes how people interact with other community members, as well as service providers. This pilot project, in partnership with the mental health charity Mind, will investigate the impact of the charity?s recently launched social media site - Elefriends (www.elefriends.org.uk) - which is dedicated to peer-support in mental health communities. A combination of online posts and interviews with registered members of Elefriends will be analysed. The project will investigate exactly what peer-support means for service users using Elefriends, and will consequently enable a working definition of ?online peer-support? to be developed from one of the first major mental health social media initiatives in the UK. The follow on project sought to develop an innovative approach to online user engagement. An animated storyboard of pilot project findings was produced and posted on Elefriends. Responses were collected to the storyboard from the Elefriends users. This aim was to validate the findings and give the users an opportunity to comment on the overall analysis of the data and the use of the storyboard as a way of disseminating the findings. |
Collaborator Contribution | University of East London provided 20% funding. Mind subcontracted a member of staff (Seaneen Molloy-Vaughan) and also provided access to their web platform 'Elefriends' for the project. |
Impact | Workshop at MindTech, Nottingham University. MindTech are a NIHR Healthcare Technology Co-operative focused on digital mental health initiatives, and includes staff from NHS and academic sectors. MindTech invited us to run a workshop in November 2013, with members of Mind, MindTech and patients. This was part of their public patient involvement activity (PPI). We used the workshop to present the findings, and to discuss the outcomes in terms of methodological contributions to the field.The patients responded positively to the findings, and MindTech staff are interested in using the findings to inform their work on other major digital mental health tools (e.g. BigWhiteWall). We have been invited to a MindTech shared learning workshop in London in January 2015 to advise on a funded evaluation they are conducting on seven Innovation Labs funded digital tools for young people. We are aware that Mind have a new major peer-support programme in planning (supported by 3.2 million Big Lottery Funding). The project findings will be presented to Mind so that they can inform thinking regarding the potential use of online peer support through Elefriends in the Big Lottery programme. The project has facilitated a strong and productive working relationship with Mind, particularly through the 'subcontracting' of Seaneen Molloy-Vaughan, an Elefriends moderator, who was able to very successfully connect us to the Elefriends community through recruitment and user engagement activities, and with Youmee (Mind tech developers) in relation to embedding the informed consent process into the Elefriends site itself. Communication of findings to users of Elefriends. A one-page summary of the research findings was put on Elefriends. This gave the community the opportunity to comment on the research findings (Appendix 2). Users that responded reacted well to summary, agreed with the research findings and were proud to have taken part in the project. Mind are planning future user engagement activities with Elefriends users. We are in discussion with Mind as to how best to incorporate our findings into their on going user engagement programme. The workshops they run are generally outsourced to an external professional workshop organiser and facilitator. The data set: this project has collected a large body of data on Elefriends. The online data amounts to approximately 1.1 million words and although this project was primarily interested in austerity and peer support there is certainly scope for future projects on a range of other topics that could be explored via this data set (e.g. treatment). The animations produced by YooMee. These animations were used to communicate the research to the members of Elefriends and encourage them to take part. (Appendix 1). The animations were translated into a language that is appropriate for Elefriends. The ethics procedure: The project has developed a model for embedding ethical and informed consent procedures into social media sites, which can be used in future projects. Findings presented to Mind through their 'Lunch and Learn' programme (June, 2015) Invited presentation at 'Social Media and Affect' symposium at University of East London (March, 2015) Visit to Datakind, a new charity focused on 'using data for social good' to discuss findings from the project and challenges of conducting digital social research Findings will be disseminated through existing relations with other mental health related digital media projects (e.g. MindTech, Newham NHS Providers' Forum) |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Social Media and Austerity |
Organisation | University of East London |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Mental health communities are feeling the full extent of current austerity measures due to the redistribution of social care services and significant closure of physical community spaces. This results in less provision of ?real world? peer-support initiatives that are known to enhance a greater sense of life satisfaction, social inclusion and belonging (Hodges, 2007). Mental health communities are consequently subject to radical transformation, with social media increasingly recruited to ?fill the gaps? left by reductions in physical community spaces and the support services that can occur within them. This is deemed a more cost effective strategy than traditional face-to-face services (Mental Health Network, 2011). This participatory action research seeks to address the experiences of a vulnerable community in a culture of austerity and will explore the capacity of service users to enhance their mental health by engaging with peer-support practices through social media. It is vital to examine the current experiences of service users as the introduction of social media inevitably changes how people interact with other community members, as well as service providers. This pilot project, in partnership with the mental health charity Mind, will investigate the impact of the charity?s recently launched social media site - Elefriends (www.elefriends.org.uk) - which is dedicated to peer-support in mental health communities. A combination of online posts and interviews with registered members of Elefriends will be analysed. The project will investigate exactly what peer-support means for service users using Elefriends, and will consequently enable a working definition of ?online peer-support? to be developed from one of the first major mental health social media initiatives in the UK. The follow on project sought to develop an innovative approach to online user engagement. An animated storyboard of pilot project findings was produced and posted on Elefriends. Responses were collected to the storyboard from the Elefriends users. This aim was to validate the findings and give the users an opportunity to comment on the overall analysis of the data and the use of the storyboard as a way of disseminating the findings. |
Collaborator Contribution | University of East London provided 20% funding. Mind subcontracted a member of staff (Seaneen Molloy-Vaughan) and also provided access to their web platform 'Elefriends' for the project. |
Impact | Workshop at MindTech, Nottingham University. MindTech are a NIHR Healthcare Technology Co-operative focused on digital mental health initiatives, and includes staff from NHS and academic sectors. MindTech invited us to run a workshop in November 2013, with members of Mind, MindTech and patients. This was part of their public patient involvement activity (PPI). We used the workshop to present the findings, and to discuss the outcomes in terms of methodological contributions to the field.The patients responded positively to the findings, and MindTech staff are interested in using the findings to inform their work on other major digital mental health tools (e.g. BigWhiteWall). We have been invited to a MindTech shared learning workshop in London in January 2015 to advise on a funded evaluation they are conducting on seven Innovation Labs funded digital tools for young people. We are aware that Mind have a new major peer-support programme in planning (supported by 3.2 million Big Lottery Funding). The project findings will be presented to Mind so that they can inform thinking regarding the potential use of online peer support through Elefriends in the Big Lottery programme. The project has facilitated a strong and productive working relationship with Mind, particularly through the 'subcontracting' of Seaneen Molloy-Vaughan, an Elefriends moderator, who was able to very successfully connect us to the Elefriends community through recruitment and user engagement activities, and with Youmee (Mind tech developers) in relation to embedding the informed consent process into the Elefriends site itself. Communication of findings to users of Elefriends. A one-page summary of the research findings was put on Elefriends. This gave the community the opportunity to comment on the research findings (Appendix 2). Users that responded reacted well to summary, agreed with the research findings and were proud to have taken part in the project. Mind are planning future user engagement activities with Elefriends users. We are in discussion with Mind as to how best to incorporate our findings into their on going user engagement programme. The workshops they run are generally outsourced to an external professional workshop organiser and facilitator. The data set: this project has collected a large body of data on Elefriends. The online data amounts to approximately 1.1 million words and although this project was primarily interested in austerity and peer support there is certainly scope for future projects on a range of other topics that could be explored via this data set (e.g. treatment). The animations produced by YooMee. These animations were used to communicate the research to the members of Elefriends and encourage them to take part. (Appendix 1). The animations were translated into a language that is appropriate for Elefriends. The ethics procedure: The project has developed a model for embedding ethical and informed consent procedures into social media sites, which can be used in future projects. Findings presented to Mind through their 'Lunch and Learn' programme (June, 2015) Invited presentation at 'Social Media and Affect' symposium at University of East London (March, 2015) Visit to Datakind, a new charity focused on 'using data for social good' to discuss findings from the project and challenges of conducting digital social research Findings will be disseminated through existing relations with other mental health related digital media projects (e.g. MindTech, Newham NHS Providers' Forum) |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Social Media and Community Volunteering |
Organisation | Canterbury Christ Church University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This seed project aimed to explore to what extent the transformative potentials of digital technologies, in particular social media, are being realised in relation to community volunteering. The project was funded by the Communities and Culture Network+ and Canterbury and Herne Bay Volunteer Centre was a project partner. The research explored how small non-profit organisations in the case study area of Canterbury district used social media for volunteering as well as how they have adopted the tools in general. The project also examined how audiences interpreted social media content about community volunteering. |
Collaborator Contribution | Provided funding at 20%. |
Impact | - Seed project final report published at http://2plqyp1e0nbi44cllfr7pbor.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/files/2014/08/Social-media-and-community-volunteering-Final-report.pdf - CCN+ follow-on funding awarded to develop this project. - Follow-on project final report published at http://2plqyp1e0nbi44cllfr7pbor.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/files/2013/01/Social-media-and-small-npos-Final-report.pdf - Policy report published at http://2plqyp1e0nbi44cllfr7pbor.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/files/2013/01/Social-media-and-small-nonprofits-policy-report.pdf Impact of the project has been mainly limited to the project workshop so far as the empirical analysis has just been completed. The workshop, which was attended by 26 organisations, included presentations from small non-profit organisations as well as their stakeholders about their experiences with and views about social media adoption. It also provided a forum to disseminate initial findings of the project and discuss opportunities as well as issues around social media use in small non-profit organisations. The workshop included activities around identifying and ranking support mechanisms and policy initiatives in relation to social media adoption in the third sector. At the end of the event 94% of participants agreed that the content was relevant, 83% said that they were likely to adapt ideas from the workshop in their organisation, and 88% said that they would like to attend similar workshops in the future. Qualitative feedback from the workshop included: "Thank-you for allowing me to enhance my knowledge around social media. This has enabled me to have an informed decision regarding how we promote social media in our organisation in the future. I walked in this morning with reservations about social media and will walk away converted to the benefits so thank-you!" (Workshop delegate) "This is a great resource for small organisations. It's accessible and the content was very relevant." (Workshop delegate) "Very informative and prompted some good discussion." (Workshop delegate) Developing impact is key in taking the study forward. There are two immediate plans. First, the PI is developing a KE project that aims to develop support for small non-profit organisations in relation to social media adoption. Building on findings of this project it will co-design with relevant stakeholders support mechanisms that were identified as most useful and monitor their effectiveness. The KE project, which will be supported by the Centre for Research on Communities and Cultures at the School of Media, Art and Design, Canterbury Christ Church University, aims to develop the impact of the study by informing and enabling organisations in the third sector. Second, the project findings are informing the design of another study the PI is embarking on about local communication and news online. A strand of this research is exploring local communication in relation to third sector organisations in the community and this will build on some of the findings of the project. Apart from these two immediate next steps the PI also aims to develop a next phase for the study which would explore tensions around and the hybrid nature of social media use in the third sector. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | StoryStorm |
Organisation | University of Dundee |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The Network+ is funding a £15k network which will aim to explore and critically engage with storytelling in order to identify how new configurations of narrative, memory, identity, expertise and through this, understandings of cultural heritage, everyday life, business and society are being shaped by digital technology. One of the main outputs for this network is to create method cards in order to provide the Network+ with a strategic guide and resource for ensuring that the open call networks and projects productively feed back into the Network+ as captured creative stories. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Storytelling for Development |
Organisation | University of Surrey |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The starting point for the project was a challenge and opportunity related to participatory design of the built environment. In a recent report on architecture and planning in the UK created by project partners Farrells architect planners, current design processes were criticised for not being participatory enough in representing the needs and aspirations of local residents, or respecting the history and cultural heritage of areas subject to re---development. The research team aimed to take a more holistic view of places and their identities and to draw on knowledge of the past in planning for the future, using digital storytelling as an empowering and pro---active method of community engagement in the planning process for urban redesign. Within the above context, we aimed to help communities and architects to tell and exchange stories about the past, present and future of an urban neighbourhood. We address two research questions: 1. What is the role of digital storytelling in community engagement for urban development? 2. What is the value of past, present and future stories in urban design? |
Collaborator Contribution | University of Surrey provided 20% funding. Lambeth Council and Farrell's architect planners also contributed to the study, taking part in workshops and events and providing feedback. |
Impact | Multidiciplinary: Digital technology, Architecture, Planning, Social Science. The Storytelling for Development project has concluded with the generation of all five of the originally planned outputs and significant insight into the two research questions. Project partners have worked closely together to meet the project aims and objectives, although discrepancies between the priorities of each partner organisation have led to some unexpected shifts in procedures and methods. The project generated a corpus of digital stories that slightly exceeded our target and provided substance for a thorough analysis of demographics and content. This rich set of findings can steer future projects seeking to use digital storytelling in the context of urban redevelopment. Other outputs: - Final report published at http://2plqyp1e0nbi44cllfr7pbor.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/files/2013/01/SfD-Final-Report.pdf. - Digital Storytelling Project Exhibition, 29 July, 2015 - Workshops with Farrells, 20th July 2015 - Reflective workshop for all project partners, 29 July 2015 - Digital story corpus at https://vimeo.com/album/3498319 |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Strategic Advisory Group Member for the AHRC Connected Communities Theme |
Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | - Strategic Advisory Group Member for the AHRC Connected Communities Theme (2013-16) |
Collaborator Contribution | - Strategic Advisory Group Member for the AHRC Connected Communities Theme (2013-16) |
Impact | ? |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Studio12 |
Organisation | Left Eye Blind |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | CCN+ Research Fellow Edgar Gómez Cruz is developing a collaborative project with Leeds-based organization Studio12. Studio12 provides free access to a production studio, training, accredited qualifications and professional guidance in design, music, video and media arts, for Leeds residents aged 16-30. Together with Edgar they intend to engage schools, NGOs and social organisations in a practical workshop on how to create small video-pieces. The resulting works will be used to create a map of Leeds voices . Alongside these activities Edgar will be developing his own ethnographic study into how young people learn, engage, develop, use and integrate digital technologies into their everyday practices, especially those related to creativity and audio-visual production. The collaboration will facilitate a study into how young people learn, engage, develop, use and integrate digital technologies in everyday practices. It has the potential to illuminate how digital culture is shaping and being shaped by everyday practices and may help us to understand how practices of looking, politics of vision and creative production of media can (or not) be vehicles for the development of citizenship, participation and democracy. |
Collaborator Contribution | Studio12 ran the 'Writing Britain' project and 'MyMap Leeds' in collaboration with Edgar Gomez Cruz, Leeds City Council and Left Eye Blind, providing venue, resources, mentoring and expertise. For the 'Writing Britain' project, fifteen young writers were given the opportunity to learn about filmmaking and create their own short films reflecting their aspirations and time growing up in Leeds. Three were then selected to be produced to industry standard. Expert movie production company Left Eye Blind provided equipment and expertise to help film, edit, produce and screen the films. |
Impact | Three 'Writing Britain' films, now available on the BBC Fresh website. Documentary on the making of 'Writing Britain' Public screening of these films at the Everyman Cinema, Leeds. MyMap Leeds touchscreen device. Launch of Leeds Libraries #whatsyourstory campaign (to raise awareness of its varied services) based on the experiences of residents including Ma Maposa (one of the 'Writing Britain' filmmakers). Ma Maposa subsequently created his own YouTube channel, which led to his own media production company and record label, BigOnRoad. Ma Maposa developed and managed Undiscovered: Leeds - a music competition in conjunction with Leeds University. Ma Maposa created, and successfully sold, his own mobile app, and is currently in pre-production for a film that he's written and produced himself. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Studio12 |
Organisation | Studio12 |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | CCN+ Research Fellow Edgar Gómez Cruz is developing a collaborative project with Leeds-based organization Studio12. Studio12 provides free access to a production studio, training, accredited qualifications and professional guidance in design, music, video and media arts, for Leeds residents aged 16-30. Together with Edgar they intend to engage schools, NGOs and social organisations in a practical workshop on how to create small video-pieces. The resulting works will be used to create a map of Leeds voices . Alongside these activities Edgar will be developing his own ethnographic study into how young people learn, engage, develop, use and integrate digital technologies into their everyday practices, especially those related to creativity and audio-visual production. The collaboration will facilitate a study into how young people learn, engage, develop, use and integrate digital technologies in everyday practices. It has the potential to illuminate how digital culture is shaping and being shaped by everyday practices and may help us to understand how practices of looking, politics of vision and creative production of media can (or not) be vehicles for the development of citizenship, participation and democracy. |
