My PhD had changed alot since the very beginning when I had what seems like a really vague idea now about storytelling and mental health. I then became interested in how stories teach people about their culture, including emotional language and understanding. I have clarified my thesis statement to: The civilisation Read more…
This month I have been arranging to go into three schools to start collecting data from focus groups. I have three student storytellers on board for three schools. And I will be conducting the research in the summer term (April – May). Paul Whitehouse (English PhD student) and I have Read more…
This month I met with Jonathan Davidson, Chief Executive for Writing West Midlands. I had no idea the range of stuff they were doing it is really great to see people investing their time in supporting creativity in the area. I was especially interested in the creative writing and arts Read more…
An interdisciplinary discussion of the different way people go about doing collaborative theatre work. Talkers on the panel included Omar Elerian, Associate Director of the Bush Theatre,West London, Michael Bywater, and playwright James Wilson. Inua Ellams, who wrote 13 Fairy Negro Tales, started off the evening by performing one of Read more…
Story telling Friday was Christmas Sparkle my storytelling event for Warwick postgrads with Colin King. As we sat there will mulled wine and mince pies Colin amused us with amusing, spooky and local stories. Originally from Ireland Colin went from teacher to storyteller. He also works with schools to make Read more…
December 3rd Warwick University Writer’s department hosted poet Michael Farrell from Australia. I liked the narrative style of his most recent stuff. Had a conversation with him at the end about the poem Juggle which I thought was called Jungle, as I heard lots of jungle imagery in it, and Read more…
Harry Ricketts came to share his poetry on Warwick campus today. I am nine months into the PhD and enjoying taking the opportunity to hear creatives speak. It’s not all just sociology and science lectures! Though, I love popping into different departments for guest speakers. The poet Harry Ricketts is Read more…
I’ve been spending the last month focusing in on methodology. I’ve returned this week to the concept of emotional intelligence. This time looking more critically at the idea and the abilities I wish to focus on in respect to what can I measure in terms of emotional abilities. Empathy is Read more…
I just got back from Edinburgh. Went to the Scottish Storytelling Festival for the chance to meet Joanna Geyer Kordesch, who is researching Science, Medicine and the Arts of Illness with funding from the Wellcome Trust. Sadly she is not very well and was unable to attend her workshops last Read more…
This month my task is to clarify my research questions and methods in greater detail. Today I mind mapped all the ideas I had and formed some questions as follows: Overall research question: Does traditional storytelling have an effect on adolescent emotional aptitude (that is emotional ability) This then breaks Read more…