Ivor Davies
Beyond boundaries
My research secondments all focus on the common broad theme of researching long term collaborative strategies for interdisciplinary, cross-sectoral and open innovation. My general objectives are to:
- explore new pathways for innovation, based on innovative frameworks, combiningtransnationally (‘trans-boundary’) and locally (territorial) focused action
- re-explore (question) the significance and characteristics of ‘international’ as an effective paradigm for innovation contribute to effective long-term collaboration across disciplines, sectors and boundaries
- apply this work to that of partners acting on real, contemporary social issues
As such, my research seeks to situate itself in the heart of the partnership that constitutes ‘Trans-making’, and to ask questions about the nature and potential of such ways of working as a medium for trans-disciplinary social and cultural innovation.
My research secondment to UNIPA is in four parts, between November 2018 and November 2020. In the first part, the research focuses on familiarisation with the city of Palermo, and various structures that are active in the field of migration, displacement and social disadvantage
In the second part, the research focused on a narrower field, exploring methodologies for relational mapping in these fields of work, through:
- devising and designing a general mapping questionnaire, that could be used to gather a broad field of information. The longer term ambition from this would be to translate this into a series of relational maps
- conducting provisional testing of the questionnaire as a methodological tool
exploring with the hosts at UNIPA potential ways that we could collaborate, in applying aspects of this mapping methodology to different areas of social and cultural research.
The third part is a methodological secondment, learning techniques of digital mapping. In the fourth and final part, I return to apply these techniques with locally-based Trans-making colleagues, in 'real' situations.