Collaborator Contribution | Studio12 ran the 'Writing Britain' project and 'MyMap Leeds' in collaboration with Edgar Gomez Cruz, Leeds City Council and Left Eye Blind, providing venue, resources, mentoring and expertise. For the 'Writing Britain' project, fifteen young writers were given the opportunity to learn about filmmaking and create their own short films reflecting their aspirations and time growing up in Leeds. Three were then selected to be produced to industry standard. Expert movie production company Left Eye Blind provided equipment and expertise to help film, edit, produce and screen the films. |
Impact | Three 'Writing Britain' films, now available on the BBC Fresh website. Documentary on the making of 'Writing Britain' Public screening of these films at the Everyman Cinema, Leeds. MyMap Leeds touchscreen device. Launch of Leeds Libraries #whatsyourstory campaign (to raise awareness of its varied services) based on the experiences of residents including Ma Maposa (one of the 'Writing Britain' filmmakers). Ma Maposa subsequently created his own YouTube channel, which led to his own media production company and record label, BigOnRoad. Ma Maposa developed and managed Undiscovered: Leeds - a music competition in conjunction with Leeds University. Ma Maposa created, and successfully sold, his own mobile app, and is currently in pre-production for a film that he's written and produced himself. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Sustaining Networked Knowledge |
Organisation | University of Sussex |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The Network+ is funding a £20k network which will look at how digital media can be used to enhance sustainability and to move from access to sustainability in order to stimulate new forms of engagement and to develop a flexible template for networked knowledge production. Two of the key outputs are to build (1) a digital media infrastructure for open ended participation (2) A open toolkit for sustainability. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Teacher Professional Learning Networks and the ?politics of circulation? |
Organisation | University of Brighton |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This pilot project will develop an interdisciplinary, critical investigation of one facet of the digital transformation of communities and cultures: the growth of social-media-based Professional Learning Networks (PLNs). It will focus on school education professionals (teachers, teacher educators and leaders) and on networks motivated by concerns for comprehensive, equitable, research-informed schooling provision and practices. |
Collaborator Contribution | University of Brighton contributed funding at 20%. |
Impact | Impact: As a pilot, investigatory study it is difficult to quantify impact beyond our immediate professional learning networks at the moment. We continue to analyse findings and will disseminate them as suggested below. However, it is already clear that there is a need for teacher education to address more explicitly how to develop positive online media profiles and PLNs rather than (as now) emphasizing the dangers of social media and individual responsibility for privacy. We will therefore engage with our colleagues in the SoE to build this element into our programme provision, and subsequently with other schools of education / teacher education providers and training professionals in youth and social work. Dissemination: Our findings will be useful to a range of groups and individuals. In the first instance we will address our immediate, local networks and consider strategies for our own work in the UoB and making better use of social media networks. Our findings will be written up as a blog entry for the Education Research Centre blog edres.info. We also intend to disseminate our findings at conferences: we will submit an abstract for the 7th Critical perspectives on professional learning conference to be held in Leeds in June 2015, as well as to the BERA and UCET 2015 conferences, as well as via articles for academic journals. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | The Birmingham Surrealist Laboratory |
Organisation | University of Birmingham |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | The Birmingham Surrealist Laboratory is the first stage of a feasibility study for a heritage space dedicated to the Birmingham Surrealist Movement (1930s-1950s). The seed-funded experimental project aims to investigate the ways in which new digital facilities can help unlock complex issues of cultural heritage and cultural sensitivity in a diverse city. This seed project will uses multi-touch digital facilities at the Digital Humanities Hub, University of Birmingham, to test the ways in which Surrealism translates to multi-cultural community groups recruited from Balsall Heath, the proposed site of a dedicated surrealist heritage museum. Birmingham Surrealist Laboratory will host two workshops with surrealist materials which can be thematically or visually grouped by participants in myriad ways. Interactive elements will be combined with information on surrealism and how the concept has been explored in different artistic mediums and cultural contexts. Informing innovative issues of cultural education and the avant-garde in a diverse city, the project data will also feed into wider research on how participants map meaning from digital interfaces in heritage and museum spaces. It builds upon existing community relationships developed as part of Cultural Intermediation [AH/J005320/1] and the Balsall Heath Biennale (see Section B.2 Glossary). Culminating in a roundtable format discussion, it will draw community participants, cultural sector workers and multi-disciplinary academics to ask new research questions on complex issues of cultural transmission and cultural sensitivity in the legacy of Surrealism in Birmingham, and its wider global movements. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | The Multisensory Archive as an Ethnographic Research Method |
Organisation | University of Leeds |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Funding for this CCN+ seed project at £3950 (fEC). |
Collaborator Contribution | 20 percent of fEC. PI's research time on the project given in kind. Access to facilities/resources. |
Impact | Multi-disciplinary - digital/ethnography/arts and culture - The multisensory archive is publicly accessible here: http://tomjackson.photography/interactive/templeworks/ - This is a direct link to a space with 360° audio: tomjackson.photography/interactive/templeworks?loc=mainspace - Final report for the project published at http://2plqyp1e0nbi44cllfr7pbor.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/files/2013/01/CCN-Final-Report-Tom-Jackson.pdf - Conference presentations: Jackson, T. 2015. Multisensory and Participatory Archives: Embodiment, Spatiality and the Collaborative Construction of Memories In: Sensory Cartographies University of Greenwich. Jackson, T. 2016. The Multisensory Virtual Archive: Embodied, Spatial and Participatory Methods for the Collaborative Construction of Ethnographic Knowledge. University of Glasgow. Jackson, T. 2016. Materiality in sound and listening. University of Leeds. Jackson, T. [Forthcoming]. The role of multisensory, embodied and participatory media in the production and dissemination of ethnographic knowledge In: Visualizing futures: audio-visual practices for a contemporary anthropology. University of Milano-Bicocca. - EVENT: In June 2016, Yoko Akama (Associate Professor, RMIT University, Melbourne) visited Temple Works to host a workshop on the theme of 'uncertainty'. Dr. Helen Thornham (Principal Investigator of the CCN+), Dr. Edgar Gómez Cruz (Research Fellow of the CCN+) and I co-hosted the event, demonstrating a shared interest in Temple Works as a locus of academic research. - ARTIST RESIDENCY: The virtual archive project not only contributed to academic research but also served as an invaluable tool in promoting the use of Temple Works (helping to generate revenue important to the survival of the cultural project). Having made such a strong contribution to Temple Works, the PI of this project was offered the position of 'artist in residence'. This priviliged position not only made it possible to offer further contributions to the cultural project but also granted ongoing access to the site, essential to the success of the ethnographic research project. - POLICY INFLUENCE: The virtual archive created during this pilot study has been invaluable in informing decisions related to the proposed sale and regeneration of the Temple Works site. Leeds City Council, the Temple Works cultural project and commercial investors have used the project in developing a strategy for the future of the site. As the changes in ownership and plans for the future are negotiated, the project has offered a critical perspective on the cultural value of spaces like Temple Works (and the impact any redevelopment might have on it). Significant weight has been added to the argument that the regeneration should be sympathetic to the current sensory experience of the site. - ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES: In September 2015, the virtual archive project was selected for exhibition at the Digital Design Weekend at the V&A. This high profile event allowed the project to be demonstrated to academic colleagues, industry practitioners and the general public. Over 9,000 visitors attended over two days. Not only did this event generate increased academic interest in the project, raise the profile of the CCN+ and result in the submission of a large cross-university research funding application, it also illustrated that the project is relatable for a broad audience. The project was regularly shown at 'heritage open days' at Temple Works. These events primarily attracted historians, local artists and people who used to be employed at Temple Works (typically when it was a distribution centre for Kays Catalogue). Interestingly, the historians tended to view the project as an archive, the artists tended to focus on its aesthetic qualities and materiality and the employees were interested in using the project as a method for accessing the past. In June 2016, an exhibition of projects created at Temple Works is being held at Leeds Central Library as a legacy of the cultural project. With funding from Leeds City Council and the support of many previous 'artists in residence', the exhibition hopes to celebrate the contribution that the project made to the creative and cultural community of South Leeds. |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | The role of digital technologies in social research in the UK |
Organisation | University of Leicester |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This pilot study explores the employment of digital tools, resources and services by the social research community in the UK and from the stage of designing the research through to data collection and dissemination of results. It examines ongoing and prospective patterns of use of digital technologies in research contexts (e.g. complexity, multiplicity, duration//research timing etc) and sheds light on associated skills and capacity challenges. In departing from techno-deterministic approaches, it maps out the actual, claimed and potential role of digital technologies in social research so as to offer a critical assessment of the existing and potential innovation pathways signalled by the employment of digital technologies in social research, especially in relation to the development of a digital research culture and the subsequent rise of a digital research community. |
Collaborator Contribution | University of Leicester provided funding at 20%. |
Impact | Final report published at http://2plqyp1e0nbi44cllfr7pbor.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/files/2014/07/Project-Report_Tsatsou.pdf. Impact Overall, this study offers findings and insights that could usefully pave the way for a larger scale examination of the employment of digital technologies and tools in social research in the UK. Notwithstanding of the seed nature of the study, one could argue that: 1. The study sheds some light on the use of digital technologies in social research and highlights the parameters of complexity (e.g., level and quality of technology and/or its use); multiplicity (e.g., single or multiple technologies and/or uses); research timing (e.g., when technologies are used in the multi-staged research process); literacy (e.g., researchers' digital skills as well as the availability of associated resources and support); and the importance of technology for the impact, inter-disciplinarity and future prospects of research. This way, the study can inform the broader social research community in the country and trigger reflections on the rise of a digital research community with a distinct research culture. The findings could constitute the ground for conversations between researchers, research funders and technology experts on existing patterns of use of digital technologies in social research and associated opportunities and challenges. 2. The study offers insights into past 'failures' and current insufficiencies, pointing to lessons for researchers in the country. These are lessons such as: o the need to consult with other researchers and the broader scholarly community within and outside strict disciplinary boundaries in order to exchange knowledge and learn from each other's experiences; o the value of considering the needs and culture of the broader (non-scholarly) community and the 'target audience' of the research in order to develop a better understanding of how to best communicate research through technological means; o the importance of providing funders, research institutions and universities with recommendations on research capacity development and associated training and support provision. 3. This study provides universities and research institutions in the UK with feedback on the need for bespoke support and for a departure from the currently generic and 'one-size-fits-all' training provision. The study also points to the need for research institutions to conduct awareness-raising initiatives that will inform the research community on innovative research in general and on the benefits that come from the employment of digital technologies in research in particular. Dissemination The findings of the study will be disseminated through various means and activities in order to inform the broader research community in the UK as well as to pave the way for a follow-up, larger scale study. Specifically, the present report will be disseminated to the broader research community in the UK through the Joint Information Systems Committee, the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM). The preliminary results of the study were presented at the European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA) Fifth European Communication Conference in Lisbon (12-15 November 2014) and at the Communities and Culture Network+ (CCN+) annual event at the University of Leeds (12-13 December 2014), while a line-up of conference and workshop presentations is being planned for 2015. The study will lead to the production of three peer-reviewed journal articles (journals under consideration: Information, Communication & Society; International Journal of Social Research Methodology; New Media & Society; Qualitative Research; Studies in Qualitative Methodology). Also, the findings of the study will be presented and discussed at a dissemination and engagement workshop in autumn 2015 that will involve members of the social research community, funding bodies and technology experts. |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | Trajectories to Community Engagement |
Organisation | University of Brighton |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This project will investigate what motivations exist at a local community level for older people to engage with online communities and consider the on-going effect on local community involvement. We aim to provide rich descriptions of trajectories into and between offline and online communities. This pilot project will directly contribute to our understanding of the impact of digital technologies on community, in line with the goals of the Communities and Culture Network+. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | UP London Urban Prototyping Event |
Organisation | Imperial College London |
Department | Sustainable Society Network+ |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Helen Thornham and Edgar Gómez Cruz attended the UP London Hackathon, organised by the Digital Economy Sustainable Society and NEMODE Networks, on the 19th-21st April. As well as interviewing several of the participants they were able to identify a connected project around innovation. Edgar and Helen now plan to work together with the other DE Networks and to follow the progress of the successful winners of the event over the next 12 months, as they develop their prototype. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | UP London Urban Prototyping Event |
Organisation | Research Councils UK (RCUK) |
Department | NEMODE Network+ |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Helen Thornham and Edgar Gómez Cruz attended the UP London Hackathon, organised by the Digital Economy Sustainable Society and NEMODE Networks, on the 19th-21st April. As well as interviewing several of the participants they were able to identify a connected project around innovation. Edgar and Helen now plan to work together with the other DE Networks and to follow the progress of the successful winners of the event over the next 12 months, as they develop their prototype. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Visiting Fellow: Jenny Reardon |
Organisation | University of California, Santa Cruz |
Department | Science and Justice Research Centre |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Jenny Reardon (Santa Cruz, Science and Justice/Centre for Consciousness) took up a Visiting Fellowship at the School fo Media, Film & Music, University of Sussex as part of a project on science and technological community. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Visiting Scholar: Toni Roig |
Organisation | Open University of Catalonia |
Country | Spain |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Visiting Scholar: Toni Roig, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya. Toni Roig?s projects explore community film making and crowd sourcing. He was Visiting fellow at School of Media, Film and Music, Centre for Material Digital Culture, Sussex. Now exploring an Erasmus exchange to continue work. During this time he gave an Open Seminar at Sussex, hosted by the School of Media, Film and Music, exploring ?Participatory filmmaking as media practice? (October 2013). Respondent was Dr. Kate O?Riordan, SusNet chair. Roig also presented to the Sussex MFM Open Practice Research Group: paper on participatory transmedia narratives (October 2013) hosted by Faculty Associate and AHRC workshop PI, Cecile Chevalier. Toni attended the CCN+ annual event in September 2013 and contributed to discussion sessions. |
Start Year | 2013 |
Title | Everyday Growing Cultures Toolkit |
Description | As part of our project we built a toolkit that highlights some of the practical steps we took to undertake our work. For example, the toolkit explains how we used the Freedom of Information Act to collect data for allotments across the UK. At a more local level, if you are interested in setting up a growing project on a plot of unused land in your neighbourhood, how you might go about finding out who owns the land. And then, how you could start sharing your vision with others. Please see the full set of options in the top right corner. Although the toolkit is presented in a sequence, in principle assuming you may want to start from scratch (getting started), this may not be true for everybody or may only be true for a few people. In fact, we suspect most people may only be interested in sections of this toolkit. That's fine. It's up to you how you use it. We hope it is useful and are interested in hearing how you've used it. So please let us know by getting in touch with us or by filling out the form below. If you have suggestions about how we might improve this toolkit, we'd love to hear about that too! |
Type Of Technology | Webtool/Application |
Year Produced | 2014 |
Impact | n/a |
Title | Virtual Museum Models |
Description | The 'Creating a Virtual Museum' project produced a virtual reality (VR) model of the Museum of English Rural Life (MERL), including a number of objects from the museum collections with additional information accessible from within the model. The digital technologies employed were restricted to relatively user-friendly and cost-effective software and hardware to investigate the feasibility of this process for non-experts such as museum staff. Three key techniques were used to create the shape of the model (known as its mesh): photogrammetry using digital cameras; laser measurement photogrammetry using an iPad and a Structure Sensor; and architectural drawing. The majority of the MERL buildings were modelled along with nine objects. These ranged in size, shape and materials to test the digital scanning technologies. |
Type Of Technology | New/Improved Technique/Technology |
Year Produced | 2015 |
Impact | Revizto, the software used to bring together the various parts of the model (architecture, objects and additional information) and make it navigable, heard of the project through Twitter and contacted IE to write a case study and suggest ways the software could be developed to suit this type of application. The context for the case study was the re-purposing of the software from a building information management tool, to a visitor experience. This went live on their website (https://revizto.com/en/blog/entry/university-of-reading-merl) in October 2015. |
