Urban conceptions of nature during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic

Wood, Matthew

Birkbeck Schools and Research Centres > School of Social Sciences, History and Philosophy > Politics

co-production, nature, Hackney

The study undertook a novel methodology, with a visual method utilising participant-generated photographs supported by dialogic interviewing. This approach was predicated on subjecting post-constructivist understandings of the socio-natural to comparison with emic perspectives, themselves systematically collected and challenged. A core visual method, a self-directed photography task, was used in combination with before and after semi-structured depth interviews.
The study followed three phases. An initial semi-structured interview, lasting around 20-40 minutes, confirmed screening information and discussed what they thought of as ‘nature’, how they interacted with it, what this looked like on a day to day basis. At this point participants were asked to take and share 10 to 20 smartphone photographs or short videos of what ‘nature’ meant to them over the course of 7 – 14 days. They were instructed that they could show anything they interpreted as ‘nature’, with each image ideally each showing something different. This could be anything, big, or small, but must have been taken within the local area and be their own work. They were instructed to not go out of their way or feel the need to produce aesthetically pleasing shots. Images were returned via email and WhatsApp. Instructions were sent via email and discussed at the close of the first interview. A final interview was then scheduled, lasting a minimum of 60 minutes, which brought each image up on screen for discussion. This formed the only structure for the discussion.
Interviews were conducted online, via Microsoft Teams, which generated AI transcripts. These were of variable quality and required a great deal of work to make intelligible in some cases, specially where internet connection was variable or where speech was accented.
A sample was selected based around location within the borough, age, socio-demography, housing and time spent in green spaces. Participants were invited to take part via an email from a study-specific account, with an information sheet attached. On reply to this a consent form was sent. It was requested participants either sign or confirm via email that they agreed to take part in order for informed consent to be granted. Consent was also sought and recorded in a secure spreadsheet before each research activity.
The study was interested in a diverse group of people, potentially covering all adults living in the borough. While aiming for diversity, the approach yielded a bias towards younger, white residents. A range of locations and socio-economic backgrounds were present, though those who sought out experiences in green spaces were potentially over-represented, making up a large part of the sample. 10 participants took part. Pseudonymous initials have been generated, preserving anonymity.

Photos were produced by participants and these should be individually credited.