Thanks ann for your thought - a good one. Made me think back to 5 years ago when I was attached to the key centre for women's health at Melbourne university as a kind of academic advisor to international phd students. Many of the students came from Africa, Asia, etc to addrres pressing issues for women. I noticed that many had no opportunity to actuallly consider how they would translate their findings into action on the ground back home. Together with a philosopher colleague Helen Verran we started a conversation with some women about getting funding to do so but I left before we took the next step. The issue remains in many areas to consider the pragmatic consequences of theoretical positions and translations into action.
-----Original Message-----
From: "A.B.Thorpe" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
To: A.B.Thorpe <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: 24/08/2009 8:28:16 PM
Subject: RE Jacques Giard's comment
Jacques and everyone,
Jacques’ message strongly resonated with me, as I find the pattern he described very accurate and had to laugh at the apt expression, “the surgery is successful but the patient dies.” But on the other hand, if one of the “hot” words or concepts is of central significance to my own research, I do pay attention and find much of the information often thought provoking, if not explicitly useful (such as for a reference or citation). It does make me wonder if there is scope for another list among us.
It strikes me that what Jacques describes is the nature of a list that is oriented toward “PhD” issues, rather than issues of relating research to practice. These long debates about the accuracy of a term or concept are central to the PhD process, with it’s focus on argument, rigor, evidence, and interpretation. Indeed many of the “non contributors” may be watching the list partly just to “see how it’s done” -- how to make an argument among colleagues. I also feel the list would benefit from a wider range of contributions, but Jacques’ observations are probably accurate about why many don’t.
Having said all that, what about this list breaking in two? The newly formed, separate list could emphasize more down-to-earth issues of relating research to practice generally (not just PhD issues), or perhaps even more broadly relating academic work to professional practice.
I find my own research at the moment looking closely at the nature of professional practice and the chasm between the way we try to prepare students (for example to address social and environmental issues, to explore the transformative potential in design) and what they find in the reality of the profession(s) when they graduate. Similarly, the academic environment seems to be the seedbed for a lot of innovative work across all issues in design, able to get ahead of the “curve” of practice in some areas, but there is the missing piece Jacques talks about in terms of “translation” or transfer.
All indications are that ultimately we need to be looking for reformation and transformation across the board, whether they emerge in research, practice or some hybrid form. So I would find this hypothetical second list of interest -- long arcane debates would, of course, be banned there -- but I would remain on the PhD Design list, with it's continuing detailed debates, for the intellectual exercise and issues that relate directly to the study and research of design at the Doctoral level.
I’m interested to hear what the 1500 others think about this....
Best,
Ann
Ann Thorpe
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Dept of Design, Development, Environment & Materials
Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, United Kingdom
Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London
Wates House, 22 Gordon Street London WC1H 0QB, United Kingdom
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book: The Designer's Atlas of Sustainability (www.designers-atlas.net)
& blog: http://designactivism.net
discussion list: SUSDESIGNTEACH
twitter: @atlasann
The Open University is incorporated by Royal Charter (RC 000391), an exempt charity in England & Wales and a charity registered in Scotland (SC 038302).
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