URL | https://revizto.com/en/blog/entry/university-of-reading-merl |
Description | "Beyond clicks", a framework to study digital media practices: two ethnographic examples. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Thornham, H. y Gómez Cruz, E. (2013). "Beyond clicks", a framework to study digital media practices: two ethnographic examples. MeCCSA Conference. Spaces & Places of Culture. Derry-Londonderry, Reino Unido. ? |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | 'Expertise' Workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | workshop facilitator |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | A day-long workshop and symposium exploring Expertise and Digital Transformations. Part a series of activities designed to better understand what skills, knowledge, and competencies, cultural organizations and communities need to enable fuller and more autonomous engagements with digital media. The workshop included consideration of different understandings of expertise and its operation in various contexts. Participants included academic researchers from multiple disciplines, practitioners working with digital culture and heritage and community organizations, and doctoral students working with media arts practice. Developed and informed central themes of this scoping study and fed into the final report, which was, in turn, used to develop CCN+ funding calls. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
URL | http://www.communitiesandculture.org/projects/outputs/ |
Description | 'Heat or Eat' Stakeholder Event |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | A stakeholder workshop for the pilot study 'Heat or Eat: Food and Austerity in Rural England' was held on the 21st July 2015, with attendees from a variety of sectors including independent governmental, third and private sector organisations. The findings were well received and participants made several points about the value of the research most notably: - The usefulness of the 'heat or eat' concept, in terms of highlighting the stark choices people faced regarding these two distinct commodities on a day to day basis, and communicating results to policy makers - The importance of the 'lived experience' dimension of our research - The importance of continuing this research agenda We will also promote findings on social media. Stakeholders involved in the research will receive a summary of the research findings. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | 'Local, local plates, local people' |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | In support of participant's aspiration to make food a community asset rather than individual privilege, funding was obtained to host a food festival in the local community. Part of the AHRC Connected Communities festival, the food festival was part of a two day event linking health and food. The event entitled 'Local, local plates, local people', drew on the pot making traditions of the area to make connections between local people and their food. Prior to the festival, workshops were held in various locations and with local community groups, encouraging people to share their experiences of food and using this as inspiration to decorate their own plates. The technical team behind the Keele Active Virtual Environment (KAVE) created a 3D installation of the plates, combining images with songs, voices and discussion from the workshops. A version of this is now available on line as an interactive game see: http://www.keele.ac.uk/pharm-docs/platesWebBuild.html. The food festival attracted 600 guests and activities included: • Community chef providing cooking demonstrations on the theme of cooking on a budget • Stand and information from the local food bank • Vegetable puppet making • Demonstrations from a community bread making project, fruit pressing, smoothie making, porridge project, allotment society etc. For a press release about the event please see: http://www.keele.ac.uk/pressreleases/2015/localfoodlocalplateslocalpeople.html The event was also recorded on Storify, see: https://storify.com/KeeleMngtSchool/local-food-local-plates-local-people |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.keele.ac.uk/casic/connectedcommunitiesfestival/foodfestival/ |
Description | 'No such thing as community': mapping discourses of digital transformation and expectation in the cultural and civic spaces of Leeds |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | MECCSA Conference n/a |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | A Manifesto for Expertise |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | keynote/invited speaker |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Presentation to AHRC Digital Transformation Network Symposium, UCL, (June 2012). This workshop asked: How can we use digital tools to explore knowledge in new ways, and translate ideas and materials into digital arenas in order to gain new understandings? How can communities of digital participants transform their own learning, and that of others? What are the uses and implications of this for museums, schools, and universities? How can learning in the arts and humanities be enhanced by online creative participation? This workshop stimulated connections and collaborations which resulted in further successful grants |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
Description | Accessing and Using Big Data to Advance Social Science Knowledge |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Workshop at the Oxford Internet Institute, Oxford, March 2013. ? |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Age UK Brighton and Hove AGM |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
Results and Impact | The 'Trajectories to Community Engagement' team were invited to speak at Age UK Brighton and Hove's AGM as part of their Seminar Programme (15th October, 2013). This was attended by representatives from other major charities and community organisations within the area as well as commissioners from Brighton and Hove City Council. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Ageing and Online Community |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Harley D., Harris, E., & Howland, K. (2013) 'Ageing and Online Community' Presentation for the Age and Ageing Research Group at the University of Brighton, 28th November, 2013. . |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Anthropology and Photography 2014 conference (British Museum, 29th-31st May). |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Edgar Gómez Cruz delivered the paper 'Trajectories: Gathering digital/visual data on the move' as part of the panel 'Relational resolutions: The role of digital images in ethnographic fieldwork' at the Anthropology and Photography 2014 conference (British Museum, 29th-31st May). This panel sought to explore digital imaging methods as immediate and dialogical processes in data generation in a fieldwork context, and how digital image-making technologies impact on photographic theory in anthropology. Gomez' paper presented the concept of Trajectory looks to grasp these elements in a single theoretical standpoint. It is intended to establish a dialogue with the flâneur in De Certeau's and Benjamin's work and with some current approaches to visual/digital ethnography, especially those related to movement and senses (i.e. Sarah Pink's work). At the same time, it looks to account for the material infrastructures where many social interactions take place. The paper will present two ethnographic fieldworks as examples of the use of the concept; one about supermarket trolleys in Barcelona, and one on Urban Screen in multiple settings. Ultimately, the paper intents to be the beginning of a dialogue about the use of the concept Trajectories in ethnographic research. Ultimately, the paper intents to be the beginning of a dialogue about the use of the concept Trajectories in ethnographic research. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Being Visible: Feminism, Art & the Internet |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Caroline Bassett was guest speaker/panelist, Institute of Contemporary Arts, Salon exploring digital transformation and feminist art. Event Title: 'Being Visible: Feminism, Art & the Internet' (January 10th, 2014). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Big data analytics: reflections from the social science/humanities |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | School of Computing, University of Leeds, invited seminar presentation. ? |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Biodigital Paradoxes (symptoms of the biodigital) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Kate O'Riordan presented the CCN+ SusNet network project at the Ecosex Symposium in Colchester, in July 2013. The presentation linked questions about sustaining knowledge in feminist art and activism and with work on emerging technologies. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Building an 'Autobiography of Dundee' |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Dundee's submission to be UK City of Culture 2017 included a commitment to create an 'autobiography of the city'. Now the CCN+ Storystorm network, led by the University of Dundee is to start telling Dundee's story. A workshop featuring experts from across the UK will be held in Dundee Contemporary Arts on Thursday November 28th and is inviting contributions from everyone from designers and architects to collectors of Dundee `stuff' and those who simply have a story to tell about the city. This workshop will explore the role of storytelling methods in developing, capturing and replaying the significant narratives of a city, its past and future vision.The day will include presentations, workshops and an opportunity to create teams to further develop the project. Speakers at the event will include: Matt Locke (Channel 4, BBC, Storythings) Nick Taylor (Dundee Fellow, Bespoke) Rod Gordon (McManus Gallery, Dundee's Oral History Project) Gillian Easson (Creative Dundee). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | CCN+ February Symposium |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | Representatives from the first round of funded pilot projects and networks met with CCN+ Investigators at the University of Sussex in February for a symposium event at which they presented their projects and discussed research aims. CCN+ Investigators also gave presentations on their scoping studies. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
URL | http://www.communitiesandculture.org/projects/outputs/ |
Description | Chairing of the Panel: Expertise with/in Digital Media at the World Social Science Forum. Social Transformations in the Digital Age |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Chairing of the Panel: Expertise with/in Digital Media at the World Social Science Forum. Social Transformations in the Digital Age. Montreal, Canada, Oct. 2013. The panel will continue the discussions started on the Expertise Workshop (organized by The University of Sussex) and it will be the base for a special issue of the journal Convergence that the Network will edit (to be published in 2015). The panel will continue the discussions started on the Expertise Workshop (organized by The University of Sussex) and it will be the base for a special issue of the journal Convergence that the Network will edit (to be published in 2015). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Citizen-D |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | workshop facilitator |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | Investigators of funded CCN+ projects (speakers at the event) provided feedback on their experience of working with the network and discussed possible policy interventions with other participants. Several projects applied for follow-on funding and three were successful. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.communitiesandculture.org/annual-event-2015/ |
Description | Civil society alternatives to a debt economy |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Participants in your research and patient groups |
Results and Impact | The Knowledge Exchange workshops, which took place in Manchester and London, facilitated key engagements between project members, participants, other academics and new actors. These Collaborative Encounter events experimented with the co-creation of knowledge as a means of evaluating the potential of digital communities to enable and enact socio-cultural and/or political change. Prior to the workshop each participant was asked to provide written comment on three key questions: Who are the indebted? What needs to change? How do we bring about this change? These questions sought to stimulate participants into thinking in advance about the key issues surrounding debt, and to highlight key forms of specialist knowledge. Throughout the day participants made posters and commented on those made by others. The use of posters provided a visual way to represent the key issues and topics on the workshop agenda. In doing so tried to facilitate new ways, and always in conversation with research partners, how and when social research can be culturally and socially transformative. Many workshop participants noted it would be useful to create a digital space for these types of interactions. In response the project team uploaded key texts, anonymized, and work products were posted as blog (http://alternatives2debteconomy.tumblr.com/). Key impacts from these events were the forging and fostering of important working relationships within the Knowledge Exchange network. Different actors in the space of campaigning against debt or financial inclusion, they came together to meet and discuss how to shape wider political engagement. Therefore, these workshops became - through the actions of the participants themselves - a major contribution to the fostering of relationships between the network of actors, through multiple organisations, to work toward the a common goal. One example, is the key relationship created at Collaborative Encounters workshop with Debt Resistance UK, which led to participants contributing chapters to forthcoming Debt Resistors User Manuel UK. Another key impact-related events from this project emerged when network actors contributed to call for evidence by the Financial Conduct Authority on the cap on the cost of credit. In turn, these contributions was debated in the series of blogs based around the project. Interviews with press media that were in turn informed about the Knowledge Exchange and the wider project, including Bloomberg, The Independent, The Guardian and Radio 4. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Code (pleasure), Gender (politics), and Digital (art) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Caroline Bassett delivered a talk at the Begleitendes Seminar zur Ringvorlesung Kunst under Gender - Aktuelle Feministische Perspektiven - in Berlin. See the series website for further details: http://www.fakultaetnull.org/regular-events/begleitendes-seminar-zur-ringvorlesung-kunst-und-gender-aktuelle-feministische-perspektiven/. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
URL | http://www.fakultaetnull.org/regular-events/begleitendes-seminar-zur-ringvorlesung-kunst-und-gender-... |
Description | Coded Words: Expertise and Imagination in Computational Times |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Keynote, Higher Education Academy Discipline Workshop and Seminar Series, Conference: E-Reading between the lines: 21st Century Literature, digital platforms and literacies. Summer 2013. Brighton. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
URL | http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/events/detail/2013/Seminars/Disciplines_AH/GEN341_Brighton |
Description | Collaborative Futures: CCN+ Annual Event 2014 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | workshop facilitator |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | On the second day participants identified connecting themes in the projects which had been presented and collaborated to produce manifestos responding to these. One participant successfully applied for further CCN+ funding to develop these manifestos in the form of a blog: http://digitalbydefaultmanifesto.com/about/ The blog for the resulting project 'A Manifesto for Digital Messiness' can now be accessed at http://digitalbydefaultmanifesto.com/about/. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.communitiesandculture.org/news/collaborative-futures-ccn-annual-event/ |
Description | Colombia Talks |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Edgar Gomez Cruz was invited by the University of Medellin, Innovalab, and the governmental project RutaNMedellin to deliver a workshop and two talks about Digital Ethnography and Practices of Innovation. This is connected to ongoing CCN+ research around the theme of Innovation. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Communication of findings to users of Elefriends |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Participants in your research and patient groups |
Results and Impact | A one-page summary of the research findings was put on Elefriends. This gave the community the opportunity to comment on the research findings. Users that responded reacted well to summary, agreed with the research findings and were proud to have taken part in the project. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Communities in the Digital Age Conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Helen Thornham will deliver a keynote speech at this conference, hosted by Canterbury Christchurch University. Her paper, 'Engagement, Expertise and the Everyday or the Problems of a Tooling-Up Approach' will present aspects of several projects which have or will be taking place within the network. This paper will argue that that the discourses, practices and policies around seemingly discrete and separate issues such as the digital; communities and publics; the user of technology; young people; old people; neoliberalism; austerity measures and the wider economy, are spiralling closer and closer together. Furthermore, unless we work to connect these issues, we will continue to frame both 'community' and 'digital' in seriously problematic ways. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Communities on the Margins (MeCCSA 2016) on YouTube |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Video of Helen Thornham's plenary talk at MeCCSA 2016, presenting CCN+ findings, published on YouTube. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Clv05RVJtEk |
Description | Community and Technology Presentations |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | The CCN+ Aberdeen team presented findings from this strand of its activities on numerous occasions. This led to work with Aberdeen City council to evaluate the impact of creating a digital portal for Regeneration Areas (with shmu community radio) 2015-2016. - Presentation in Arizona on community wellbeing and ICT International Quality of Life Studies Conference - Presentation at European Society for Rural Sociology Conference Florence 2013 - Presentation at European Society for Rural Sociology Conference Aberdeen 2015 - 24th -28th August European Sociological Association Conference, Prague, presented paper - 9th December Presentation to BSA Happiness Studies Group, London. "Community Wellbeing and Public Policy" - 2016 7th January Keynote Address at the Annual Conference for Media, Communication and Cultural Studies Association (MeCCSA) Christ Church University Canterbury - 2015 Presentation at the Aberdeen Giga Cities event (Aberdeen Exhibition Centre) - Presentation to Highland Councillors in Inverness 2014 - Public presentation of community wellbeing and digital technology in Aberdeen City Council Town Hall November 2015 - 2015 Community Wellbeing and Regeneration, Manor Park Primary School, 1 Danestone Circle, Aberdeen community engagement event - Festival of Social Science November 2015 Aberdeen Presentation of community wellbeing and digital technology |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014,2015,2016 |
Description | Conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Paper presented at Critical Perspectives on Professional Learning: Seventh Annual Conference - Leeds, 15th June 2015 Teacher Professional Learning Networks and the 'politics of circulation' Sara Bragg and Nadia Edmond This paper reported on our CCN+ project on the growth of social-media-based Professional Learning Networks (PLNs). The study focused on school education professionals (teachers, teacher educators and leaders) and on networks motivated by concerns for comprehensive, equitable, research-informed schooling provision and practices. Paper was received with interest Discussed future collaborations with others in related institutions |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Contested meanings of public engagement |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Dr Julie Firmstone will present this paper, co-authored with Prof Stephen Coleman, at the 2013 ECREA Political Communication conference, Milan, 19th-20th September. Using Leeds City Council as a case study, the paper comparatively analyses the changing role of local journalism in the public communications and engagement strategies of local government. Drawing on over twenty semi structured interviews with elected politicians, Council strategists, mainstream journalists, and citizen journalists the authors explore perceptions of the mainstream news media's role vs. new modes of communication in engaging and communicating with citizens. They consider how moves towards digital modes of engagement are changing perceptions of the professional role orientations of journalists in mediating between the Council and the general public, and consider the potential contribution of the local news media in encouraging citizens to participate in local democratic processes. This paper develops studies carried out as part of the University of Leeds 'Public Engagement and Culture of Expertise' scoping study for the CCN+. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Creation of digital resource with Maggie Law Maritime Museum and Gourdon school |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | The digital resource being funded by CCNetwork+ documents the Maritime Project undertaken by year 6 pupils in collaboration with the local Maggie Law Museum. The school project highlights the importance of inter-generational dialogues as the pupils from Gourdon Primary School undertake research into the rich heritage of their village and the history of fisher communities more generally. This work forms part of a larger project between the school and Museum and has contributed to its impact. The sense of economic decline, together with the depression this brings, has slowly been transformed through the way the teachers have introduced projects that have enlivened the rich legacies of fishing in the local area. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.maggielaw.co.uk/index.asp?pageid=627559 |
