Outputs (22)

Exploring the use of an entertainment device in a time of trauma. A longitudinal approach to communicating the story of an Emperor in exile and the role of material culture in everyday life (2024)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

This talk will explore a long-running project that has evolved slowly, revealing different stages of how the project will be revealed over a long period of time. The Emperor in question is Haile Selassie I, and the material culture in question is a p... Read More about Exploring the use of an entertainment device in a time of trauma. A longitudinal approach to communicating the story of an Emperor in exile and the role of material culture in everyday life.

Between the Ears: The Emperor and the Pianola (2022)
Digital Artefact

Short description:

In this captivating Between the Ears, Professor Shawn Sobers uncovers the fascinating story of Emperor Haile Selassie I and his pianola as told through the music of the time, (based on Sobers' original research).

Long descrip... Read More about Between the Ears: The Emperor and the Pianola.

The Emperor and the Pianiola: A children's book for adults (2019)
Book

This illustrated photo-book explores the story of Emperor Haile Selassie and the Ethiopian royal family coming to live in the city of Bath following Mussolini's invasion, and how they used pianola music to create a sense of sanctity for the family at... Read More about The Emperor and the Pianiola: A children's book for adults.

A Call For A Black Bristol Filmmakers Archive (2019)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

In this introduction to the Sudanese documentary film 'Talking About Trees', Sobers brings the storyline to a Bristol context. He charts Bristol's own history of professional Black filmmakers, and argues that making films alone is no longer enough.... Read More about A Call For A Black Bristol Filmmakers Archive.

TEDx - Ethiopian Echoes in the Bath landscape, and three lessons those echoes can teach us. (2019)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

This TEDx talk discussed how the history of the Ethiopian connection with the city of Bath can shed light on how we live today. The talk addressed three key lessons;

1) You can find sanctity in unexpected places
2) The need for calmness in times... Read More about TEDx - Ethiopian Echoes in the Bath landscape, and three lessons those echoes can teach us..

Connection People and Places - Fairfield House case study (2019)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

Fairfield House was one of the case studies for the Connection People and Places research project, led by the Stephen Lawrence Trust in partnership with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

In my opening talk I explained the history... Read More about Connection People and Places - Fairfield House case study.

When the Prophet was angry with the Emperor: On Marcus Garvey's critique of Haile Selassie I, and the aligned legacy of both their logic (2019)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

Discussing the challenging moment in 1937 when Marcus Mosiah Garvey strongly criticised Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie for moving to Bath in the UK, to rally for support for Ethiopia's liberation from Mussolini's fascist invasion. Garvey attacked t... Read More about When the Prophet was angry with the Emperor: On Marcus Garvey's critique of Haile Selassie I, and the aligned legacy of both their logic.

View over Bristol - Tryers, creativity and a civic imaginary (2017)
Book Chapter

"Bristol has a culture of tryers, lots of people trying but because there’s a lack of accessibility. Because there is a lack of exits, naturally there are loads of people trying to get out… it is full of people who are trying because they can't grab... Read More about View over Bristol - Tryers, creativity and a civic imaginary.

Community media as social innovation: Transformation, agency and value (2017)
Book Chapter

This chapter discusses the Creative Citizens study, an extensive research project conducted by the authors from 2013 to 2015, looking into the community media practices of the South Blessed collective, a self-motivated network of young creatives appr... Read More about Community media as social innovation: Transformation, agency and value.

Civic cultures and modalities of place-making (2016)
Book Chapter

Acts of creative citizenship require places, where challenges and tensions generate energy, inviting resolution through creative collaboration. In this chapter we aim to shed light on processes of place-making, whether they occur in physical, digital... Read More about Civic cultures and modalities of place-making.

Conversations about co-production (2016)
Book Chapter

This chapter explores the dynamics of Higher Education Institutions working with non-academic partner organisations. The chapter engages in dialogue with key individuals in these partnerships, discussing key issues experienced throughout the Creativ... Read More about Conversations about co-production.

Varieties of creative citizenship (2016)
Book Chapter

This chapter reflects on different variations of creative citizenship drawing from empirical studies carried out across the Creative Citizen project, covering different domains in which media are used creatively by communities. It discusses a number... Read More about Varieties of creative citizenship.

From networks to complexity - Creative Citizens project (2015)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

From Networks to Complexity: two case studies from the AHRC Creative Citizens project. From the noticeboard in the newsagent’s window to multi-layered online networks using social networking technologies, citizens are increasingly accessing networks... Read More about From networks to complexity - Creative Citizens project.

Photography and integrity - an overview (2015)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

To open the 'Integrity and Photography' symposium, this brief paper gives an overview of how I see integrity played out across various genres of photography. I argue that integrity is not a notion owned by documentary approaches to photography, and... Read More about Photography and integrity - an overview.

One bridge, two Williams: Photographic integrity in the age of ubiquity (2015)
Journal Article

A brief and personal exploration of integrity in photography in relation to identity. Starting with an analysis of the differing photographic practices of William Klein and William Eggleston, as a means of entering the discourse of what integrity me... Read More about One bridge, two Williams: Photographic integrity in the age of ubiquity.

Photojournalism and ethics: In search of a peace journalism (2015)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

Photojournalism has long been associated with events of conflict, war and tension, and never more so than now in the age of 24 hour rolling news, and the proliferation of platforms for citizen media.  This session asks, what could Peace Photojournali... Read More about Photojournalism and ethics: In search of a peace journalism.

Creative citizens: Researching the value of creative citizenship through co-creative action research (A ‘transmedia’ case study) (2014)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

This presentation shares the approach and findings of a case study that explored how ‘South Blessed’, an informal youth network of creative citizens in Bristol, generates value through its activities. South Blessed showcases a diversity of young, cre... Read More about Creative citizens: Researching the value of creative citizenship through co-creative action research (A ‘transmedia’ case study).

Creative citizens: Researching the value of creative citizenship through co-creative action research (A ‘transmedia’ case study) (2014)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

This session shares the work of the Creative Citizens strand that set out to investigate the impact of informal creative networks on their communities. In Bristol we worked with the network of young people that work around the very informal South Ble... Read More about Creative citizens: Researching the value of creative citizenship through co-creative action research (A ‘transmedia’ case study).

The bold agency of making something out of nothing (2014)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

From slave trade tours, music videos, activist documentary and independent journalism, Bristol has a vibrant tradition of DIY culture which links creativity to civic engagement and personal and social impacts. This talk draws on a range of examples... Read More about The bold agency of making something out of nothing.

Cultural hybridity as the fuel of creative enterprises (2014)
Presentation / Conference Contribution

South Blessed is a community media operation based in Bristol, specialising in Hip Hop music videos, activist documentary, and live topical debates streamed online. The editorial ethos of South Blessed is one of promotion of talent and opinion from... Read More about Cultural hybridity as the fuel of creative enterprises.