Introduction/purpose: The paper reflexively documents (for the first time) as a consistent approach a participatory, co-creative storytelling practice for organic place branding as developed by the researcher across cinema, digital platforms, and word-of-mouth. Focus of this paper is on the societal impact of an implicit approach, to be structured into a repeatable process. Research limitations: The paper is based on reflexive observations and insights. The original empirical materials were co-created with stakeholders or developed for cinema, creative industry, or other applied uses, with the intent to develop a formalized methodology. Empirical research assets were therefore interpreted, reframed, or reflected upon from the viewpoint of both (a) social sciences and humanities and (b) place branding, leisure direction, and impact viewpoints. Theoretical framework: This paper is presented as a case study. A theoretical justification is provided. Methodology/main research approach: Reflexive reporting of art-based participatory interventions, between activism (action research) and storytelling for place branding. Findings: Reference cases will be grounded in the City of Turin, Italy, and most specifically its underprivileged Mirafiori and Borgo Aurora districts. The paper will frame an organic field practice through reflexively structuring it as a repeatable process. Impacts of an economic, social, and artistic nature will be documented. Specific empirical research assets include: (a) fictional movie and documentary (2014, 2019); (b) video clips, based on participatory interviews; (c) reflexive evidence from original approach bridging (cinematic) storytelling to place branding; (4) information and evidence on economic and social impacts, as extracted from (a) news and other secondary sources, and (b) primary statements from key stakeholders. Conclusions: The paper will offer two key value points: (a) Reflexive externalization by stakeholders of an implicit approach; (b) Potential formalization into a repeatable process, for universal adoption. The authors are committed to achieving the most societal impact through their research and consulting work and the paper will provide the opportunity to transfer findings, learnings, and assets to a wider community of stakeholders, for example, citizens and practitioners, with the required methodological reliability. Practical implications: The focus of this paper is eminently practical in terms of translating an organic practice at the crossroads of the creative industry, cinematic arts, and place branding, into a structured approach, and possibly a process. The outcome will be a reflexive repeatable formalization of the said approach, for future consideration and adoption by place branding leaders and stakeholders, with societal impact as the priority.
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From the article : "In this paper the implications of different research approaches and methods are illustrated by using two projects of the authors. Both projects take place in the same context: exploring participatory innovation within Small-to-Medium sized Enterprizes (SMEs). The main aspects coming forward when comparing the research characteristics of both projects are the importance of time and momentum, the structural set up of the project, people or participants and the abilities of the people involved. The research goal and the background of the researcher are main determinants for the chosen research methods. We hope with this paper to make researchers aware of the implications of the research methods and approach on the results of the project."
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Fans constitute a very special kind of audience. They have been marginalized, ridiculed and stigmatized, yet at the same time they seem to represent the vanguard of new relationships with and within the media. ‘Participatory culture’ has become the new normative standard. Concepts derived from early fan studies, such as transmedial storytelling and co-creation, are now the standard fare of journalism and marketing text books alike. Indeed, usage of the word fan has become ubiquitous. The Ashgate Research Companion to Fan Cultures problematizes this exaltation of fans and offers a comprehensive examination of the current state of the field. Bringing together the latest international research, it explores the conceptualization of ‘the fan’ and the significance of relationships between fans and producers, with particular attention to the intersection between online spaces and offline places.
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This deaf-led work critically explores Deaf Tech, challenging conventional understandings of technologies ‘for’ deaf people as merely assistive and accessible, since these understandings are predominantly embedded in medical and audist ideologies. By employing participatory speculative workshops, deaf participants from different European countries envisioned technologies on Eyeth - a mythical planet inhabited by deaf people - centered on their perspectives and curiosities. The results present a series of alternative socio-technical narratives that illustrate qualitative aspects of technologies desired by deaf people. This study advocates for expanding the scope of deaf technological landscapes, emphasizing the needs of establishing deaf-centered HCI, including the development of methods and concepts that truly prioritize deaf experiences in the design of technologies intended for their use.
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In: Frank Gadinger, Martina Kopf, Ayşem Mert, and Christopher Smith (eds.). Political Storytelling: From Fact to Fiction (Global Dialogues 12) This essay presents a summary of important perspectives concerning the distinction between what counts as truth or fiction. As a source of inspiration, it starts with two examples found in literature – the first a classical Spanish novel and the second a collection of stories written by the leader of a social movement in Mexico. These two examples of the conflictive relations between truth and fiction, authenticity and imagination serve as a source of inspiration for the rest of this article, which shows that this issue has been a subject of intense debate in philosophy and in the philosophy of science and still presents a challenge in the 21st century. The essay states that absolute, objective truth is a myth. It describes that what counts as ‘truth’ in a particular era, is, among other things, the result of power relations. It suggests productive ways to deal with this problem in modern society, through deliberative, emancipatory processes of reflexivity (Weick 1999), participatory research and dialogue, facilitating innovation and generation of new solutions.
