Doing research in and on the digital

A new book edited by Jenna Condie and Cristina Costa was recently published by Routledge on 'Doing research in and on the digital: Research Methods across Fields of Inquiry'. The book explores how researchers are devising and applying innovative methods, across different disciplinary fields, to the digital sphere and the ethical challenges arising from such approaches. Naomi Barnes traces methodological adaptations on a research project including FaceBook status updates as research data whilst Cathy Ure explores breast cancer bloggers' lived experiences and Shireen Walton engages with Iranian photobloggers as research participants.

The book also features a chapter from Dr Erinma Ochu entitled 'In search of lost purpose: the dream life of digital'. Her chapter invites researchers to consider who their research is for, reflecting through autobiographical analysis on two digitally mediated citizen science projects, Turing's Sunflowers and #Hookedonmusic and how to work with unforeseen and emerging ethical challenges as they arise. Read an extract here. Prior to publication, Erinma gave a series of public talks, including at Queer Media Festival and hosted a mobile filmmaking workshop as part of Sapphormation Festival (for women who love women).  She also worked alongside performer and storyteller, Emmanuel Bajijji, to chat to Manchester audiences around the city centre about their dreams.