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Reflexive Diary Introduction
Notes de l'éditeur
- The MSc module Sustainability in Practice originally evolved, I think Im right in thinking from Richard’s Netherlands field trip. When this was taken off roster a few years ago, the module developed into a loose coalition of guest speaker and practitioner slots based on research and other practice regarding the title of the module. I gave one of the sessions in this module based on my research into ecological identity work at the Centre for Alternative Technology (which was one of the calendared day trips organised as part of the schedule, and this trip still remains in the new version of the course).
- This year however, Sustainability in Practice has taken a different turn. Growing out of the session I had given in previous years, Richard and I saw the opportunity to develop the module with sustainable practice at the individual level the focus of the lecture and practical series. As the module outline has it:
- Perhaps most interesting for the subject of this away day are the different pedagogical and assessment aspects integrated into the module. As the outline goes on:
- So, the new Sustainability in Practice sought to transfer the focus of attention to the individual, and did this through adopting a new methodological variation on the traditional ethnographical research methodology. As you all know: Ethnography normally involves placing the researcher in an ‘other’ social group to find out about that different cultural amalgam – perhaps a group of bikers, or protesters or African tribe. However, ethnography can be far less exotic and far more everyday. Going out into ‘the field’ doesn’t need to involve getting on plane to far away places, the field can be closer to home than you think (see expanded field (Expanded field: Katz, 1994, Clifford, 1997; lifeworld Buttimer, Relph, Merleau-Ponty)Amit, V. (ed.) 2000 Constructing the Field. European Association of Social Anthropologists. Routledge. London & New York.). Ethnography therefore does not have to be about other social groups in far away places, it can be about our own groups in our own backyards, indeed, it can also be about ourselves in our own lives. This is when ethnography becomes autoethnography. This module required the students themselves to become an auto-ethnographer, an autobiographer, to write their story of their approach to environmentalism and sustainable development, reflecting on their own positionality, philosophy and action in relation to these issues.
- This interest in autoethnography was reflected in how we taught the module, and how the students learned on it: Small blocks of traditional lecturing Issue readings or other items for you to look at between sessions; e.g. Carbon Gym software, readings, etc Use of focus groups All the students, for example, initially undertook a session in the Carbon Gym to work out their carbon footprints, critique these software packages, and evaluate how their own lifestyle choices or impacted on the environment. They then participated in two focus groups. These focus groups were also filmed, and the discussions subsequently transcribed. The transcriptions have been placed on Blackboard, and the films digitised and will be made available for student loan.
- Reflective diaries, 75% of assessment.
- Students can include supplementary illustrative material if it supports a point made in the journal – this might include photographs, items on TV or in the print media – which reflect the issues arising with individual environmental action. Standard academic referencing conventions should be followed. To check that students are on the right lines, please submit to the module leader drafts of the first two entries for some initial feedback by Monday 3rd of March 2008.
- Film and transcription of focus group material made available to current students through bb, and through digitised cds. So in this way our teaching can be both a resource for current and future students, but also a resource from which empirical material can be generated to fuel peer reviewed publications. One example of teaching-led research.
- What motivated them to act in a sustainable way, to bring the ideas encountered in this SPEP course into practice, why do you do what you do (either in a green or non-green way), what obstacles are in your path, what makes it difficult (in terms of lifestyle, money, relationships, broader culture etc)? Important ethical issues: i) Important to note a number of issues at this stage. Although the students were assessed on these reflective diary pieces, they were not marked on how green you are. It is possible for them to be really unsustainable in their actions – that is not way to get a good or bad grade in this module, how green you are is up to the individual – what is important is how they reflect, critique, identify problems that are encountered, or solutions arrived at. Indeed, one of the things we want students to engage with are the tensions that are perhaps inevitable between trying to be green and the structures that impede this in the society we live in. ii) All this premised on informed consent. Ask them for permission to be filmed, and for the material to be used in this way. Reflective diary entries to be anonymised.