Reference no: EM132313609

Assignment -

The water diary, and associated reflection, has two components:

1. A water diary of 3 pages.

2. A 400 words reflection that draws on the set reading, lectures, and your own experiences of keeping a simplified water diary and answers the following questions.

How does a cultural approach to water research differ from other approaches?

What are the strengths and weaknesses of the water diary as a cultural research method?

Notes 4.1 - Cultural research and water usage

This week: 1. Cultural research on water - extending our understanding of what cultural research is, and how cultural research is similar to, and different than other forms of research.

2. Water diaries as a method in the context of the use of mixed methods.

Although the article by Sofoulis, that is the set reading for this week, is based on research conducted while Sydney was suffering drought conditions-which we no longer are-nonetheless, the arguments are of continuing importance given what we know about climate change and more generally, the importance of understanding our 'ecological footprint'.

FYI: Intergovernmental panel on climate change

But what has cultural research got to do with this?

In this pod: How Sofoulis positions cultural research in relation to other forms of research on water and water usage.

The socio-technical: what it is, why cultural researchers are interested in it, and how it connects to your water diary exercise.

4.2: Continues our exploration of the meaning of cultural research, and cultural research on water, focusing specifically on contexts, customs, habits, and emotions. We will ask: what is a water user?

4.3: Methods, water diaries, and your portfolio task

Sofoulis: Existing research on water users tends to fall into two kinds: large scale, big population (macro level) studies, and on the other, studies of individual attitudes, beliefs etc (micro level).

But this leaves out material that cultural researchers are particularly interested in; for instance, how people's water usage shapes everyday life; what water means to people in their everyday lives; the emotional and experiential dimensions of water that exceed the idea that water is simply a resource to be used; what cultural codes and conventions have to do with people's practices and identities as water users; our use of technologies: the material dimensions of social life. That is, what cultural researchers are particularly interested in is the meso level of research and human experience.

One important consideration is how the attitudes that we express come, in part, from our interaction with specific technologies and knowledge systems.

See the discussion of socio-technical co-evolution (Sofoulis, 2005, p.449).

A socio-technical perspective: (Using the example of the video clip) contrast between the persons in the ad's interface with the source of water, in contrast to contemporary suburban Australian experiences.

Privacy in bathing (that most of us take for granted) is:

A cultural norm

An architectural achievement

A feat of engineering

A socio-technical phenomenon

The socio-technical can also be seen in the way in which we relate to water pipes, and provisioning to the home, constructs or enables particular forms of sociality.

To reiterate: The physical and technological infrastructures associated with water provision generate specific forms of human sociality.

Lecture Pods notes 4.2 RC 2018

Water cultures: Are sometimes seen as something that 'other cultures' (non-Western or 'non-advanced') have.

This pod: a few different dimensions of cultural research on water

What does cultural research on water and water users involve (in addition to the focus on the socio-technical)?

Cultural researchers are interested in:

• The specificity of people's experiences and how that might connect to distinctive water cultures. Example of differences between people even within one family. Consider the cultural specificity of demands for self-presentation: age might be a very important variable, or gender, or where you live, or experiences of migration and country of origin.
• People's emotional relationships with water. And affects (innate physiological responses). Affects and emotions become particularly important when considering the 'yuck factor': the role of disgust in thinking about water futures and water saving practices. Consider peoples reactions to recycling sewage for drinking water (as happens elsewhere).
• The ways in which water plays a part in processes of social distinction - how we position ourselves in relationship to each other (our gardens, whether we have a swimming pools etc). Norbert Elias (1897- 1990) on The Civilising Process and the emergence of the 'clean and proper' civilised body of modernity.
• Cultural norms and conventions and how these shape our relationships with water.

The old Harpic ad: What's going on here in terms of discourses about gender, morality, risk, cleanliness, and responsibility?

And as for the second ad (!): what's going on here in relation to gender, cleanliness, risk, sexuality, and responsibility?

Steps for completing the water diary and associated reflection task -

1. Read the portfolio task description.

2. Watch the lecture pods and add any notes needed to the summary notes provided.

3. Complete the set reading. Keep in mind the assessment task requirements and note down points that help you to complete the task requirements.

4. Review the portfolio task description and read the document that details the currents for your water diary exercise. NOTE: The diary exercises are from the actual research project led by Dr Sofoulis.

5. Check out the sample diary entries.

6. Complete your water diary (12 points font).

7. Review the reflection task requirements, the notes you have already made that will help you complete this, and check out the supplementary materials for further relevant information.

8. Write the reflection.

Note - Don't forget that the task is in two parts (diary of 3 pages + reflection of 400 words) and that there are two questions in the reflection component and you must answer both (roughly equally - 200 words each).

Attachment:- Assignment Files.rar