For the program see here
What each session will look like
Each session entails immersive engagement with the multimodal work followed by a short written reflection, the expert response and discussion:
Each session will begin with an approximately 30 minute engagement with one of the six works. If it is a book, then we read for 30 minutes. If it is a film or sound work, we watch or listen for 30 minutes. If it is a data platform, we explore during this time. The only exception will be the performance. This we will experience in its entirety.
Afterwards, we will provide some writing prompts to which participants will respond briefly. We will then take a short coffee break. When we return, we provide around 15 minutes for opening reflections on the work, considering what stood out or is worth remarking upon.
We will then have our invited expert provide insight into how they evaluate such works from their disciplinary or practice-based background. The remainder of the session will be dedicated to discussion about the standards, values, and characteristics that make such a multimodal creation a relevant work of anthropology.
The aim is to identify these values so that we might find ways to help future makers of multimodal works to articulate them, and to help future evaluators of multimodal works recognize and apply them. (Again, the performance will be a little different: we will watch the whole thing on one evening but only discuss it the following morning).
What we would like from you (if it is your work under consideration)
Obviously we would like your engaged participation across all sessions. We would also hope that you are ready for a thorough engagement and unpacking of your work, and that you will be willing to share with us part of the story of how it came to be in the form it came to be.
What we would like from you (if you are an invited expert)
It is our position that we do not need to begin from scratch each time a new media format or multimodal form is used by anthropologists. Scholars, researchers, and practitioners from other fields have already developed useful ways to evaluate and distinguish what constitutes a convincing, relevant, or valuable contribution. While there may be distinctions between what elements an anthropologist would value or consider important and what someone from comic studies, or sound studies, would value or consider important, we believe we have a lot to learn from you. So, we would like you to prepare a presentation in which you walk us through how you evaluate the work we have asked you to consider from your disciplinary or practice-based perspective.
You can present this however you would like, but we are not really looking for a lecture or conventional talk. Rather we would love you to perform, at least in part, how you evaluate: what are the things you look or listen for, maybe offer an example or two. This presentation should last between 15-20 minutes; we will have a projector and speakers available but please let us know in advance if you plan on using them. Let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
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Picture credits: CC BY Royal Navy 2004 Submarine Escape Training
