Tutor: Samantha Carroll
Code: X9583
Discover the Mass Observation Archive and its inspirational value both for creative arts and recording community histories. For writers, photographers, dramatists and anyone with an interest in communities.
Course outline:
The course will consist of four day school each lasting five hours. The first will be called `Introduction to Mass Observation' and the students will learn about the history of Mass Observation (MO) with a particular focus on the development of diaries and Directives within the project. Students will spend the morning exploring the background of MO and will consider and discuss issues such as ethics, representation and historical value. The afternoon will be spent in the archive where the students will explore and discuss original MO materials and reflect on the issues raised in the morning.
The second day school `Using MO for Creative Writing' will introduce students to how writers have made use of MO material as a source of creative inspiration for their work such as novels, theatrical performances and films. Students will then return to the archive to work with original material in order to start creating their own pieces of work.
Day school three 'Observing the Masses' will involve an overview of the role of photography and observation in the early MO project. They will collaboratively explore Humphrey Spender's Worktown Collection and various Topic Collections. Students will engage in their own observations around campus and then regroup to discuss the related issues.
The final day school 'Using MO for Community Engagement' will utilise the resources of the MOCO Project to explore how MO techniques can be used within communities to record the history of everyday lives. Students will now have the opportunity to reflect upon their own communities and then will form groups to consider which of the techniques would be most appropriate for their own projects.
Overall the course will provide the students with the opportunity to learn about MO and to use it as a source for inspiration and techniques to record their own everyday lives.
Length: 4 sessions
Time: Wednesdays, 10am - 4pm
Dates: 19, 26 October; 2, 9 November 2011.
Fee: £90 (full), £45 (concession)
Venue: University of Sussex, Falmer
Enrol directly with CCE. Complete the enrolment form and post it to us or T 01273 678527
