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In this project we used some innovative approaches to gathering data. The overarching approach to data gathering was, in keeping with social anthropology research methods, an ethnographic approach. In this project we used ethnographic data gathered in different countries (East Anglia, Mexico, Mongolia and Alaska) and so we were able to use our data in a comparative manner.

Some of the most useful research methods that we used involved inviting children to take us on walks around their local villages and dwelling places; and asking them to talk to us about their memories of living in those places. Some of these data are available on the database, written up by the researchers, hence an interpretation of the children’s articulations.   

We also worked with artists and archaeologists to explore the children’s localities further; these investigations were inspired by the kinds of things the children told us about on their walks. Other investigations involved visiting local museum (The Ely Museum), bringing storyteller (Marion Leeper), writer (Tom Moorhouse) and poet (Mend-Ooyo Gombojav) into schools and building dens from scrap materials.

Another method that we used involved setting up links between schools in the UK and schools abroad. This included masterclasses, video conference interchanges, letter writing and some teacher visits.