Life-Writing Beyond Words: Animal communication and representation

Life-Writing Beyond Words is a research network and termly series of public events, hosted by Felix Appelbe, Ocean Ambassadors, and the Oxford Centre for Life-Writing, that explores how we move between words and the non-verbal.

Life-writing is the study of lives, through letters, diaries, performance, memoir, autobiography and biography. But it frequently has to negotiate the non-verbal, for instance when describing the creative minds of composers, choreographers or artists, capturing the sound and light of childhood, or eavesdropping on the world of animal experience. How can these worlds be captured in words? 

We are addressing this challenge by convening a network that spans many disciplines, bringing together academics, practitioners and performers who would otherwise not meet. Free-thinking lectures and laboratories will forge new pathways between the verbal and the non-verbal, journeying towards innovative experimental and performative methodologies. 

Speed Networking: Animal communication and representation

Following a series of events last term, Listening to Animals, we are seeking expressions of interest to attend an online speed networking event on the theme of animal communication and representation. 

After a brief welcome/introduction, participants will be paired with other researchers for a series of short networking meetings of around 10 - 15 minutes, in which they can discuss mutual interests and the connections between their research. (We will use the speed meeting video chat, Glimpse). 

We also think that it would be wonderful to share these types of interdisciplinary conversations more widely. As such, OCLW/Ocean Ambassadors are planning to produce and distribute a short Beyond Words podcasts series. If you think you'd be interested in this, then the speed networking is a great jumping off point to generate a podcast proposal.

Submit expression of interest