My podcast series “Keveät askeleet” (“light steps”) has come up with a small obstacle, now that there shouldn’t be much “stepping” done outside the house for a month or two.
The idea of the show is to take a scholar out for a walk, to which ever place they want that would be in their comfort zone, research-wise. We then walk about and discuss what they see, hear or “read” from the environment. This obviously being something else than I would, having a different disciplinary background. There is an emphasis on soundscape and sonic narration. The aesthetics of the show follows roughly the aesthetics of field work: no fancy editing, definitely not studio quality, but maybe a refreshing take on mediated auditory realities. At least I hope it might be refreshing. It could also be annoying for all I know.
So far I have had the pleasure to walk with four scholars. With architect Jenni Partanen we walked in Nekala, an old industrial district in Tampere, talking about entropy and change. With cultural scholar Anu Laukkanen we walked in the University of Turku campus, pondering situated bodies and power in different kinds of spaces of learning. With sound artist Petri Kuljuntausta we walked in Tukholmankatu, Helsinki, where his sound art gallery is located. With sociologist Juhana Venäläinen we walked around Tampere city centre, discussing the commons, cycling and urban space as a location for encountering. We also had some donuts.
If everything goes as planned tomorrow the fifth episode will be online: media scholar Minna Saariketo (while walking her dog in Turku) will accompany me walking around the garden in Tampere, and we will talk about the landscapes of code. This will be executed by all recommendations of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare.
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