Description | Credit Union Event - New Developments in Community Finance: 50 years of Credit Unions, and where next? |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Developed plan to further develop future growth of community finance given the rapid changes industry in the wake of the recent financial and economic crises and austerity politics-led recovery. The target audience represents a wide range of local and national organisations including: CDFIs, credit unions, other third sector organisations, housing providers, advice agencies, national and local government departments and universities. Members of grant team were asked to follow-on event in Edinburgh (Aug 2015), to develop plans for credit union services in universities. Also the development of a network in the North East - this was discussed in one particular workshop with participation of FINCAN and Five Lamps CDFI. Many participants were pleased that, given the diverse set of organisations with similar interests present in the room, the formation of a local network was the next step forward. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.perc.org.uk/project_posts/new-developments-in-community-finance-50-years-of-credit-unions... |
Description | Cross Currents Workshop, Bangalore, India. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | The workshop promoted knowledge exchange between academics in the UK and India as well as with IT industries based in Bengaluru, concerning how digital technologies can be used to help develop cultural, arts, heritage and relevant business practices at the community level in rural areas. Following the wqorkshop, TB Dinesh, one of the Indian participants, has travelled around universities across the UK to meet and explore ideas further with various UK participants, Helen Pritchard from Goldsmith's University is pursuing a project on urban gameing with the Fields of View Lab based in IIIT-Bangalore, Chris Dillon from UCL is working with Indian connections to develop an online Hindi-based language resource, and Alan Dix is investigating the possibility of a Newton-Bhaba PhD placement based at Birmingham University, which would enable an Indian student to study in the UK. Leanne Townsend and David Beel are hoping to explore the potential of cross-cultural collaborations with Dr Chulavaraju (Kannada University) and TB Dinesh in relation to digitising intangible heritage. See above |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
URL | http://leannetownsend.com/2015/01/23/cross-currents-workshop-bangalore-india/ |
Description | Cultural heritage in Jura using wiki software |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Diigital heritage platform based on wiki software created which will serve the purpose of allowing the inhabitants of the Isle of Jura to collect information on the intangible cultural heritage of the island and, in doing so, provide the users with an enhanced sense of ownership of their heritage as well as increase the set of digital-skills on the island. Collaboration with the Jura Development Trust in order to use the same platform to host an archive of storytelling audio files, which is still in at an early stage. The main output is that the data collected seems to show that such a project can empower the users by providing them with more knowledge, confidence with digital tools as well as make the community more connected and cohesive. Platform available on http://homepages.abdn.ac.uk/jurapedia/mediawiki Presentation available at http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?doid=2685553.2699327 A presentation was made at the Doctoral Colloquium of the CSCW2105 conference in Vancouver. A poster presentation was made at the dot.rural Showcase Event, 18 June 2015. Danilo Giglitto will submit his PhD, which relates to this project, in 2016 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015,2016 |
URL | http://homepages.abdn.ac.uk/jurapedia/mediawiki |
Description | Democratic Audit Scotland article |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Findings of the 'New Radicals' pilot study were featured on the 'Democratic Audit Scotland' website. This and other press releases have resulted in members of the team being interviewed by BBC Radio Scotland and our findings being mentioned on BBC Radio Scotland news. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.democraticauditscotland.com/the-independence-referendum-shows-that-young-people-can-be-mo... |
Description | Despite credit cap, Britain's payday lenders will live to loan another day |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | Dissemination of findings from CCN+ pilot study 'Digital Technologies of Debt Resilience'. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
URL | http://theconversation.com/despite-credit-cap-britains-payday-lenders-will-live-to-loan-another-day-... |
Description | Digital Culture and its Discontents |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | paper presentation |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | The first stage of this international collaboration between researchers in Mexico and the UK, which involved six UK academics travelling to Mexico, drew out the global connections through the sharing of expertise, knowledge and methodologies, to develop a shared but distinct critical approach. Alongside the academic meetings and events, UK scholars participated in a number of media appearances, for radio, University TV and local newspapers. Connections were forged with two Mexican universities (The National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, and ITESO, Guadalajara) which will be developed through a return visit of Mexican scholars to the UK. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Digital Design Weekend 2015 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | In September 2015, the virtual archive project was selected for exhibition at the Digital Design Weekend at the V&A. This high profile event allowed the project to be demonstrated to academic colleagues, industry practitioners and the general public. Over 9,000 visitors attended over two days. Not only did this event generate increased academic interest in the project, raise the profile of the CCN+ and result in the submission of a large cross-university research funding application, it also illustrated that the project is relatable for a broad audience. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Digital Photography in Everyday Lives: Emergent Approaches |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Gómez Cruz, E. (2013). Chair of the panel Digital Photography in Everyday Lives: Emergent Approaches, participating with the paper: Photography as Interface. International Visual Sociology Association Annual conference. Goldsmith College, London. ? |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Digital Practices/ [In]Visible Communities |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | Annual Meeting of the Digital Economy Communities & Culture Network+. Digital Practices: [In] Visible Communities brings together the funded work of the Communities and Culture Network+ around the themes of digital mediation and visibility. We ask about mediatory practices of /with digital technologies and what these mediations are doing to the discourses and practices of communities across the UK. ? |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Digital Storytelling Project Exhibition |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | This event was the 'Storytelling for Development' project's main dissemination activity for the local community. We invited all of our participants, including those who expressed an interest by filling out a consent form but who never completed a digital story for the project. (For reasons relating to the university's ethics process, we did not invite the six participants who were under the age of 16, though ideally we would have liked to.) We also invited stakeholders from Lambeth Council, the various community leaders and activists that we came into contact with through the project, the participating architects at Farrells, and interested students from the University of Kent working with Professor Nikolopoulou. The exhibition was run by David Frohlich with support from Jocelyn Spence and Steve Broome. Approximately 15 people attended, mostly project participants. David introduced the project, with translation by Maria. We then screened a 20-minute compilation video of community and design stories. Following the screening we had a brief, informal discussion. Attendees were very positive about the project, including a guest brought by one of the participants, who came to it with fresh eyes. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Digital data analysis, public engagement and the social life of methods |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Participants in your research and patient groups |
Results and Impact | Digital Practices, In/visible Communities, EPSRC Digital Transformations of Community & Culture Network+ interim meeting, Brighton, February 2013 Kennedy, H. and Moss, G. ? |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Digital welfare only deepens the class divide |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Article by Helen Thornham published in 'The Conversation' on 8th July 2013 at http://theconversation.com/digital-welfare-only-deepens-the-class-divide-15828. Article introducing a key theme for the future the CCN+'s research activities next year, centring around welfare reform. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
URL | http://theconversation.com/digital-welfare-only-deepens-the-class-divide-15828 |
Description | Digitization of Cultural Resources Workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | keynote/invited speaker |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The focus of these workshops, held in Ayr and Portsoy, was upon the daily usage of digital technologies and how these are (or could be) embedded in local communities. The target audiences to engage with were therefore academics with an interest in these issues as well as businesses, third sector and public organisations with related interests. Thus the purpose of the scoping workshops were to explore what resources were required to digitize cultural resources, but also to facilitate networking between researchers, small businesses and voluntary organisations. . This workshop resulted in further funding by the network and collaborations with industry and policy makers |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
URL | http://www.communitiesandculture.org/projects/outputs/ |
Description | Discourse of Public Engagement Workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | This workshop took place on the 20th September 2012 and brought together representative from a number of Research Projects with an interest in public engagement, as well as representatives from Leeds City Council. This half-day symposium addressed the practical, theoretical and conceptual issues and challenges arising from researching public engagement. The aim of the workshop was twofold. Firstly to bring together a number of projects actively investigating forms of public engagement in order to identify common themes and issues. Our second aim was to ask what engagement could, should and does look like particularly within the framework of communities and culture. The workshop brought together PIs of the Connected Communities theme, policy makers and other academics to discuss convergent issues. It resulted in closer collaborations across the funding councils. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
URL | http://www.communitiesandculture.org/projects/example-project-1/ |
Description | Disrupting Pedestrian Movement through Playful Interventions: What Does Experimental Evidence Suggest? |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | The authors present the results of a series of experiments designed to disrupt people flow and pedestrian movement in various types of public space. The hypothesis investigated is that playful, non-obstructive interventions foster a positive social experience yet can be used to shape pedestrian movement. Shaping pedestrian movement is desirable for a range of purposes including security, commerce and entertainment. The interventions employ a range of media from floor patterns to large digital screens in indoor and outdoor environments. They aimed to influence pedestrian movement by disrupting the routine use of space or by triggering playful behavior. Observation demonstrated that playful interventions are able to create zones of attraction and exclusion, engage people's curiosity and elicit playful actions. The influence of increased cognitive load at personal level and goal-directed behavior was also considered. The results suggest that increased understanding between environmental and interpersonal stimuli and behavioural responses can provide guidance in using socially acceptable design interventions to influence use of space in different operational contexts. This paper stems from the CCN+ scoping study 'Cultural Heritage and the Built Environment' and was presented at the Amsterdam 'Spaces and Flows' conference. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Disused loos and elbow grease break BT broadband monopoly |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Despite claims that Britain will enjoy the best broadband provision in Europe in the future, there are communities that are not fully benefiting from this technology. It has recently become clear that many communities in rural areas cannot rely on BT to service them. It is uneconomical to provide fast broadband connections so the company has been slow to expand into these areas. MPs and Ofcom have both slammed its approach but their complaints have not come to much in the way of action. In many ways, these areas actually need broadband more than cities. A lack of public transportation and the dispersed population makes the need for internet connectivity all the more important. With government services such as welfare, agricultural reporting, and tax returns all going online, and an aging population dependent on the shrinking resources of the NHS, residents in these areas are hit in more ways than one by the lack of infrastructure. Bypassed by the big broadband providers, some of these communities have mobilised their own resources to set up broadband connections and a number of different models for doing so have emerged. They show that there is an alternative to BT, if you're willing to put the work in. This article stems from the CCN+ 'Everyday Life and Cultural Communities scoping study. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
URL | https://theconversation.com/disused-loos-and-elbow-grease-break-bt-broadband-monopoly-18891 |
Description | ECREA 2012 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Edgar Gomez Cruz attended the European Communication Research and Education Association annual conference in Istanbul on behalf of the CCN+ and represented the research aims of the network. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
Description | Elgin Library public demonstration event |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | As part of the CCN+ seed project 'Community engagement and participation with 3-D cultural heritage visualisations' the team responsible will hold a public demonstration event at Elgin Library on the 4th of April where users will be able to view and interact with scans, tag and contribute some stories or thoughts on the area. The team will also conduct short research interviews. Elgin Library will receive a final copy of the project's final report to add, along with photos, on their website, facebook page etc. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Elgin Library user engagement event |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | A user engagement event was held in Elgin Library on the 4th April 2014 for the CCN+ seed project 'Community engagement and participation with 3D heritage visualisations'. Several project demos were created: - Two additional videos from the scan data were captured using Camtasia Studio and were played on a loop. - A version was created which users could navigate themselves using the open source visualisation software Meshlab. - An iPad visualisation was created using Meshlab so that users could experience interacting with scan data. 16 informal interviews were conducted at the event. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Embedded Expertise and the Everyday |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | workshop facilitator |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | A Presentation of key aspects of the CCN+ 'Public Engagement and Cultures of Expertise' scoping study at a workshop on 'Expertise' at the university of Sussex. Fed into funding calls for CCN+ pilot studies and influenced many who applied successfully, e.g. 'Sustaining Networked Knowledge' and 'Reaching Out Online'. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
Description | Engagement, Expertise and the Everyday or the Problems of a Tooling-Up Approach |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Workshop with developers and academics n/a |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Entrepreneurial Workshop for Early Career Researchers |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | This workshop provided an opportunity for post-graduates and early career researchers to develop skills to further their research ideas and develop skills useful for research funding applications, creation of a social enterprise, or the development of business plans. One attendee developed a successful application for Master's Research project with the skills he learned at this workshop. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Ethnographic Understanding of Digital Culture: Challenges and opportunities |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Edgar Gomez Cruz will present as a guest speaker to the Colombian Association of Marketing, relating the themes of his current research within the CCN+. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Everyday Growing Cultures Film screenings |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Everyday Growing Futures (13 minutes, 2013) is directed and produced by Caroline Ward and Erinma Ochu and commissioned as part of the CCN+ funded Everyday Growing Cultures project (www.everydaygrowingcultures.org). The film was first screened at the EGC public event on 23rd July. The film was also shown at the following events in 2013: 28 Nov, Engage, Bristol 6 Nov, Grow Old Trafford, Old Trafford Community Centre, Manchester 6 Sep, Digital Practices, Invisible Communities, Leeds University, Leeds 9 Aug, Dig the City gardening festival Manchester Although only two screenings of this film have been planned so far, the EGC team are inviting requests for future screenings, to extend the project beyond this 6-month pilot. The video will also be embedded in the CCN+ website and Everyday Growing Cultures website. Peter Jackson (Co-I, Sheffield University) secured an ESRC collaborative PhD award (through the White Rose DTC) with Grow Sheffield. The value of the studentship is approximately £55k. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012,2013 |
URL | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uh8LA4Ggk80 |
Description | Everyday Growing Cultures in the North of England: participation, citizenship and local economies |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Participants in your research and patient groups |
