Diversity & DissentGlobal Cotton Connections: East meets West in the Derbyshire Peak District, UK
Principal Investigator: Dr Susanne Seymour, School of Geography, University of Nottingham
From 2014 to 2015
Britain is famous for its ‘Industrial Revolution’ and cotton textiles were a key component of this. Many early mills were located in rural areas where water power could be harnessed. The Derbyshire Peak District, now partly covered by a National Park and containing the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site, is one key area yet its global connections remain obscured. Read more
Listening to Voices: Creative Disruptions with the Hearing Voices Network
Principal Investigator: Dr Gail McConnell, Queen's University Belfast
From 2015 to 2016
In the field of mental health research, voice-hearers feel the effects of academic language-use in their everyday lives through the hierarchical language of ‘others’ (e.g. ‘researcher’ and ‘researched’) and stigmatising labels. This project seeks to learn how to listen to ‘others’ and to counter oppressive structures of language-use by building a network of expertise in listening. It brings together voice-hearing networks, independent artists and academics to develop a suite of resources for creative listening practices. Read more
Localism, Narrative & Myth
Principal Investigator: Antonia Layard (then University of Cardiff, then University of Birmingham)
From 2012 to 2013
Localism, Narrative & Myth was a research project funded by the Connected Communities programme of the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) in 2012-2013. The academic partners were Antonia Layard (now Bristol), Raksha Pande (Durham), Joe Painter (Durham), Hilary Ramsden (then UWE) and Hamish Fyfe (Glamorgan). The project consisted of two strands both of which are available on this website. Read more
Múin Béarla do na Leanbháin (Teach the Children English): Migration as a Prism for Viewing Ethnolinguistic Vitality in Northern Ireland
Principal Investigator: Professor Karen P. Corrigan
From 2014 to 2015
Research on language in Northern Ireland (NI) focuses on the varieties spoken by the major ethnicities. Their linguistic heritageshave been hotly disputed and scholarship reflects the socio-political conflict of ‘The Troubles’. The Peace Process has ensured greater protection for Irish and Ulster Scots and has also made NI more attractive, resulting in unprecedented immigration. Read more
GEM (Grown, Edible, Meaningful)
Principal Investigator: Ann Light
From 2013 to 2014
The GEM project invited people to grow edible plants together to inspire reflection on environmental issues across cultures and faiths. Our team of researchers and community organisations wanted to know what different meanings growing food holds across different communities and to learn if this affects feelings towards the environment, ecological issues and other people. Read more
Stories to connect with: disadvantaged children creating phygital community objects to share their life-narratives of resilience and transformation
Principal Investigator: Dr Candice Satchwell
From 2015 to 2017
Working with children and young people from Barnardo’s and other participatory groups, we will gather stories about young people’s lives which might otherwise not be heard. First we will train young people to become researchers, and they will ‘collect’ narratives from other young people. Then we will work with well-known children’s authors to make these stories into assemblages of fiction. Read more
Community filmmaking and cultural diversity: Practice, innovation and policy
Principal Investigator: Dr Sarita Malik (Brunel University)
From 2013 to 2014
The research aims to understand better how community filmmaking practices, in culturally diverse contexts, contribute to the wider film ecology and to representation, identity and innovation and how this contribution can be better supported by policy. Read more
Exploring personal communities: A review of volunteering processes
Principal Investigator: Professor Mihaela Kelemen, Keele University
2012
Exploring Personal Communities: A Review of Volunteering Processes investigates the idea that personal communities contribute to the public good by offering ways to transcend commonplace dualisms such as public/private and individual/collective. Read more
Productive Margins regulating for Engagement
Principal Investigator: Professor Morag McDermont
From 2013 to 2018
Community engagement needs radical re-design. All too often decision-making is top-down and decision makers do not adequately engage, deeming ‘community engagement’ a passive exercise. Communities are often only invited to comment on decisions which have already been made, leaving isolated and excluded communities feeling even more powerless, and adding to dislocation between politicians and the electorate. Read more
Creative communities in art & design since the 1960s: lessons for socio-economic regeneration in a globalized world
Principal Investigator: Professor Jonathan Harris (University of Southampton)
From 2012 to 2018
A seven year doctoral research programme bringing together Winchester School of Art and Tate Liverpool. Four PhD students are examining the creative art and design communities associated with and generated by pop culture in Britain and its many legacies since the 1960s. Read more
