Mobile Methodologies: Researching Mobile Experiences
Convenors: Mark McGuinness (Bath Spa University, UK) & Justin Spinney ?
(Royal Holloway University of London, UK).
Discussant: Professor John Urry (Lancaster University)
Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British ?
Geographers) Annual Conference, London, 30 August-1 September 2006.
Second call for papers
In geography, urban studies, sociology and elsewhere there is heightened awareness of the
importance of better understandings of the movement of bodies through space (as walkers,
cyclists, dancers, drivers, passengers etc). Such sustained emphases on movement suggest
interesting methodological questions: how do we research and represent mobile experiences: of
being in place momentarily, of passing through, of being 'in-between'? Can existing ?
social scientific research methods that slow down and freeze experiences (the interview, the focus
group, the survey) adequately capture mobile experiences, practices where the context of
movement itself may be crucial to understanding the significance of the event to the participant, ?
rather than being simply 'read off' from destination points and origins? This session examines the
foundations of this perceived limitation and considers methodological responses, technologies
and representational strategies designed to more fully inform our understanding of people's
experience of movement through space, such as through the use of video recordings, audio ?
diaries, photographic diaries, text trails, blogs and travelogues.
We have been very pleased with the response to our first call for papers but would still like to
encourage further submissions. Abstracts for fifteen minute papers addressing any aspect of
researching mobile experiences should be submitted to Dr Mark McGuinness
([log in to unmask]) no later than Friday 27th January 2006. Please feel free to?
contact either of us if you require any further information about the session.
Many thanks
Mark McGuinness: [log in to unmask] ?
Justin Spinney: [log in to unmask]
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