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Stories play an important role in how World Heritage Sites are experienced and valued by local communities, visitors, and tourists. This paper explores the diverse narratives associated with Bridgetown and its Garrison in Barbados, designated as a World Heritage site in 2011. Through qualitative research involving a four-day participatory workshop and follow-up interviews with local stakeholders, the study examines dominant narratives and lesser-known stories connected to this heritage site, as well as the meanings constructed from these stories and the sentiments they evoke. The findings reveal a richness of stories, ranging from the official UNESCO narrative about colonial tangible heritage to lived experiences and intangible heritage. This narrative diversity suggests that incorporating multiple storytelling perspectives into destination storytelling practices could better reflect Barbadian identity and enhance visitor experiences at the World Heritage Site. Based on these findings, the study demonstrates the potential synergy between tangible and intangible heritage, with storytelling acting as a bridge between these domains. While recognizing the importance of a coherent storyworld, this paper advocates for a model of narrative plurality in destination storytelling.
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Background: Revealing tacit knowledge often is seen as very valuable for organizations, although it is usually challenging to enunciate and share this type of knowledge. Methods: This study uses a participatory design and the application of a board gaming simulation as instruments to extract tacit knowledge. To illustrate this application, the gaming simulation is played with entrepreneurs from horticulture. Horticulture represents a complex social system where tacit knowledge plays a major role in the trade process. A participatory design process is used to explore whether the design and play of gaming simulations enable participants to explicate their tacit knowledge. Participants’ participation in designing the gaming simulation explicated that reconstructing reality was a prerequisite for their commitment. Results: The results from playing simulation sessions show that participants were able to: (1) narrow down the anecdotic behaviour to a few factors; (2) to structure these factors; (3) explore how these factors relate to trade barriers and (4) to explain which tactics are applied to foster trade. Conclusion: The educational value of this study is that it helped entrepreneurs in understanding complex real-life situations.
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This article is based on five years of longitudinal participatory action research on how former pre‐bachelor programme students with a refugee background experience finding their way into Dutch higher education and society. The four‐member research team and authors (two of which were former refugees), found that refugee students face a significant barrier of “us‐versus‐them,” especially in an educational context. We explored how creative co‐creation contributed to rethinking difference and sameness in higher education by breaking through or transcending this divide. Creative co‐creation through play, storytelling, or constructing artefacts enables “alterity,” approaching the other from the other’s position. Movement and action help to shape the world around us: Connecting and shifting positions creates sameness while leaving space for difference. Creative co‐creation during our research process included making co‐creation artefacts and activities, thus involving outreach to broader audiences for engagement. In the research process, it became clear that successful participation matters to all students and provides more opportunities for all, not just refugee students. A new notion of “we” in Dutch higher education and society that does not perpetuate the divide between “us” and “them” requires a shared responsibility. Higher education needs the university authorities and the teachers to make room for student stories and should provide spaces for dialogue and community development.
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Heritage communication is more and more integrating digital media, which help to offer a wider and deeper understanding of heritage and its values. In particular, intangible cultural heritage (ICH) can find in information and communication technologies a powerful ally to share its facets and different dimensions, through multimedia technologies (especially videos), storytelling, and several other applications like mixed realities and artificial intelligence. Such media can help not only to provide access to information and knowledge, but also to enrich the experience of people exposed to such heritage, and to promote a deep connection between the heritage itself and interested persons. This paper presents the process through which goals and needs to communicate and promote Indonesian Batik textile heritage, which has been inscribed by UNESCO among the Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2009, have been collected and transformed into the design of digital communication outlets, namely a website and a mobile app. Such process has encompassed an extensive analysis of the presence itself of Batik in digital media through benchmarking, as well as the elicitation of needs and requirements of relevant stakeholders and target audiences, through in-depth interviews and surveys. The design has been done ensuring at every step that it was considering and integrating, as much as possible, the results of the previous analyses. While presenting the iWareBatik case, which has been successfully implemented and launched, with the support of the highest Indonesian cultural-related institutions, the paper describes in detail the used methodology, hence providing an itinerary, which can be adopted by other similar projects.
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