Results and Impact | CCN+ Mapping the Transformations Symposium @ University of Sussex n/a |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Everyday Growing Futures:MeCCSA 2014 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Screening of the Everyday Growing Cultures documentary, Everyday Growing Futures (13 minutes) and introducing the role of story as utility for researchers, NGOs and public audiences in furthering the engagement and impact of research, capturing and sharing stories of transformation in place based innovation across three cities and articulating common goals of sustainability and resilience. ? |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Farida Vis, Guest Lectures |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Farida Vis (PI of the CCN+ 'Everyday Growing Cultures' pilot study) was invited to give guest lectures based on the project at the London School of Economics (February 2013, for public policy PGTs) and Manchester Metropolitan University (May 2014, for Art and Design PGTs) . |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Feminist spaces and digital methodologies |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | CCN+ SusNet Co-I Aristea Fotopoulou presented the paper 'Feminist spaces and digital methodologies: Mapping reproductive technologies as a social controversy online,' at the FWSA 2013 conference 'The Lady Doth Protest: Mapping 4 Feminist Movements, Moments and Mobilisations', 21 - 23 June 2013 (Feminist and Women's Studies Association, UK & Ireland). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Feminist Screen Cultures Workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | The workshop, held in Santa Cruz, linked researchers at the School of Media, Film and Music (University of Sussex) and the University of California Santa Cruz, with strong interests in feminist screen practice and theory , fields in which there is an established cluster of researchers in both institutions. All participants did brief presentations on their research so as to identify synergies and mutual interests and introduced their teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Further projects including publications and conference panels have ensued from this: The Poetics and Politics of Documentary at UCSC , May 15 - 17, 2015; Women and Soundwork, Feminist Media Histories 1(4) 2015. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | GiFi / GeoSpock - presentation and workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | In October 2014, Dr Mowlabocus was invited to introduce Reaching out online and present the project's findings to the staff of GeoSpock in Cambridge, UK. GeoSpock is a technology start-up that has developed a more secure method of using GPS software than that currently used by app developers. Dr Mowlabocus was contacted by GeoSpock in the wake of news reports that identified Grindr (the UK's most popular gay male dating app) as being 'hacked', with user's location data being made available. This 'hack' identified the poor security employed by the software developers and the danger that this posed for users living in homophobic contexts around the world. Dr Mowlabocus was invited to comment on this security breach by editors at The Conversation. Following the publication of this article, GeoSpock contacted Dr Mowlabocus to request further information about his research. GeoSpock have developed an alternative to Grindr, named GiFi. Working in a similar way to Grindr and other applications for gay men, GiFi offers further functionality (including community group involvement) and provides enhanced security options for users. The company are interested in using its technology to support gay men's health initiatives and where therefore interested in learning more about Reaching out Online. Dr Mowlabocus was able to provide GeoSpok with a presentation that matched up the research findings of the original project with some of the aims and objectives of GiFi. In doing so, he was able to identify the challenges and opportunities that face GeoSpock in developing a relationship with third-sector organisations charged with improving gay men's health. Following the meeting, Dr Mowlabocus has acted as a liaison point between GeoSpock and Terrence Higgins Trust, both of whom are now in discussions regarding a possible future collaboration. Reflecting upon the workshop and discussion, Kristian Tangen-Sorgendal (Business Development Manager) stated that the event 'proved extremely interesting' and that as a result of the meeting, the company were 'extremely keen to progress on talks with THT and how our unique focus in the LGBT Community can help broaden the good work covered by this wonderful charity.' This discussion is ongoing and Dr Mowlabocus has been central to facilitating these conversations. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Girls Making History Public Workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The GirlsMakingHistory pilot study team hosted a workshop and talk at Single Parent Action Network and Southville Community Development Association as part of the Productive Margins Forum series. Furthering dissemination of project findings |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Girls Making History Workshop - Audience and 3D Printing |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Participants in your research and patient groups |
Results and Impact | The workshops are the main site of exploration for this pilot project and, as with all other elements of this programme the researchers, digital experts, artists and young women all participate in these workshops together as a collective. Workshop sessions are facilitated with accessibility in mind, a safe space with the provision of transport, lunch and childcare aid the participation of the young women. Using the personas developed in the previous workshop we 'walked through' the relationship each of these personas might have with their boyfriend identifying key moments where abusive and controlling behaviours might take hold and the points at which the persona might begin to think of her relationship in abusive terms. In a skills and technological awareness exercise we experimented with new technologies through digital printing, using 3D modelling software to print our own 'worry beads'. This was followed by a facilitated discussion of how tactile objects might aid or hinder our persona, time was spent identifying and problematizing some of the safety issues around smart jewellery using the 'find my iPhone' app as a specific example. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Girls Making History Workshop - DVA and the Law |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Participants in your research and patient groups |
Results and Impact | The workshops are the main site of exploration for this pilot project and, as with all other elements of this programme the researchers, digital experts, artists and young women all participate in these workshops together as a collective. Workshop sessions are facilitated with accessibility in mind, a safe space with the provision of transport, lunch and childcare aid the participation of the young women. Bringing in the expertise of UoB law lecturer Lois Bibbings this workshop looked at law, women and DVA in both theory and practice. Using real stories and focusing on teenage relationships this workshop began to look at some of the issues that had emerged from previous workshops regarding ways to work with the police, the limits of police action and how the law around DVA affects children and families. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Girls Making History Workshop - Design Fiction Challenge |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Participants in your research and patient groups |
Results and Impact | The workshops are the main site of exploration for this pilot project and, as with all other elements of this programme the researchers, digital experts, artists and young women all participate in these workshops together as a collective. Workshop sessions are facilitated with accessibility in mind, a safe space with the provision of transport, lunch and childcare aid the participation of the young women. Using the ideas and designs that have emerged from the previous workshops GirlsMakingHistory will be working with a group of designers, artists, engineers and creative thinkers to develop innovative yet practical digital designs that could affect positive impact on our personas at one of her key information finding/help seeking points. This workshop will result in a demonstration of proof of concept. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Girls Making History Workshop - Desirable Jewellery |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Participants in your research and patient groups |
Results and Impact | The workshops are the main site of exploration for this pilot project and, as with all other elements of this programme the researchers, digital experts, artists and young women all participate in these workshops together as a collective. Workshop sessions are facilitated with accessibility in mind, a safe space with the provision of transport, lunch and childcare aid the participation of the young women. Building on the desire of the young women to explore 'smart' jewellery (wearable technology) and its application with young women concerned about or experiencing intimate partner violence and control, GirlsMakingHistory worked with Viv Kuh (creative producer/tech/performative interfaces) and Heidi Hinder (artist and maker) to develop our understanding of what makes jewellery desirable. Through reflecting on our own meaningful jewellery, exploring design features of fashion jewellery, creating individual jewellery designs and in-depth questioning of how our personas could use a piece of smart jewellery as well as the practical and safety implications of wearable technology, GirlsMakingHistory developed our understanding of how wearable technology could feature within the project. This workshop reflected heavily on the advice of the advisory group with regards to wearable tech and came to the conclusion that marketable jewellery to fund the GirlsMakingHistory digital platform was a way to move forwards with this idea. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Girls Making History Workshop - Dissent, Gender and Branding |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Participants in your research and patient groups |
Results and Impact | The workshops are the main site of exploration for this pilot project and, as with all other elements of this programme the researchers, digital experts, artists and young women all participate in these workshops together as a collective. Workshop sessions are facilitated with accessibility in mind, a safe space with the provision of transport, lunch and childcare aid the participation of the young women. Using a range of media resources as inspiration (e.g. Ted talks violence against women it's a men's issue and the Buffy vs Edward short film by rebellious pixels) Dr Constance Fleuriot returned to facilitate a discussion around everyday sexism and the ways in which women can dissent from those norms. In the second half of this workshop Sammy Payne (KWMC media exert) facilitated a branding exercise using various visualisation and emotive association exercises alongside thinking about how the personas we had designed would respond to brands, slogans and other outward facing engagement attempts. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Girls Making History Workshop - Feminism 101 and Confidence |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Participants in your research and patient groups |
Results and Impact | The workshops are the main site of exploration for this pilot project and, as with all other elements of this programme the researchers, digital experts, artists and young women all participate in these workshops together as a collective. Workshop sessions are facilitated with accessibility in mind, a safe space with the provision of transport, lunch and childcare aid the participation of the young women. Using two specialised facilitators this workshop ran as two complimentary and interactive sessions. The first session, facilitated by Trish Caverly (Fem FM founder) focused on confidence, public speaking, how women get their voices heard in public and private spaces and was concluded with a focus on realising our potential and making individual plans to reach our future career and life goals. The second session facilitated by Dr Constance Fleuriot was an interactive introduction to feminism, its principles, current expressions and recent history in the UK, with a focus on the power of women to say 'No' in public and private spaces. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Girls Making History Workshop - Game Post-production |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Participants in your research and patient groups |
Results and Impact | The workshops are the main site of exploration for this pilot project and, as with all other elements of this programme the researchers, digital experts, artists and young women all participate in these workshops together as a collective. Workshop sessions are facilitated with accessibility in mind, a safe space with the provision of transport, lunch and childcare aid the participation of the young women. This workshop will be a space in which to complete the game prototype and evaluate its strengths and weaknesses. We will look at ways forwards for the GirlsMakingHistory project including funding opportunities, collaborations and other ideas. We will think about the interview schedules that will be used in the narrative interviews that will happen in early August and schedule these dates. In addition we will set a date for the celebratory September workshop when we can think about and plan public dissemination events, review our prototype and review the research reports which will be emerging. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Girls Making History Workshop - Healthy Relationship Game Design |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Participants in your research and patient groups |
Results and Impact | The workshops are the main site of exploration for this pilot project and, as with all other elements of this programme the researchers, digital experts, artists and young women all participate in these workshops together as a collective. Workshop sessions are facilitated with accessibility in mind, a safe space with the provision of transport, lunch and childcare aid the participation of the young women. Using our knowledge of what an unhealthy relationship can look like combined with the Crush campaign and One Space's work around the Freedom Programme GirlsMakingHistory will create a prototype game, testing the users' knowledge of intimate partner violence and control, focused specifically on the subtleties of coercion and control. The game will be considered against the personas and building on the extensive background thinking that has happened in previous workshops we will think about what would attract her to the game. We will begin to consider how local signposting might be incorporated into the prototype. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Girls Making History Workshop - Introduction |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Participants in your research and patient groups |
Results and Impact | The workshops are the main site of exploration for this pilot project and, as with all other elements of this programme the researchers, digital experts, artists and young women all participate in these workshops together as a collective. Workshop sessions are facilitated with accessibility in mind, a safe space with the provision of transport, lunch and childcare aid the participation of the young women. Prior to the funding award from CCN+ GirlsMakingHistory held two daylong workshops reflecting on TRP, mapping ideas and exploring some of the digital and online resources currently available for those experiencing DVA. This first workshop was a re-cap of previous developments and ideas, an opportunity to discuss our research aims and begin collectively designing the workshop series that would run for the duration of the project. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Girls Making History Workshop - Personas, Relationships and Perception |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Participants in your research and patient groups |
Results and Impact | The workshops are the main site of exploration for this pilot project and, as with all other elements of this programme the researchers, digital experts, artists and young women all participate in these workshops together as a collective. Workshop sessions are facilitated with accessibility in mind, a safe space with the provision of transport, lunch and childcare aid the participation of the young women. GirlsMakingHistory created a portfolio of personas (for more information about personas in third sector organisations see this Innovation Lab article) identifying the life stories and circumstances of the young women we want our digital platform to reach. These were then pooled into two personas which we used going forwards. 6 | P a g e We then used the two 'representative' personas to explore ways in which young women might come into contact with the GirlsMakingHistory project. Working with local artist Joff Winterhart, we engaged in a beauty perception exercise with the artist and another member of the GirlsMakingHistory team highlighting the contradictions in how we see beauty in ourselves and others. We concluded with a facilitated discussion of 'beauty' and the way our appearance could often become a feature of emotional and coercive/controlling abusive relationships and friendships. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Girls Making History Workshop - Skills Audit, Blogging and Social Media |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Participants in your research and patient groups |
Results and Impact | The workshops are the main site of exploration for this pilot project and, as with all other elements of this programme the researchers, digital experts, artists and young women all participate in these workshops together as a collective. Workshop sessions are facilitated with accessibility in mind, a safe space with the provision of transport, lunch and childcare aid the participation of the young women. Using cognitive maps, photographs and skills audit movement exercises, GirlsMakingHistory mapped our personal 'journeys' thus far and looked forwards to the strengths we would like to develop and the weaknesses we would like to build on. The blog, Twitter, Pinterest and a private Facebook account were set up and there was a facilitated discussion on internet safety, digital data and the desirability of creating a digital network where we could talk, share resources and connect with similar interests locally. In addition there was an exploration of some of the digital initiatives currently in existence which purport to support young women concerned about or at risk of intimate partner violence and exploitation. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Girls Making History Workshops |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Participants in your research and patient groups |
Results and Impact | Fourteen young women aged 13 - 24, who wanted to encourage other young people to recognise when relationships become unhealthy, took part in a series of twelve day-long workshops. Working with artists, creative technologists and engineers they have co-designed a game and a piece of 'wearable techology'. GirlsMakingHistory is using a mixed-methods design including workshops, narrative interviewing and a collaborative ethnography of the projects publicly accessible data. This research is founded on co-productive principles, namely that all elements of the project and its research should be collaboratively developed. This commitment has underpinned the projects format and required that we approach our design with a reflexive outlook and a willingness to adapt and change our ideas in response to the cross-pollination of learning and expertise that is enabled through this co-productive team. Two digital prototypes were collaboratively devised: the 'Emoti-meter' and the 'Knowing the Signs' game. As a result of her involvement in the project, one young participant decided to become a solicitor and is now studying Law. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Grow Old Trafford |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Members of the public are invited to join the CCN+ Everyday Growing Cultures team and Paula Segal (596acres, Brooklyn, USA) to explore how ordinary folk can secure land for urban food growing. The film, Everyday Growing Futures, which explores the challenge in three cities, Manchester, Sheffield and New York, will be screened followed by discussion & Q&A with local residents to explore how we can move things forward in Old Trafford. The event will also include a report back from two mapping workshops held in Old Trafford in May, as part of the Everyday Growing Cultures pilot project. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Guest lecturer in the Master in Hypermedia and Creative Management of Digital Media |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Guest lecturer in the Master in Hypermedia and Creative Management of Digital Media. Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico. Module: "Digital Art and Interactive Expression". September-December 2013. ? |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Guest speaker and workshop leader. Universidad de Medellin, Colombia |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Guest speaker and workshop leader. Universidad de Medellin, Colombia. Title: Visual/Digital Ethnography, new approaches to social research. September 2013. ? |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | How can we research social media data mining / big data analytics? |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | School of Creative Studies and Media, University of Bangor, invited seminar presentation. . ? |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Imagining Futures: International workshop funded by WUN |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | Along with Yoko Akama (RMIT University, Australia) and as part of a long-standing an on-going collaboration, the CCN+ participants organised the panel "Imagining and becoming futures". Helen Thornham and Edgar Gómez also participated in the follow-up workshop on Global Digital Cultures, organised by the School of Journalism and Communication at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Finally, Edgar Gómez had a meeting with professor Joseph Chan, director of the Centre for Chinese Media and Comparative Communication Research to plan future events and exchanges. Academic discussion |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Inhabiting the Hack |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | 'Inhabiting the Hack' is a series of events (hackathons) organised by the CCN+ which develop some of the findings from our scoping studies into practical and digital as well as methodological prototypes. This collaborative research project examines the notions of innovation and creativity ingrained in digital culture. We have worked with arts organisations in developing alternative styles of hack events, often informed by traditional arts activities such as residencies and retreats. The hacks all privilege diversity, collaboration and reflection, and are positioned in alternative and complementary disciplines and histories, provide a critical perspective on current practice. The following hacks took place: 17 Jun 2015 Sonic Pattern Performances 17 Jun 2015 Sonic Pattern Symposium 18 Jul 2015 Wrekshop 07 Sep 2015 Uncanny Valley 25 Sep 2015 Digital Media Labs 03 Nov 2015 ODI Summit Creative Labs 18 Nov 2015 Sonic Pattern Group Residency 21 Nov 2015 Rewriting the Hack The events have engaged arts organisations with research, which they have then built into their own arts programmes through their own bids (on a practical level, helping them sustain themselves). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://inhabitingthehack.github.io/ |
Description | International Spaces and Flows conference in Amsterdam |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Presentation of two papers ('Urban Screens: Extending the Social and Spatial Thresholds' and 'Disrupting Pedestrian Movement through Playful Interventions: What Does Experimental Evidence Suggest?') at Spaces and Flows: An International Conference on Urban and ExtraUrban Studies 2013. ? |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
