26th February 2008, 10:00 - 16:00
Centre for Research in Education and Educational Technology,
The Open University, Milton Keynes

This seminar will explore what happens when an attempt is made to unite the two research fields of multimodality and linguistic ethnography, and will consider some of the problems and difficulties involved in combining the two fields. The seminar will provide a forum for experienced and new researchers to share their work and insights, with a focus on practical examples from empirical research. A key aim is to develop a network of people who are interested in exploring the theoretical and methodological intersections between multimodality and ethnography, with a view to extending and enriching the description and analysis of social practice.
Key Questions include:

1) How can research methodologies be enhanced by combining multimodal and ethnographic approaches?

2) How does a focus on the affordances of different modalities usefully extend and enhance the 'thick description' demanded by fine-grained ethnography?

3) How does incorporating visual/material cultural methodologies enhance ethnographic research?

Fee: £30 (including lunch), with some places reserved for PhD students at the reduced cost of £15. Spaces are limited, so early registration is advised.

To book a place, please make cheques payable to MM SIG/BAAL/ and return completed forms with payment ASAP to Lesley Lancaster (L.Lancaster@mmu.ac.uk) Manchester Metropolitan University, Institute of Education, Crewe Green Road, Crewe, Cheshire, CW1 5DU.