Restriction lift date: 2025-12-31
Rurban as a new “place” for Computer Supported Cooperative Work: socially engaged art as an approach to designing participation in a rapidly developing rural community
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Date
2024
Authors
Murray, Maria
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University College Cork
Published Version
Abstract
As CSCW looks towards designing more inclusive and representational technologies, it increasingly moves into community-based settings to understand the experiences of underserved populations. One such population is the rapidly developing rural (rurban) community, which despite new scholarship in rural CSCW and HCI, is still very much understudied. These communities are experiencing specific social, cultural, and political challenges due to the steep increase and diversification of the local population. They are also replete with potential for fulfilling and inclusive community life if expansion is handled well. Due to the increasingly complex and multi-layered demographic of the rurban place, pluralistic approaches to participation are required to support challenges and to work towards achieving rurban potential. This thesis examines the sociogeographic characteristics of rurban communities to ascertain the role for CSCW in supporting these places. It describes requirements for participation based on those characteristics and explores the use of Socially Engaged Art (SEA), a participative, political and activist art practice, as an alternative approach to rurban participation. Three studies were undertaken in an Irish rurban community, anonymised as Northrock. The first study, a focus group study presented in chapters 4, 5 and 6, developed an understanding of the adult lived experience in Northrock and gave directions as to how to design SEA-informed participatory workshops in the community. Some of the key findings were around the ways identity is constantly contested and remade, as well as the various pathways and barriers to inclusion as experienced by participants. The second and third studies, presented in chapters 4, 7, 8 and 9, involved the design and delivery of SEA-informed digital storytelling workshops and a digital art summer school, both with young people in the community. In both cases, the studies produced highly nuanced data on participant experience, bringing marginalised perspectives to light. The process was adapted for the summer school to centre SEA dynamics of rapid making – reflection – (re)making to provide moments of critical insight and mutual recognition. The studies discuss the intricacies of the rurban experience and the implications for designing dissensual participation with young people in pressurised communities. This thesis contributes an understanding of rurban places and the requirements of rurban participation, as well as insights into how SEA might be applied to CSCW to bring invisible experiences and perspectives into dialogue with each other, address power imbalances and contribute to a more representational community identity as it evolves. This is of use to CSCW looking to understand those experiences outside of dominant paradigms to inform the development of polyvocal sociotechnical interventions. In addition, the course of this research raised questions and suggestions about the current nature and potential future of a more political CSCW that actively works towards social change. This thesis explores that potential with the intention of applying CSCW to understand marginalised experiences and challenge dominant narratives around possibilities for community life in pursuit of more equitable and sustainable futures.
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Keywords
CSCW , HCI , Socially engaged art , Participation , Place , Community based design , Social justice-oriented design , Rurban , Rapidly expanding rural communities
Citation
Murray, M. T. 2024. Rurban as a new “place” for Computer Supported Cooperative Work: socially engaged art as an approach to designing participation in a rapidly developing rural community. PhD Thesis, University College Cork.