URL | http://spacesandflows.com/the-conference |
Description | Invisible Communities screening and seminar |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The Institute of Communications Studies at the University of Leeds hosted a screening of three short films by young writers, produced as part of the 'Writing Leeds' project through Studio12 and production company Left Eye Blind. The screening also featured a documentary about the process of making the films, by CCN+ Research Fellow Edgar Gomez Cruz. Edgar presented some of the findings resulting from his ethnographic research stemming from this project, as part of the invisible and [un]fixed communities' scoping study[. ? |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Invited speaker to the Colombian Association of Marketing' Talks. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Invited speaker to the Colombian Association of Marketing' Talks. The title of the talk: "Ethnographic Understanding of Digital Culture: Challenges and opportunities". September 2013. ? |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Invited speaker: Expertise Symposium, University of Sussex |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Invited Speaker: Paper title: Embedded Expertise and the Everyday. Expertise Symposium, University of Sussex. Nov 2012. National Conference ? |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
Description | Keynote Presentation, Communities in the Digital Age Conference. University of Canterbury, ChristChurch |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Keynote Presentation: Paper title: Engagement, Expertise and the Everyday or the problems of a tooled-up approach. Communities in the Digital Age Conference. University of Canterbury, ChristChurch, June 2013, International Conference ? |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | LGBT Community Forum & Stakeholder workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | In September 2014, Dr Mowlabocus was approached by Maria Antoniou the Director of Brighton & Hove LGBT Switchboard, who had been made aware of Reaching out online and had read the project report. Switchboard had identified an an increasing number of calls from LGBT people in which digital and social media were mentioned as sources of problems or concerns. Tasked with addressing this issue, and with better understanding how the organisation might use these same technologies for LGBT health and wellbeing initiatives, Ms Antoniou invited Dr Mowlabocus to run two events - one community forum and one service provider workshop - with the aim of disseminating findings of the research and identifying further concerns that community members had regarding these heavily used technologies. The project team recruited 15 participants to the community forum and representatives from 6 community groups to the stakeholder workshop. The latter event was attended by: • LGBT Switchboard • MindOut (mental health service provision) • Brighton & Hove Health & Inclusion Project (community research support) • Broken Rainbow (domestic violence & abuse) • Brighton & Hove Council (commissioner for sexual health) • Positive East (BME HIV service) • AllSorts (LGBT Youth) Feedback from the workshop and community forum was overwhelmingly positive and participants spoke of it being 'insightful' (Broken Rainbow) and 'useful for the sector' (MindOut). The project report is currently being used to shape policy at both Broken Rainbow and LGBT Switchboard. Following on from this event, AllSorts invited the project team to run a session with their service users in order to better understand the uses of digital and social media by young LGBT people. This is currently being organised. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Look and Look Again |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Material from the 'Beyond the food bank' project is being exhibited at 'Look and Look again: Keele's community based research'. An exhibition, hosted by ArtsKeele and the Community Animation and Social Innovation Centre (CASIC) in October 2015. The exhibition is open to the general public. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | MIND 'Lunch and Learn' presentation |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
Results and Impact | Findings of the 'Social Media & Austerity' follow-on project were presented at MIND's 'Lunch and Learn' programme in June 2015. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Making analytics public: really useful |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Kennedy, H. and Moss, G. (2014) 'Making analytics public: really useful analytics and public engagement', Really Useful Analytics and the Good Life panel, ICA Conference, Seattle, May 2014. ? |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | MeCCSA 2014: Everyday Growing and Digging Cultures |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | The first half of the panel highlighted work from the recently completed CCN+ 'Everyday Growing Cultures' project, which focused on the potentially transformative value of connecting two currently disparate communities: allotments growers and the open data community. Based on comparative research in Manchester and Sheffield, it explores potential effects of digital engagement and open data for allotment holders to build stronger, more active communities, benefit local economies and improve environmental sustainability and food security. The second half of the panel sought to understand the different ways in which issues around digging have reemerged in recent years, to understand these by looking at how they have been expressed and mobilized by different people and actors. This can be expressed as actual digging linked to food production, symbolic digging as performance, digging up local histories, or as new forms of gift-giving. . |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
URL | http://www.slideshare.net/Flygirltwo/me-ccsa2014-panel-slidesvis-et-al |
Description | Mediating Heritage Workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | workshop facilitator |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | This full day workshop investigated the intersection between cultural heritage, digital technologies and the built environment emphasizing the effect of this convergence on people's experiences of heritage. The workshop brought together leading practitioners and researchers in this field to explore similarities and differences in approach and to identify gaps and overlaps that might serve as starting points for future calls for proposals. The event included presentations of research work from academia and industry. Some of the ideas created during the workshops were used in applications responding to a subsequent CCN+ call for pilot studies. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
URL | http://www.communitiesandculture.org/news/mediating-heritage-workshop/ |
Description | Older People's Day, Hillcrest Centre |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Members of the CCN+ 'Trajectories to Community Engagement' team attended the Older People's Day (1st October, 2013) at the Hillcrest Centre in Newhaven where they talked with visitors about their research, inviting a dialogue with them about online and local forms of community engagement. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | On Being More Silent and Less Occupied |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Caroline Bassett was guest speaker/panelist for SALT-organized event on new media, feminism and art. Event hosted by arts organization Auto Italia South East (http://autoitaliasoutheast.org). Talk: On Being More Silent and Less Occupied. (January, 2014). SALT is an independent new media arts organization and publisher. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
URL | http://autoitaliasoutheast.org |
Description | Oxford Digital Ethnography Group seminar series |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Edgar Gómez Cruz will give a lecture at the Oxford Digital Ethnography Group seminar series. This will relate his previous ethnographic work studying digital photography practices of photographers on online platforms as well as the early results of his latest fieldwork studying users of Studio 12, as part of the current CCN+ scoping study taking place at the University of Leeds. Paper title: Onlife Ethnography: Researching Technologically Mediated Worlds Furthre details at: http://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/events/?id=659 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Payday Lending Community Event |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | paper presentation |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | As a follow-up to the 'Digital Technologies of Debt Resilience' workshops, this CCN+ pilot study team held a Community-Facing evening event (Oct 17, 2014) on Payday lending, in conjunction with publication of Carl Packman's newest book Payday Lending, included talks by Lord Glassman and Carl Packman followed by an open forum discussion. The event concluded with policy discussion and networking. From this Carl Packman spoke at a related New Putney Debates (November 4, 2014) on Unsettling Debt: What does Debt Resistance mean in the UK? PI Johnna Montgomerie and project consultant Carl Packman were subsequently featured on Radio 4's Thinking Allowed to discuss payday lending, loan sharks and indebtedness. Here full episode here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04tlfsk |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Payday lenders let off the hook as regulators miss the point |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | Article sparked discussion in 'Comments' section. Dissemination of findings from CCN+ pilot study 'Digital technologies of debt resilience'. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
URL | https://theconversation.com/payday-lenders-let-off-the-hook-as-regulators-miss-the-point-30114 |
Description | Photo-genic practices: photography as interface |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | CCN+ Research Fellow, Edgar Gomez Cruz, presented this paper as part of the panel 'Non-Professional Photography: Practices and Power' at the Helsinki Photomedia conference 2014. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Photography as Interface |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Edgar Gomez Cruz chaired the panel 'Digital Photography in Everyday Lives: Emergent Approaches', participating with the paper 'Photography as Interface', at the International Visual Sociology Association Annual conference. Goldsmiths College, London. This panel engages with non-traditional approaches to study photographic practices. Drawing in a variety of theoretical accounts, the panel's goal is to present different empirical studies that could dialogue with those accounts in order to expand the understanding and scope of photography in the digital age. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Photomedia Conference, Helsinki |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Presentation at the Helsinki PhotoMedia conference by Edgar Gomez Cruz. ? |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Poster presentation at BASHH / BHIVA 2014 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Poster presentation of findings from the 'Reaching Out Online' scoping study at BASHH / BHIVA annual conference (Liverpool). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Presentation for the Human-Centred Technology Research Group |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Harley D., Harris, E., & Howland, K. (2013) 'Trajectories to Community Engagement: Understanding older people's experiences of engagement with online and local communities' Presentation for the Human-Centred Technology Research Group in the Department of Informatics at Sussex University, 6th December, 2013. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Presentation to DataKind |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
Results and Impact | Visit to Datakind, a new charity focused on 'using data for social good' to discuss findings from the 'Social Media & Austerity project and challenges of conducting digital social research. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Presentation to Lambeth Council foodbank managers group |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Presentation of findings from the CCN+ scoping study 'Capturing the lived experience of foodbank clients and volunteers' to Lambeth Council foodbank managers group and invited guests (May 2014). A separate report on the findings was submitted to Lambeth Council and they have been using it, as the have been setting up a new food poverty initiative. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Presentation to Terrence Higgins Trust |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
Results and Impact | Sharif Mowlabocus, PI of the CCN+ 'Reaching out Online' study, presented the findings from the CCN+ funded phase of ROO, together with the THT-funded phase of the project to THT on 13th March 2014. This presentation, at THT's main offices, was attended by over 25 regional and head office stakeholders, included a guided conversation through the key research findings and a tour of the new website. Following on from this information dissemination, health professionals were invited to undertake a training event that helped them to put some of the key findings into practice. It is envisaged that further training events at regional offices will be held in the next 12 months. THT were extremely enthusiastic about the findings and will use the research in their negotiations with clinical commissioning groups and the NHS. The project partner, Terrence Higgins Trust, will benefit from the findings of the Reaching out Online project by being able to use this data in their negotiations with clinical commision bodies and the NHS. Beneficiaries: Terrence Higgins Trust Contribution Method: The research identified the impact that digital migration had on workers' (and service users') perceptions of HIV community outreach work. In contrast to general assumptions that digital work can offer a 'quick fix' for health promotion, health workers often have to develop deep and lasting relationships with users of a site, regularly engaging in nonhealth-related discussions and 'chat' in order to build trust and social capital among the community. The disembodied nature of online community outreach work results in deeper and more honest disclosure by service users. This allows outreach workers to provide information, knowledge and support that is more closely aligned with the situations and predicaments that service users find themselves in. Owing to the depth of such disclosure, health workers require more detailed knowledge of sexual health when working online, and working in a group setting (offline) can aid in developing this. Further key findings are detailed in the final report for this project, available at http://www.communitiesandculture.org/files/2013/07/Reaching-Out-Online-Final-Report.pdf The research identified the impact that digital migration had on workers' (and service users') perceptions of HIV community outreach work. In contrast to general assumptions that digital work can offer a 'quick fix' for health promotion, health workers |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Public Health 2.0 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Hosted by mHabitat and the Communities and Culture Network+ at the School of Media and Communications at the University of Leeds, Public Health 2.0 was a half day workshop in which we heard about existing work in this field and considered the future of public health fuelled by digital innovation - the opportunities, the challenges and the threats. The event included talks by Dr Madeline Balaam (lecturer in Interaction Design in Computing Science at Newcastle University and a member of Open Lab), Helen Thornham (Associate Professor in Digital Culture at the University of Leeds) and Victoria Betton (mHabitat). During the workshop, we discussed the ethics, challenges and disruptions around public health in relation to digital and social media. We also explored a number of cutting edge digital technologies and interactions, including technological and business advances through community initiatives like FeedFinder - an App that enables women to find, rate and share places for public breastfeeding, and AppMovement - a platform enabling communities to commission and design their own location review applications, and develop a crowd-generated evidence base through which to drive change. Participants included representatives from Leeds City Council, Leeds Health and Social Care Transformations Portfolio, Health Watch, Leeds Community Health Care, HSCIC, NHS Scotland, Bradford District CCG, and academics from the University of Leeds. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Public Interest Report: The Politics of Indebtedness in the UK |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | The launch event for the document and hashtag #politicsofdebt highlighted all the research from this report. Full Report available here: http://www.gold.ac.uk/media/PoliticsofDebtinUK_FINAL.pdf . The project team is committed to promoting the report, its findings and wider message again in the New Year. We are keen to follow-up on media interest and push the research out into the public domain. We launched using the hashtag and basic Tweetreach analysis of the #politicsofdebt included 100 tweets by 33 contributors over two days; these tweets reached over 39,500 accounts with potential 59,800 impressions. The report generated a good amount of press interest, so far the only published story is here: http://www.marketmoving.info/uk-households-need-bailout-just-like-banks/ |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | https://www.gold.ac.uk/media/migrated/media/goldsmiths/departments/academicdepartments/politics/pdf/... |
Description | RFSL - Conference Keynote |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | In October 2014, Dr Mowlabocus was the keynote speaker at the annual gay men's health conference organised in Stockholm by RFSL. Dr Mowlabocus was offered the opportunity to disseminate findings from Reaching out online and engage in a dialogue with representatives from Swedish (and pan-European) agencies on the challenges and opportunities that mobile applications pose for sexual health and wellbeing. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Radio 4 feature: payday lending, loan sharks and indebtedness |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | PI of the pilot study 'Digital technologies of debt resilience', Johnna Montgomerie, and project consultant Carl Packman were featured on Radio 4's Thinking Allowed to discuss payday lending, loan sharks and indebtedness. Hear full episode here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04tlfsk Unknown |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
URL | http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04tlfsk |
Description | Reaching Out Online: MeCCSA 2014 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Presentation of findings from the 'Reaching Out Online' scoping study at MeCCSA 2014 conference (Bournemouth). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Really Useful Analytics and the Good Life: ICA 2014 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | This panel addresses the conference theme of communication and 'the good life' by bringing together two current areas of interest in the field: a) media ethics / the media and well-being and b) big data and social media analytics. Our contemporary digital and networked communications landscape is said to raise new questions about whether our interests and well-being are being served, and about what conditions support or threaten the attainment of well-being for individuals and communities, especially in times of austerity. This panel addresses these concerns through a focus on what a 'good life' might look like in the context of big data and social media analytics. Communications scholarship about data analytics has been polarized to date: in one corner are celebrants of the possibilities that such techniques offer for 'knowing the social' and, in the other, critics, largely operating within a critical Marxist tradition, who see modern day analytics as new forms of value extraction, surveillance and control. Recognising the value of both approaches, this panel weaves together both perspectives through four papers which reflect on the ways in which big data and social media analytics and their visualizations and algorithms might serve the social or public good - what we call in the panel title 'really useful analytics', adapting cultural theorist Richard Johnson's concept 'really useful knowledge' (1979), as in self-defined and empowering knowledge, to be contrasted with 'merely useful knowledge', which serves rather to keep people in their place. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Rewriting the Hack |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The presentation of data relating to the industrial history of the North East inspired participants and provoked debate and creative collaborations. One group created a new art installation as a response. Participant feedback confirmed that the event had been useful in helping the attendees to expand their professional networks, as well as inspiring and motivating them to produce new work. Several of their reflections on the event are published online at http://rewritingthehack.github.io/reflections.html. The team which developed a sound installation plans to develop their prototype further. The piece received positive feedback from visitors, and encouragement to submit it to arts venues in the UK and Europe. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://rewritingthehack.github.io/ |
