Access and Inclusion

A body of water with algae floating on top. There is twigs, plants, and rocky sand under the water. The top of image has leafy trees reflected in the water. The bottom of the photo shows the bank with grass and leafy plants.

Enhancing Access and Inclusion in Environmental Humanities Field Research

Part of the work of the FEELed Lab is to work towards better access and inclusion in environmental humanities work – this includes teaching, research and community engagement.

In 2022, we formed a team and together, applied for a SSHRC Insight Development Grant to research practices and strategies for enhancing access and inclusion at other environmental humanities labs and centres, and to monitor and improve how we do this our own work as well. While our grant application was not successful, the first time, we kept working towards these objectives. For example, one practice that we try to cultivate is including options for remote and/or alternative modes participation in our Fringe Natures events.

In 2023, we reapplied, and we were successful! Our SSHRC project, called “Enhancing Access and Inclusion in Environmental Humanities Research Practice” brings together a team of researchers with diverse professional and lived experience of access and inclusion in the university, both to investigate how these principles are integrated in environmental field labs elsewhere, and to investigate how we might do so better at the FEELed Lab. We are guided by process-led and arts-based methods, and bring curiosity and humility to learning from each other, from community, from other experts, and from this place itself.

Currently, the Project Team consists of Astrida Neimanis, Natalie Forssman, Matt Rader, Jenica Frisque, Rachelle Hole, and Emma Carey. You can read more about our Team in this FEELed Note.

You can read about the things we have done in this project in the following FEELed Notes on the learning process of access and inclusion, our own safety and access-audit at the FEELed Lab, our zine-making workshop at the ALECC Conference 2024 and on our storytelling workshops.

Stay tuned for more updates!

On Inclusive and Accessible Pedagogies: In 2022, we were also awarded an ALT-2040 grant to develop an undergraduate course that focuses on environmental humanities methods for “attuning to place” – and a significant element of this work will be developing good practices for access and inclusion within these pedagogies. You can read more about this project (that Astrida, Natalie F, Madi Donald, Emily Ovenden, Daisy Pullman and Haida Gaede have all been part of!) here.