Paper short abstract:

This paper reflects on the practice of taking seriously the sensitivities encountered in ethnographic fieldwork within the patient organization in Russia. It introduces 'being useful' as a mode of research engagement that provokes the neglected work to come into being and knowing

Paper long abstract:

This paper is grounded in ethnographic work in Moscow within the patient organization of people, suffering from multiple sclerosis. It introduces, how public relations repertoire of doing and making a public event can be used to provoke a situation for collective knowing. In this paper, I reflect on the work, the materiality, and the context of "Life of Things Project", an experiment with art-based research intervention, aiming to co-create a space for a collective inquiry into the living with a chronic illness and disabilities. To do so, I, first, introduce the sensitivities of knowing(s) chronic illness and disabilities in Russia. Secondly, I reflect on the practicalities of 'being useful' as a mode of research engagement that provokes the neglected work to come into being and knowing.