Description | Rural Crafting Communities Workshops |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | - As part of this seed project a series of exploratory workshops were held, to identify effective co-productive methodologies for digital engagement with rural craftspeople. - Many project participants have now developed websites which they are happy with, and are engaging with broader networks through social media channels such as Twitter and Wordpress: "The Wordpress workshop provided me with new information, courage and confidence to create my own website and realise I can do it on my own". - The project brought together members of different practice-based communities into one group: "it's a varied group of different people it's quite interesting to hear from different sides how they would go about doing it, and then put that into practice in your own work." Strong ties have been formed within the group which have led to mutual benefit between members, for example in collaborating in the recent North East Open Studios (NEOS) - for example by sharing venues and exhibiting spaces. These ties are maintained and developed through a Facebook group for participants, which was created by participants after they had the idea at one of the workshops. - Our non-academic partners (SSW, Talk About Local and Make Aberdeen) gained a deeper understanding of the ways that social media and digital technologies can support the practices of craftspeople and makers - something that they will use to inform their work with practitioners in the future: "people at the end of [the workshops] were very, very interested. It obviously struck a chord, it's something that's needed in these rural environments, and people are super up for it because they see there is an impact for their work - be it through the selling of jewellery production, or through the engagement with communities further afield." (Nuno Sacramento, SSW). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | SURF Research and Innovation Event |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Farida Vis (PI of the CCN+ pilot study 'Everyday Growing Cultures') was invited and presented the project at the SURF Research and Innovation Event (February 2013, The Netherlands). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
URL | http://www.slideshare.net/Stichting_SURF/everyday-day-growing-cultures-connecting-communities-throug... |
Description | Sans Duty Design Fiction Events |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | As well as a series of design fiction workshops, which were used to develop a 'Design Fiction Documentary', a roundtable discussion was held with key experts in the fields of alternative currencies and design fiction, to build a network around the project and identify the next steps for the project. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Science and knowledge production |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Caroline Bassett and Aristea Fotopoulou were co-panelists and paper givers in "Science and knowledge production", panel delivered at the ECREA DCC Workshop 'Digital Culture - Promises and Discomforts', University of Bonn, Germany. October 4th, 2013. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Scoping Study Presentations to Leeds City Council |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Members of the CCN+, based at the University of Leeds, presented the results of the 'Public Engagment and Cultures of Expertise' scoping studies to a panel from Leeds City Council. Presentations were followed by Q&A and discussion of how the Council might improve its public engagment strategy. Plans are now being made to develop further research in collaboration with LCC, partly through the CCN+ funded pilot project 'Digital Data Analysis, led by Helen Kennedy. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Self-representation, challenging representation: MeCCSA 2014 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | The idea of self-representation contains a claim that the self is speaking back to representations made of her, by others. This raises the question of whether and how people at the margins might use self-representation to address dominant media representations of people 'like them'. Through analysing the documentary-making process and outputs via which a group of young people represent themselves, this paper explores this relationship between self-representation and dominant media representations. We present early findings from a project between the University of Leeds and Space2, a Leeds-based third sector organisation that works with young people and other community groups in the city. Our project explores the impact of the coalition's welfare reforms through a lens that takes in identity, everyday life and dominant media representations of young people living in social housing. Working with Space2, 8 young people between the ages of 14-20 make their own representations addressing issues that concern them. We are interested in how these self-representations might contest, repeat, dispute, mimic, parody and otherwise speak to mainstream representation of welfare reform and its recipients. Our investigation seeks to unpack claims both about young people's digital literacy, and about the affordances of the genre of self-representation. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Sexual health in a digital age |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The feedback from this event was overwhelmingly positive and respondents offered the following comments on the evaluation sheet: • A large variety of workers with experience on different topics and methods of working. It was very relevant for my work in particular as Dr. Mowlabocus' knowledge and research was highly relevant • shared experiences increased understanding of how best to use twitter/blogs Interesting feedback form Sharif re 'reaching out online' project • It was very organised and had great interaction with all of the attendee • Definitely a need for this kind of training Participants were keen to stay in contact with organisers and further workshops were planned. Following this event, Dr Mowlabocus has been contacted by Yorkshire Mesmac about future collaborative work and the report for Reaching out online is being used by this organisation for future digital outreach development. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://wearemhabitat.com/2015/01/14/sexual-health-in-a-digital-age/ |
Description | Social Media & Community Volunteering Workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
Results and Impact | The workshop for the Social Media & Community Volunteering follow-on project, which was attended by 26 organisations, included presentations from small non-profit organisations as well as their stakeholders about their experiences with and views about social media adoption. It also provided a forum to disseminate initial findings of the project and discuss opportunities as well as issues around social media use in small non-profit organisations. The workshop included activities around identifying and ranking support mechanisms and policy initiatives in relation to social media adoption in the third sector. At the end of the event 94% of participants agreed that the content was relevant, 83% said that they were likely to adapt ideas from the workshop in their organisation, and 88% said that they would like to attend similar workshops in the future. Qualitative feedback from the workshop included: "Thank-you for allowing me to enhance my knowledge around social media. This has enabled me to have an informed decision regarding how we promote social media in our organisation in the future. I walked in this morning with reservations about social media and will walk away converted to the benefits so thank-you!" (Workshop delegate) "This is a great resource for small organisations. It's accessible and the content was very relevant." (Workshop delegate) "Very informative and prompted some good discussion." (Workshop delegate) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Social Media Surgeries |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
Results and Impact | As part of the CCN+ seed project 'New Knowledge Networks in Communities' two Social Media Surgeries will take place in March 2013, in collaboration with B31 Voices and Podnosh. These informal drop-in events are aimed at readers of B31 Voices who want to know more about how the web works to help support a community event or cause. A social media surgery is an informal gathering of people who want to learn how to use the web to communicate, campaign or collaborate. Surgeries are deliberately relaxed. No presentations, no jargon, noone telling people what they think they should know. Instead you will sit next to someone who understands good ways to use the internet, someone who will listen to what you do, and then show you free, useful tools. If you like what you see they can also help you set up your blog, Facebook page or Twitter account. Surgeries are generally aimed at helping voluntary or community organisations, local charities, clubs or societies. We also welcome individuals working on activities that are helping to support their community. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Social Quality in ICT |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Participants in your research and patient groups |
Results and Impact | CCN+ Mapping the Transformations - University of Sussex n/a |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Social media insights as expertise |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Presentation given at the Digital Expertise Workshop, Brighton, November 2012. ? |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Social media intelligence work and expertise |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Type Of Presentation | paper presentation |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Kennedy, H, (2013) 'Social media intelligence work and expertise', Expertise with/in Digital Media panel, World Social Science Forum Conference, Montreal, October 2013. ? |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | StoryStorm Cambridge |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | StoryStorm presented a novel method that draws on the specific cultural context of Blue Plaques to generate reflective, nano-stories. English Heritage Blue Plaques pepper the UK landscape expounding officially validated narratives celebrating past events, people, and buildings. The 'Guerrilla Blue Plaque Method' helped to articulate issues through telling stories of the near future. The team had adopted the Blue heritage plaque previously in Manchester and this workshop and exhibit refined the idea of co-creating stories set in the future. The stories themselves were co-created, focused but emergent, with themes and near future issues influenced by the RTD conference and exhibition, research at Microsoft, the history, issues and culture of Cambridge, and news in general. The plaques populated the environs of Research Through Design Conference and the city of Cambridge. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2007,2015 |
Description | StoryStorm Edinburgh |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | The CCN+ StoryStorm Network is partnering with the EPSRC RIDERS and CIRCLE networks to deliver a workshop at University of Edinburgh on April 30th. This collaborative workshop session will explore and map the variety of ways that stories are currently used during the research process, from hypothesis and scenarios to design fictions and prototypes. Its aim is to share approaches to storytelling across disciplines, help researchers achieve their aims and suggest strategies and technologies for future consideration. Full details are available at http://www.riders-project.net/events/forthcoming-events/forthcoming-riders-events/riders-circle-collaboration.html. . |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
URL | http://www.riders-project.net/events/forthcoming-events/forthcoming-riders-events/riders-circle-coll... |
Description | StoryStorm Manchester |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | In March the StoryStorm network will hold the third of its events in Manchester as part of the FutureEverything Festival 'Tools for Unknown Futures'. The event in collaboration with Nicky Kirk (architect) will engage with the theme of City Fictions at the former NOMA site in Manchester, where a pop up city will emerge. A workshop will explore themes currently being scoped with the team to engage stories in this site specific context. 'Storystorm', visitors take part in collaborative storytelling around the City Fictions site, bringing playful ideas of near-future city institutions to life using digital technology. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | StoryStorm Press Release |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Storystorm Dundee Press Release engaged local newspapers with a feature in The Courier Newspaper. The StoryStorm Dundee event was featured on the websites of University of Dundee, The List, DCA, CCN+, Dundee City Council, and reached a number of event sites such as A-N, WIRED. http://www.dundee.ac.uk/pressreleases/2013/november13/autobiography.ht ml http://www.thecourier.co.uk/news/local/dundee/storytellers-to-create-anautobiography- of-dundee-1.157552 http://www.wired.com/2014/02/futureeverything-manchester-march-27- april-1/ https://www.a-n.co.uk/news/futureeverything-review-city-fictions-datafacts- tribal-rituals |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | StoryStorm Vancouver |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Evaluation of Storystorm events and workshop activities is cumulative with the data and evaluation will be brought together at a workshop proposed and successfully accepted at DIS 2014. This interactive collaborative workshop will present key exemplars from the Storystorm events and a range of evidence based outcomes. The workshop is organized to articulate findings around the themes of the known and unknown (or unarticulated) storytelling methods emergent and will form the basis of a Storystorm 'toolkit' or lexicon for distribution. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Storystorm |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Participants in your research and patient groups |
Results and Impact | CCN+ Mapping the Transformations Symposium @ University of Sussex n/a |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Storystorm - Building an 'Autobiography of Dundee' |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The workshop featuring experts from across the UK was held in Dundee Contemporary Arts on Thursday November 28th and is inviting contributions from everyone, from designers and architects to collectors of Dundee `stuff' and those who simply had a story to tell about the city. Speakers at the event included: Matt Locke (Channel 4, BBC, Storythings) Nick Taylor (Dundee Fellow, Bespoke) Rod Gordon (McManus Gallery, Dundee's Oral History Project) Gillian Easson (Creative Dundee) This event was part of Book Week Scotland and was funded by RCUK SerenA Outcomes of the event were included in the Vision for Dundee City of Culture Bid 2013 and are being carried forward by the city into it's creative and cultural strategy. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
URL | http://www.communitiesandculture.org/storystorm-building-and-autobiography-of-dundee/ |
Description | Storystorm Blue Plaque Method - Stories old and new |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Talk at Warbuton Gallery, as part of a series of events at Powell & Mehrpouya's The Palace of Forgetting exhibition. Used the plaques to reflect on the talk, role of stories etc and also a nod to the then upcoming Scottish referendum. Tested and validated the BLue Plaque Method. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
URL | http://www.eca.ed.ac.uk/school-of-design/news-events/stories-old-and-new |
Description | Storystorm Blue Plaques Method: Open Source Stirling Collider Event in association with Design Informatics. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Deborah Maxwell (speaker) presented at Collider Stirling. Ice Cream Architecture, Open Source Stirling with Creative Stirling and ArtLink Central have been developing the cultural ID of Stirling. They are aiming to create new mechanisms and collaborations between public, private and cultural organisations underpinning the cities cultural identity. A collider is a conceptual design event, with an invited audience from our Community of Interest (local businesses and tech companies) and for Open Source Stirling local groups and organisations including Creative Stirling and ArtLink Central were invited. Storystorm blank plaques were used as a way of thinking of future scenarios and values for Stirling as a creative, thriving city. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
URL | http://www.opensourcestirling.org/events/collider-edinburgh-informatics-dept |
Description | Storystorm York |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The second CCN+ StoryStorm event in York is linked to an Arts and Humanities Research Council Connected Communities project 'How should decisions about heritage be made?'. The event will form part of a wider 'Public Inquiry' into the affects of heritage decision making on the lives of people in York through focusing on storming the histories and stories of a 1964 Brutaliststyle building Stonebow House. We will use a combination of exhibits and workshops to enrich the 'evidence base' which might then inform this decision - we will ask what are the stories of Stonebow House and what might be the stories to come?. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
URL | http://codesignheritage.wordpress.com/ |
Description | Storytelling for Development Reflective Workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | On 29 July 2015, the 'Storytelling for Development' pilot study team held a two--hour reflective workshop for the project partners. All bar one of the key members, including Steve Griffin and Victoria Sherwin, who led our on--the--ground community engagement efforts at the request of Lambeth Council (see Figure 1). The discussion was focused on four elements of the project: purpose, process, people, and potential. Each person in this workshop described their own conception of its purpose, making clear the different emphases that each stakeholder group had placed on their respective contributions. At the conclusion of the reflective workshop, participants discussed opportunities for future applications of this project's methods. These include: • starting geographically-placed conversations around how the council and councillors deliver on their manifestos • supporting cross-departmental initiatives within the council • helping public sector organisations coalesce around people rather than their own instrumental concerns • distributing influence in community forums • demonstrating that community members' voices are valuable and are responded to • demonstrating the 'flavour' of a local community online • encouraging contribution to a range of community issues • supporting local planning processes |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Storytelling fro Development story corpus on Vimeo |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The stories that participants of this pilot study were willing to share with the public can be found at https://vimeo.com/album/3498319. They have been placed on the Vimeo platform in such a way that they can be downloaded or embedded on other sites, but no one can comment on them (unless the owner of the Vimeo account, Jocelyn Spence, allows it). This should permit open access without the risk of negative feedback. All videos have been made available using the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike license, which allows re-use of the material but only with full attribution and never for another's financial gain. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | https://vimeo.com/album/3498319 |
Description | SusNet presentation at the CCIG Forum 30 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Aristea Fotopoulou and Kate O'Riordan presented the aims of the SusNet network at the Open University's 'CCIG Forum 30: Enacting public engagement: collaboration and critique within/beyond the university' on the 23rd April. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
URL | http://www.open.ac.uk/ccig/media |
Description | SusNet presentation: Digital Culture & Communication |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Kate O'Riordan presented the CCN+ Sustaining Networked Knowledge project at the Digital Culture section of ECREA, University of Bonn, Germany: http://dccecrea.wordpress.com/workshop/. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
URL | http://dccecrea.wordpress.com/workshop/ |
Description | Sustaining Networked Knowledge website |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The REFRAME website for the CCN+ network 'Sustaining Networked Knowledge: Expertise, Feminist Media Production, Art and Activism' (SusNet), based at the University of Sussex, launched publicly in Spring 2014. It was prepared and co-ordinated by Kate O'Riordan and Aristea Fotopoulou, with further input from other national and international participants in the project. The website acts as an archive for project activities and a place to share findings. The 'Conversations' page contains numerous interviews and video pieces, recorded as part of the project. The website records 1,836 all time views since launch. We aim to create a video to contribute a teaching resource for the online course FemTechNet which will provide further impact. We are also still receiving offers of more content for the website and will continue to maintain and publicise this. n/a |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013,2014 |
URL | http://reframe.sussex.ac.uk/susnet/ |
Description | TEDxCity2.0, |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Erinma Ochu presented the CCN+ funded Everyday Growing Cultures pilot project at this event in Leeds, which showcased a range of speakers who are using art, food, wellbeing, housing, play, politics and public space to create joy and resilience in communities. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
URL | http://www.tedxleeds.com/erinma-ochu/ |
