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Mia Thornton (Brighton) M.K.Thornton@brighton.ac.uk Website: http://www.mia.id.au/ |
About
Mia Thornton is a Research Fellow at the University of Brighton, where she is examing the capacity for intercultural interpretations of virtual heritage in museums, monuments and heritage sites. Her research includes design work on a collaborative project 'Retracing Barth' that is a website + exhibition presenting multiple readings surrounding the journey of 19th century explorer Henry Barth in Agadez and Tintellust, West Africa. Mia's research and design work is driven toward understanding the sociocultural implications of virtual heritage for humanity.
CHIRON Project
The proposed research for my fellowship will examine the capacity for intercultural interpretations of virtual heritage within museums/monuments/sites. This is proposed through reconceptualising virtual heritage technologies as cultural forms, not simply as pieces of technology impacting on culture but rather themselves as cultural constructs. In this way, virtual heritage is not merely a physical object but also considered in terms of its cultural heritage content. Informing this understanding of virtual heritage are three broad characteristics: knowledge is considered multivocal and fragmented; cultural heritage content is dynamic and open-ended; and the interpretation process is polysemic. Based on this premise, virtual heritage can have the capacity to involve the visitor in the meaning-making process and further still, generate critical thinking and multiple perspectives.
Building on my previous research, the focus of this study will be the intersection of virtual heritage and interculturalism. Discussions surrounding this intersection are limited and I intend to use my fellowship toward furthering these understandings and application. My research methodology will comprise three main phases: a literature review will be conducted to scope current methods for interpretation; a theoretical framework will be proposed for intercultural interpretations of virtual heritage; and data will be collected towards suggesting design methods and tools to inform virtual heritage design methodologies. It is proposed the study could also contribute to the development of virtual heritage projects within the University of Brighton including: ‘Retracing Barth’ headed by Julia Winckler; socio-economic framework developed by Jim McLoughlin, Babak Sodagar and Jaime Kaminski, in particular inclusion and access; and Royal Pavilion and Brighton Museum & Art Gallery.
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