Sharin Hatem Khali Abbas
The Kingdom of Jordan is exposed to Western technological advancement, yet rooted in Middle-Eastern cultural heritage. Taking the autobiographical background of the researcher as a starting point, the research seeks an opportunity to come to new terms with the complexities of being neither Western nor Eastern. The research proposes liminality as the current true condition of Jordan, like the researcher, exposed to Western technological advancement, yet rooted in Middle-Eastern cultural heritage.
A survey of selected academic texts that inform Western and Eastern consciousnesses in relation to technology and culture is undertaken simultaneously with an auto-ethnographical and poetic practice. The researcher seeks to reveal (i) how Western and Eastern consciousnesses were affected by technological, cultural, spiritual and aesthetic methods of reasoning, (ii) relationships that emerge when technology, culture, spirituality and art are thought of contingently, (iii) how a poetic creative practice can materialise aesthetic reconsiderations of the Jordanian reality. The research acts as a new, additional aesthetic means of reasoning through which Jordan can further its liminal realisations.
Dr. Theo Humphries
My last seminar focussed upon my viva experience and my defence of my thesis. In this seminar, I will present a focussed account of my sixth thesis chapter: ‘A Revised Strategy for Understanding Gelastic Design’.
This short chapter serves as a synthesis of ideas explored in the preceding literature reviews and design surveys (chaps.1-5), integrating these with my own insights to propose a theory of malentanglement. This theory explains how audiences may perceive the ‘fittingness’ of design as incongruous — and therefore humorous. Such incongruity humour being particularly apparent in the context of design innovation.
In the development of its argument, the chapter introduces concepts such as ‘design for forgetness — humour for remindness’ and challenges the orthodox view that designers are primarily problem-solvers. Instead, it asserts that the essential purpose of the designer is to entangle things in material culture, with problem-solving being but one-of-many means to achieve this aim (and not even the most common one).
Finally, the chapter offers some new and alternative perspectives on humour and laughter as responses to design, and design innovation: reframing their significance within design discourses.
If you want spoilers, then you can access my sixth chapter in advance, from here.
If you prefer surprises, then you might like to read it after the seminar, from here.
Vagab(o/u)nds Research 