Description | Tea, Cake and Conversation |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | The event Tea, Cake and Conversation co-organized by the CCN+ and Space2, reunited council members, scholars and families of Space 2 participants who are living on benefits to discuss some of the facing challenges in everyday life- It became an important forum to bridge two groups that are usually disengaged. This event constituted a key methodological prototype we are currently developing whereby creative methods are used as a starting point for political discussion. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Temple Works Heritage Open Days |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The CCN+ seed project 'The Multisensory Archive as an Ethnographic Research Method' was regularly shown at 'heritage open days' at Temple Works. These events primarily attracted historians, local artists and people who used to be employed at Temple Works. In June 2016, an exhibition of projects created at Temple Works is being held at Leeds Central Library as a legacy of the cultural project. With funding from Leeds City Council and the support of many previous 'artists in residence', the exhibition hopes to celebrate the contribution that the project made to the creative and cultural community of South Leeds. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | Temple Works workshop with Yoko Akama |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | Participants decided to collectively record their experiences of and creative responses to this workshop (which took the theme of 'Uncertainty') and present them as an e-book or website, curated by Dr Akama (RMIT, Melbourne). Update once website is live |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Terrence Higgins Trut Stakeholder Seminar |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
Results and Impact | Presentation of findings and recommendations to be made at THT stakeholder seminar (London). Presentation of findings from the 'Reaching Out Online' scoping study. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | The Big Open Data Debate |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | The Big Open Data debate was part of the 11th Annual ESRC Festival of Social Science. The debate encouraged discussion about how to facilitate productive collaboration between citizen-led community groups and open data communities. As a starting point, the debate focused on open data work that is linked to the increased interest in urban agriculture, such as the CCN+ Everyday Growing Cultures project. The debate drew on UK and US examples, particularly on the work of 596Acres, an organisation that has used US Land registry data to identify land for growing crops and actively engaging citizens in making the land available for agricultural use. The Everyday Growing Cultures project, which sought to do the same in Manchester and Sheffield, established links with 596Acres as part of the CCN+ pilot study. Better understanding the potential of citizen-engaged open data plays a crucial role in future developments in this area. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | The Ethics od Digital Innovation in Health and Care |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Digital innovation is heralded as the panacea for modern health and social care - creating more efficient and effective services, enabling patients to take more control of their health, and citizens to manage their transactions with government online. Personalised Health and Care 2020 (November 2015) sets out a framework for digital technologies with a bold ambition: One of the greatest opportunities of the 21st century is the potential to safely harness the power of the technology revolution, which has transformed our society, to meet the challenges of improving health and providing better, safer, sustainable care for all. To date the health and care system has only begun to exploit the potential of using data and technology at a national or local level. Our ambition is for a health and care system that enables people to make healthier choices, to be more resilient, to deal more effectively with illness and disability when it arises, and to have happier, longer lives in old age; a health and care system where technology can help tackle inequalities and improve access to services for the vulnerable. But in our rush to embrace digital technologies, are we paying proper attention to the implications for all of us as patients and citizens? What does digitally transformed health and care mean for privacy and surveillance? Who benefits and who might get left behind from the so called 'digital revolution' in health and care? How do we elide patient/citizen choice with professional expertise? This session aimed to bring people with an interest in the topic to start a conversation. We hope that it will result a regular meet up of interested people and bridge a dialogue across disciplines and sectors and was aimed at academics, people accessing health and care services, practitioners, digital innovators and anyone else with an interest in this topic. The session was hosted by Victoria Betton, director of digital health programme mHabitat and PhD student at the School of Media and Communications; Dr Helen Thornham, Associate Professor Digital Cultures at the School of Media and Communications; Dr Ian Kellar, Associate Professor and lead for behaviour change at the School of Psychology; Imran Ali, Founder of Carbon Engineering and Living Lab, with an interest in emerging technologies. Participants: Victoria Betton mhealthhabitat Dr. Ian Keller: University of Leeds Nicola Tiffany: HMA Digital Marketing Dex Hannon: Healthwatch Team Dr. Chris Till: Leeds Beckett University Dylan Roberts: Chief Digital Officer, Leeds Council Dr Mohannad Alajlani: Teaching Fellow Informatics, LIDA, University of Leeds Susan Morton: Research Assistant Leeds Beckett University Rachel Rutherford: Ripple Programme Leeds Council Imran Ali: Carbon Imagineering Nathanial Mills: Titch, Devices For Dignity Maneesh Juneja: Digital Health Futurist Dr. Sue Richardson: University of Bradford Alison Potts: Leeds Involving People, Leeds Hospital Trust Helen Thornham, University of Leeds |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
Description | The UK's everyday debt economy |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | Blog post for Sheffield Political Economy Research Institute (SPERI). Raising awareness of the 'Digital Technologies of Debt Resilience' research and, in particular, direct further attention towards the Public Interest Report 'The Politics of Indebtedness in the UK. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://speri.dept.shef.ac.uk/2015/01/30/uks-everyday-debt-economy/ |
Description | The ethics of digital innovation in health and care |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Digital innovation is heralded as the panacea for modern health and social care - creating more efficient and effective services, enabling patients to take more control of their health, and citizens to manage their transactions with government online. Personalised Health and Care 2020 (November 2015) sets out a framework for digital technologies with a bold ambition: One of the greatest opportunities of the 21st century is the potential to safely harness the power of the technology revolution, which has transformed our society, to meet the challenges of improving health and providing better, safer, sustainable care for all. To date the health and care system has only begun to exploit the potential of using data and technology at a national or local level. Our ambition is for a health and care system that enables people to make healthier choices, to be more resilient, to deal more effectively with illness and disability when it arises, and to have happier, longer lives in old age; a health and care system where technology can help tackle inequalities and improve access to services for the vulnerable. But in our rush to embrace digital technologies, are we paying proper attention to the implications for all of us as patients and citizens? What does digitally transformed health and care mean for privacy and surveillance? Who benefits and who might get left behind from the so called 'digital revolution' in health and care? How do we elide patient/citizen choice with professional expertise? This session aims to bring people with an interest in the topic to start a conversation. We hope that it will result a regular meet up of interested people and bridge a dialogue across disciplines and sectors. is aimed at academics, people accessing health and care services, practitioners, digital innovators and anyone else with an interest in this topic. The session is hosted by Victoria Betton, director of digital health programme mHabitat and PhD student at the School of Media and Communications; Dr Helen Thornham, Associate Professor Digital Cultures at the School of Media and Communications; Dr Ian Kellar, Associate Professor and lead for behaviour change at the School of Psychology; Imran Ali, Founder of Carbon Engineering and Living Lab, with an interest in emerging technologies. The following participants, from industry, NHS, public sector and academia took part in this CCN+ event and expressed in interest in forming an ongoing network, to improve health service provision: Victoria Betton: mhealthhabitat Dr. Ian Keller: University of Leeds Nicola Tiffany: HMA Digital Marketing Dex Hannon: Healthwatch Team Dr. Chris Till: Leeds Beckett University Dylan Roberts: Chief Digital Officer, Leeds Council Dr Mohannad Alajlani: Teaching Fellow Informatics, LIDA, University of Leeds Susan Morton: Research Assistant Leeds Beckett University Rachel Rutherford: Ripple Programme Leeds Council Imran Ali: Carbon Imagineering Nathanial Mills: Titch, Devices For Dignity Maneesh Juneja: Digital Health Futurist http://maneeshjuneja.com/ Dr. Sue Richardson: University of Bradford Alison Potts: Leeds Involving People, Leeds Hospital Trust Helen Thornham, University of Leeds |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | The social and spatial thresholds of the BBC Big Screens |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Participants in your research and patient groups |
Results and Impact | CCN+ Mapping the Transformations - Sussex n/a |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Trajectories: Gathering digital/visual data on the move |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Edgar Gómez Cruz will present the paper 'Trajectories: Gathering digital/visual data on the move at the Photography and Anthropology Conference in London. Further details of panel at: http://www.nomadit.co.uk/rai/events/rai2014/panels.php5?PanelID=2557 ? |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
URL | http://www.nomadit.co.uk/rai/events/rai2014/panels.php5?PanelID=2557 |
Description | USA Research Exchange Report |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | A report detailing meetings, knowledge-exchange and planned and potentail collaborations arising from a recent research trip to the USA has been submitted to the British Consulate/FCO, who provided funding for the first stage of this international exchange, and are also available on the website at: http://www.communitiesandculture.org/projects/outputs/. Funds from the CC Network+ Internationalization budget will be used to support return visits and collaborations. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
URL | http://www.communitiesandculture.org/projects/outputs/ |
Description | Urban Screens: Extending the Social and Spatial Thresholds |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Urban screens reinvigorate public space and civic culture by promoting new forms of shared viewing. However permanent urban screens are costly to set up and maintain. Showing advertisements offers a means for urban screens to become financially viable, yet artists, critics, and theorists contend that giving urban screens over to advertising diminishes the public environment. The argument for keeping urban screens in the public realm would be boosted by deeper understanding of how urban screens generate social capital by engaging with local communities. Yet processes for achieving this are rarely described. An understanding of techniques and approaches used by urban screens to engage with communities was acquired through a case study of the BBC Big Screen Network. This included interviews with BBC Big Screen Managers, local authority Screen Officers, and community collaborators. To understand similarities and differences in approaches to engaging communities, we then analysed two urban screen projects in terms of the outcomes of this case study. Preece and Schneiderman's Reader-Leader framework for understanding motivations behind online participation provided additional insights for this work. Our findings suggest that urban screens act as social and spatial thresholds. These thresholds extend beyond the immediate vicinity of the screen into areas and communities not physically connected to the screen site. Techniques used to engage communities include consideration of the screen's spatial and social setting when programming screen content, focusing on locally relevant content and collaborating with communities to create content. We believe the potential for urban screens to engage with local communities and generate social capital depends on the desire and ability of screen managers to understand and embed urban screens in the broader social, spatial, cultural, and economic environment in which the screen is situated. This paper stems from the CCN+ scoping study 'Cultural Heritage and the Built Environment', which made a casestudy of the BBC Big Screens Network. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Urban data: From fetish object to social object |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | This one-day gathering assembled a group of experts from Istanbul, Los Angeles, New York, Oslo and Sheffield to discuss questions surrounding the Age of Big Data. Speakers presented cases in which local communities from all over the world have used participatory data-gathering and mapping practices to open up questions of distributional justice, make claims against power, and gain a sense of themselves as having agency and competence with networked tools. Paula Segal and Farida Vis presented findings from the CCN+ 'Everyday Growing Cultures' pilot study. Anyone paying even casual attention to contemporary media, whether popular or scholarly, is now exposed to a steady cascade of voices assuring us that we live in something called the Age of Big Data. Our speakers will present cases in which local communities from all over the world have used participatory data-gathering and mapping practices to open up questions of distributional justice, make claims against power, and gain a sense of themselves as having agency and competence with networked too |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Virtual HIV Communities |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
Results and Impact | Oral presentation of findings from the 'Reaching Out Online' pilot study to be made at the (AHRC) 'Cultures, Communities and Connections in the HIV Sector' network - 'Virtual HIV Communities' seminar. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
Description | Virtual Museum Demos |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The finished model from the 'Creating a Virtual Museum' pilot study was demonstrated at two events, one for museum staff and volunteers, and another to groups of children at a local school. At each of these events, three formats of the model were available to experience: iPad, PC monitor, and Oculus Rift headset, alongside four of the objects scanned into the model and brought from MERL. Around 80 people attended the two events and were able to experience the VR models, and provide feedback, thoughts and comments on their experience. Around 80 people attended the two events, and 56 questionnaires were collected. Preliminary findings from an analysis of the questionnaires and initial thoughts from the qualitative information collected offer four main insights. First, the two main groups (museum workers and school pupils) despite their differences in age, familiarity with the technology and familiarity with the real space, did not produce significantly different responses to the experience. Second, the sensation of being in a different place is ambiguous, with some responses suggesting a separation from reality and others an anchor to it. Third, the experience was compromised by the quality of the model and the demonstration format. The level of realism was good, but not quite good enough to be entirely convincing, and the performance of the hardware was also at its limits, with sometimes distractingly poor responsiveness (iPad) and among the adults a common feeling of motion sickness in the Oculus Rift. Fourth, the idea of aiming to accurately recreate a real place and real objects within it as a proxy for visiting the actual place and objects is flawed. The model will never be real enough, with diminished sensations of social presence, textures, sounds and smells etc. whilst also reproducing the limitations of the real world. These findings will feed into the PI's next AHRC funded project. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Visual/Digital Ethnography, new approaches to social research |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Edgar Gomez Cruz will present as a guest speaker and workshop leader at the Universidad de Medellin, Colombia, relating the themes of his current research for the CCN+. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Visual/digital/sensory ethnography: challenges and opportunities |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | The Communities and Culture Network+ and the Visual & Digital Cultures Research Group will be hosting a workshop with Professor Sarah Pink on the 29th October at the Institute of Communications Studies, University of Leeds. Participants will be invited to suggest questions, discussions or statements about the use of the ethnographic method in current research, for collective discussion. Suggested questions/topics: - What are the challenges for ethnographic research in the era of Big Data? - How has the "digital" (as a tool and/or area of inquiry) transformed ethnographic work? - How does the ethnographic method help us to understand everyday life? - Visual/Digital/Sensory ethnographies - new ways to do ethnography? . |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | WSSF 2013 Panel |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Four members of the CCN+ will chair a panel on 'Expertise with/in Digital Media' at the World Social Science Forum in Montreal, Canada, Oct. 2013. The panel will continue the discussions started at the November 2012 Expertise Workshop (organized by The University of Sussex) and it will be the base for a special issue of the journal Convergence, which the Network will edit (to be published in 2015). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Workshop at MindTech, Nottingham University |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | MindTech are a NIHR Healthcare Technology Co-operative focused on digital mental health initiatives, and includes staff from NHS and academic sectors. MindTech invited us to run a workshop in November 2013, with members of Mind, MindTech and patients. This was part of their public patient involvement activity (PPI). We used the workshop to present the findings, and to discuss the outcomes in terms of methodological contributions to the field. The patients responded positively to the findings, and MindTech staff are interested in using the findings to inform their work on other major digital mental health tools (e.g. BigWhiteWall). We have been invited to a MindTech shared learning workshop in London in January 2015 to advise on a funded evaluation they are conducting on seven Innovation Labs funded digital tools for young people. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
Description | Workshops with Farrells architect planners |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The 'Storytelling for Development' pilot study team held a workshop and digital storytelling facilitation session with participating Farrells architect planners on 20 July 2015. David Frohlich and Jocelyn Spence captured sketches and verbal explanations of design ideas in story form using the Com-Phone Android app. This was also an opportunity to gain further feedback on the architect's perspective and many suggetions were gleaned. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Writing Leeds Screening |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | 03/03/15 - Everyman Cinema, Trinity, Leeds, Screening of three films created by users of Studio12, as part of a cinematic production by Studio12 and Left Eye Blind commissioned by the British Library, followed by Q&A with the writers. The films follow a series of workshops delivered by Studio 12 and Leeds City Council as part of the 'Writing Leeds' project, which provided 15 young people between the age of 15-30, many of which were first time writers, with the chance to learn more about the craft of filmmaking and pen their own short films which reflected their sense of place, aspiration and belonging growing up in Leeds. The event also included a 15 min documentary on the making of the films by CCN+ Research Fellow Edgar Gomez Cruz, made as part of the 'In/visible and un/fixed communities' scoping study. The event was attended by attended by representatives from Leeds City Council, Leeds Library, Culture Vulture, Duke Studios, Hebe Media, City Talking Newspaper, Leeds City College, Leeds Young Film, Yorkshire Business in the Arts, Logistick and Futuresound, as well as the participants and their friends and families. Continued support for Studio12 from Leeds City Council. Raised awareness of Studio12's work with young people: "We are always delighted to support projects such as this one delivered by Studio 12, which provide our young people with the opportunity to not only harness their creative talents but also learn new skills." Councillor Lucinda Yeadon, Leeds City Council's executive member for leisure & skills "If you want to be moved, inspired and impressed this is where to look; some extraordinarily powerful work produced by some of the city's newest emerging talent. Take it seriously - it's not to be missed." Sally Joynson, Chief Executive, Screen Yorkshire "The films is absolutely beautiful and so moving" Ellie Kirby Programme Coordinator - Arts, Channel4 "The films are great (!) - congratulations on getting them finished.." Simon Reeve, BBC presenter. "Leeds must be the European Capital of Words on Film already!" Steve Dearden, The Writing Squad "Amazing & humbling project" Culture Vultures |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |