Structure
Week Two takes place on Wednesday 9th, Thursday 10th and Friday 11th December, where participants will work together to create and undertake a short project, that may act as a primer for ongoing work.
Preparation for the Course:
Have in mind a subject matter that you wish to explore (think about what you would ideally like to focus on and what you would not like to work on)
Be prepared to bring to the group what you consider to be your professional toolkit (as an artist, humanities scholar or scientist)
Review the Case Studies – 2.5 hrs prep
All times are GMT
Schedule (provisional)
Time (GMT)
WEEK 1 | DAY 1 | 30 November 2020
Welcome and Introduction to Multispecies Relationships in Crisis
Project Prompts and Reading Lists
10:30
Art and Human/Animal Relationships 101 – critical questions in field
Louise Mackenzie, artist
Objective: to have a basic understanding of how artists have worked with the theme of human/animal relationships in their practice
11:00
Class Exercise – Cut-up Text
Objective: to develop intuitive insights into personal interests within the theme of animal/human relationships and to use creative writing strategies to inspire idea generation
30 min exercise
30 min group discussion
12:00
Ethology 101 – critical questions in field
Anna Olsson, ethologist
Objective: to have a basic understanding of ethology as a research discipline in biology
30 min
12:30
Lunch
1 hour
13:30
Class Exercise – Define a Mammal (in pairs – pre-assigned)
Objective: To allow reflection and consideration of self in relation to the other and to use creative means to consider what it is to be a mammal / to share and reflect on different perspectives.
30 min exercise
30 min group discussion
14:30
Humanities Human/Animal Relationships 101 – critical questions in field
Daisy Hildyard Lecture, author
Objective: to have a basic understanding of the study of human/animal relationships across the humanities
1 hour
15:30
Set objectives and preparation/reading material for Day 2:
– Read course content
– Choose an animal to work with that you have access to
– Consider possible topics to focus on in week 2
Choose someone from another discipline to work with
30 min
16:00
Human/Animal Relationships in Art Practice
Maja Smrekar Lecture / Q&A
1 hour
WEEK 1 | DAY 2 | 04 DECEMBER 2020
10:00
Introduce Class Exercise
15 min
10:15
Class Exercise – Spend time with an animal (individually and/or in groups)
- Thinking about the theme of the week, Human/Animal Relationships in Crisis?, choose an animal to spend time with and consider how you will spend time with this animal. Will you observe their behaviours? Will you observe their environment? Will you research facts about this species? Will you look at cultural references? How will you record what you observe?
- Be prepared to report back on this exercise in a short, draft, 5 minute presentation (however you choose: this could be written, audio, film, performance, other)
Objective: To practice observation of animal behaviour. To understand the practical challenges of observation. To consider the variety of means of observation (audible/visible/etc).
3 hours (approx.)
13:00
Lunch
1 hour
14:00
Interdisciplinary Case Studies (group discussion and Q&A)
Objective: To understand the values and benefits of interdisciplinary working. To appreciate the differences in methods of observing and responding to animal behaviour.
1 hour discussion
15:00
Feedback on Class Exercise
- This is a shared activity, reflecting upon the class exercise together and how each individual approached it.
- Group reflection first then rapporteur for each group
Objective: To understand the values and benefits of interdisciplinary working. To appreciate the differences in methods of observing and responding to animal behaviour.
Project teams for the remainder of the course will be agreed at the end of week 1. Objectives for week 2 will be introduced.
2 hours presentation and discussion
17:00
Confirm groups for week 2 and reflect on work/reading to date
15 min
WEEK 2 | DAY 3 | 09 DECEMBER 2020
10:00
Introduction to Week 2
- The task for Week 2 is to undertake a short project, agreed with your team-mates, which you can present back on by the end of the week. Consider: What would a project that envisions future relationships between humans and animals look like?
- The project must address a critical question on human/animal behaviour.
- The project can take any form the team chooses.
- Think about the questions and provocations that comprise human/animal relationships, such as How do the ecological and pandemic crises impact human and animal relationships? In what ways can humans relate to animals – are shared experiences possible or are humans simply relating to their own animal nature?
Objectives for Week 2: To have a good understanding of the nature of working in interdisciplinary teams. To have worked in teams to develop a short interdisciplinary project. To have developed an understanding of the differences in approaches to human/animal relationships
15 min
10:15
Project Teams / Project Prompts
- Time allocated for the teams to form and choose their topic
- Consider the following questions:
- What is the question that you wish to address?
- What method will you choose to address this question?
- How will you present your outcomes back to the group?
- As groups you will have all of Day 4 to work on your project together
- Day 5 will involve developing your means of presenting back to the group. You will each have 30 mins to present your project and your working methods to the group.
- Each group will have the opportunity to use the virtual space of the ALIVE TOGETHER community gallery to further develop their project throughout the duration of (and beyond) Alive Together 1.
Objective: To begin forming project concepts and working together independently as a team.
2 hours
Check-in:
Teams present an informal progress update for Hybrid facilitators. What is the question that you wish to address?
How do you plan to address this question?
13:00
Lunch
1 hour
14:00 to 17:00
Self-directed Team work
3 hours
16:00
Team Update:
Teams present an informal progress update for full class and Hybrid facilitators.
How are you addressing your question?
What is your aim?
What do you plan to achieve by the end of Day 4?
WEEK 2 | DAY 4 | 10 DECEMBER 2020
10:00
Check-in:
Teams present an informal progress update for Hybrid facilitators.
30 mins
Self-Directed Team work
12:00
Check-in:
Teams present an informal progress update for Hybrid facilitators.
Have your plans changed?
How are you accommodating changes?
What new questions have arisen?
16:00
Team Update:
Teams present an informal progress update for full class and Hybrid facilitators.
How will you present back to the class?
WEEK 2 | DAY 4 | 11 DECEMBER 2020
10:00
Check-in
30 mins
10:30
Complete chosen project activities.
Work as a team to decide how you will present back the outcome from your group
2.5 hours
13:00
Lunch
1 hour
14:00
Team presentations
3 hours