Edinburgh Napier University

  The research question and methodology that I will talk about today sit around a project I’m currently developing, known as Asylum Armada Documentary & Research project, based around local knowledge of the events of the Spanish Armada’s escape from English after naval battle in Channel in 1588. Ships from the Armada evaded the English by sailing around Scotland and Ireland, many of which were shipwrecked at various points around Scotland. Some got home some didn’t. My research both produces and examines a contemporary re-telling of this history and examines this legacy and how it has been remembered. In particular I’m focusing on histories associated with coastal communities in Scotland - Isle of Mull, Fair Isle, Westray and then Anstruther, Fife, Edinburgh and also linking back to Spain.

The methodology and questions I’m talking about today have grown out my research for my PhD thesis at UWS. This examined knowledge, networks and practice in community based and participatory media in Govan and the Isle of Bute

I will outline my 1) themes of my research and the research questions; 2) discuss the methodology I am employing and why and 3) examine some of the practicalities of putting this methodology into practice. I will draw on examples from Govan and Bute.