Week 6 PowerPoint Part 1

The Studies of Sensory Sciences and Human Revolution in the Modern Age (1920-2000)

Introduction

This section introduces the concept of sensory studies and how they have evolved over recent decades. Edited by David Howes, it serves as a cultural history of the senses, noting significant advancements from 1920 to 2000.

Geographical Contexts

Indigenous Native Lands

  • Includes detailed references to Native tribes such as:

    • Wendake-Nionwentsio

    • Omamiwininiwag (Algonquin)

    • N'dakina (Abenaki Abenaquis)

    • Kanien'kehaka (Mohawk)

    • Wabanaki (Dawnland Confederacy)

    • Ho-de-no-sau-nee-ga (Haudenosaunee)

Map Reference

  • The indigenous lands are visually represented with the usage of Native Land Digital Mapbox and OpenStreetMap.

Theoretical Frameworks in Sensory Studies

Various Currents in Sensory Turn

  1. Linguistic Turn

    • Views culture as structured like a language, focusing on verbocentric approaches.

  2. Pictorial Turn

    • Emphasizes the importance of images, visual culture, and visual literacy, resulting in an ocularcentric perspective.

  3. Corporeal Turn

    • Advocates for the unity of mind and body through the concept of an embodied mind; raises questions about the spurious nature of this unity given existing multiple modalities.

  4. Material Turn

    • Investigates how material objects influence human experience and how their affordances shape cultural understanding.

  5. Sensory Turn

    • This approach focuses on sensuous scholarship and seeks to build on and correct the excesses observed in earlier turns.

Definitions and Concepts

Sensorium

  • Defined as "the entire perceptual apparatus as an operational complex." This indicates that cultural differences can be understood as differences in the organization of the sensorium, which is both influenced by culture and helps to form it. This definition is attributed to Walter J. Ong in his work "The Shifting Sensorium" (1991).

Sensory Ethnography

  • Described as an experience where the ethnographer immerses in the sensible world (“le partage du sensible”), sharing experiences such as observing, listening, and partaking in local cuisines. This definition is sourced from François Laplantine’s "The Life of the Senses" (2015).

Approaches to Disciplining the Senses

Disciplines Examining the Sensorium

  • Various fields analyze sensory experiences:

    • Anthropology of the Senses

    • History of the Senses

    • Sociology of the Senses

    • Geography of the Senses

Comparison with Psychology

  • The psychology of perception often relies on laboratory-based research and predominantly uses subjects from WEIRD (Western Educated Industrialized Rich Democratic) backgrounds.

Dividing the Sensorium

Classification by Sense

  • The sensorium can also be divided into specific categories relating to human senses:

    • Visual Culture

    • Auditory Culture (sound studies)

    • Smell Culture

    • Taste Cultures

    • Culture of Touch (includes skin studies)

Interdisciplinary Nature

  • Each category (visual culture, sound studies, taste studies, etc.) is recognized as an interdisciplinary field under the broader umbrella of "sensory studies," a term coined in the article "Introducing Sensory Studies" published in The Senses and Society (2006).

Anatomical Considerations in Sensory Representation

Anatomical Reference

  • The anatomical organization of senses (e.g., hip, trunk, knee, ankle) provides a foundational understanding of physical dimensions through a mapping of the human body in relation to sensory experiences.

Historical Contexts of Sensory Development

McLuhan's Media Map of History

  • Tracing sensory dominance from historical eras and technological developments:

    • Tribal Age - Dominated by oral communication.

    • Literate Age - Emergence of the phonetic alphabet, roughly 2000-1500 BCE.

    • Print Age - Introduction of the printing press in 1450.

    • Electronic Age - With the invention of the telegraph in 1850 and subsequent advancements.

Sensory Evolution

  • An exploration of how different senses have historically been dominant in various technological eras.

Modern Sensory Culture

Changing Economic Context

  • Discussion of shifts from industrial capitalism to consumer capitalism, highlighting:

    • Work Discipline

    • Sensory Indulgence

    • Impulse Buying

    • Conspicuous Consumption

    • Use, Exchange, and Sign Value

Consequences of Sensory Economics

  • Examination of how capitalism affects sensory experiences, affecting consumer behavior and cultural significance attached to commodities.

Practical Applications and Representations

Promotional Campaigns

  • Brands have begun focusing on engaging consumer senses through promotions:

    • Examples include Friskies advertisements appealing to pet senses.

    • Westin Hotels promoting sensory experiences to enhance relaxation (e.g., through scents).

Organizations Advancing Sensory Studies

Institutes and Publications

  • Several academic institutions are dedicated to sensory studies, including:

    • Centre for Sensory Studies, Concordia University

    • Sensorium, York University

    • Senses and Sensation Research Group, University of Bristol

  • Notable journals and book series covering sensory topics include:

    • The Senses and Society

    • Sensory Studies by Routledge

    • Perspectives on Sensory History by Penn State University Press.

Future Conferences

  • Upcoming conference titled "Uncommon Senses V: Sensing the Social, the Environmental and Across the Arts and Sciences" scheduled for May 7-10, 2025, at Concordia University.