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Short abstract:

This paper discusses how the 'political potential of people's scents' (Mannigel 2021) can be harnessed to develop experimental and participatory practice-based methods aiming to facilitate public discussions on social and cultural belonging through smell.

Long abstract:

How might researchers reimagine the “experimental” when it comes to subjective experiences? Building on experimental and interdisciplinary practice-based research (Smith and Dean 2009), this paper presents the methodological development of my contribution to an ongoing collaborative art/science research project with Christy Spackman and Byron Lahey, both from Arizona State University (ASU). Our research team explores how community-identified smellscapes, combined with insights about built environments, craft perceptual experiences that interrogate the visceral sense of belonging among citizens of Mesa, Arizona. Methodologically, we aim to explore how co-produced methods for detecting, capturing, and discussing smells can highlight the cultural, social, and political dimensions of olfactory perception.

Olfactory perception is inherently political, as it is influenced by and influences social and cultural behaviors and structures. This capacity to either strengthen or undermine connections among individuals exemplifies what I refer to as 'the political potential of people's scents' (Mannigel 2021). Building on this concept, I will explore how this potential can be harnessed to develop participatory practice-based methods aiming to facilitate public discussions on social and cultural belonging through smell. I will discuss the design and implementation of my community-informed practice-based research approaches that mix socially engaged art, media art, sensory ethnography, queer and feminist theory, and sensory studies.

The presentation format will immerse the public in my embodied experiences of developing and conducting participatory practice-based methods. It will blend traditional paper text with a multimedia slideshow featuring sound and images, complemented by a brief interactive dialogue activity.