Helen Meads | University of Birmingham (original) (raw)
Helen Meads graduated PhD from the University of Birmingham on 2011. Her thesis, breaking new ground in the exploration of Foucault's heterotopia and in Quaker religious experience, is available here: http://etheses.bham.ac.uk/3076/. She has a keen interest in the work of Quaker light artist, James Turrell.
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Books by Helen Meads
Papers by Helen Meads
In this article based on ongoing research, I discuss the difficulty of separating my personal exp... more In this article based on ongoing research, I discuss the difficulty of separating my personal experience from my research into \u27Experiment with Light\u27. I argue by reference to the work of Labaree, Pillow and Boff that the inherent complexities of researching a process which itself seeks \u27Truth\u27 requires the researcher to be reflexive to the point of discomfort. I show how the dilemmas Labaree identifies in insider research signal Pillow\u27s uncomfortable reflexivity and move her analysis beyond the context of race and gender to the religious context, where it serves a different purpose. I conclude by reference to Boff\u27s theory that in the field of this type of religious ethnography insider is preferable to outsider research and suggest areas for further enquiry
Quaker Studies, 2007
In this article based on ongoing research, I discuss the difficulty of separating my personal exp... more In this article based on ongoing research, I discuss the difficulty of separating my personal experience from my research into 'Experiment with Light' .1 I argue by reference to the work of Labaree,Z Pillow3 and Boffl that the inherent complexities of researching a process which itself seeks 'Truth' requires the researcher to be reflexive to the point of discomfort. I show how the dilemmas Labaree identifies in insider research signal Pillow's uncomfortable reflexivity and move her analysis beyond the context of race and gender to the religious context, where it serves a different purpose. I conclude by reference to Boff's theory that in the field of this type of religious ethnography insider is preferable to outsider research and suggest areas for further enquiry.
In this article based on ongoing research, I discuss the difficulty of separating my personal exp... more In this article based on ongoing research, I discuss the difficulty of separating my personal experience from my research into ‘Experiment with Light’. I argue by reference to the work of Labaree, Pillow and Boff that the inherent complexities of researching a process which itself seeks ‘Truth’ requires the researcher to be reflexive to the point of discomfort. I show how the dilemmas Labaree identifies in insider research signal Pillow’s uncomfortable reflexivity and move her analysis beyond the context of race and gender to the religious context, where it serves a different purpose. I conclude by reference to Boff ’s theory that in the field of this type of religious ethnography insider is preferable to outsider research and suggest areas for further enquiry.
The Quaker condition: the sociology of …, Jan 1, 2008
Conference Presentations by Helen Meads
Helen's presentation is prompted both by her experience in James Turrell's work and his teasing r... more Helen's presentation is prompted both by her experience in James Turrell's work and his teasing remark: "This idea of going inside to gain outlook is of course this idea that there is in meditation. And certainly the Quakers were involved in that. And for them it was going inside to greet the Light. That's what my grandmother would always say to me, and I'm still sort of finding out what that really means."
She will explain what Quakers mean by 'Light' and explore the links between that Quaker meaning (of Light) and James Turrell's work (with light). She will describe the basis of Quaker worship and the nature of Quaker experience and, with particular reference to Kjaer (2008) and Adcock (1990), highlight Quaker inferences in his sculptures. Helen will also discuss the experience of being in Turrell's pieces, concluding how they both evoke Quaker practice and invoke Quaker experience.
In this article based on ongoing research, I discuss the difficulty of separating my personal exp... more In this article based on ongoing research, I discuss the difficulty of separating my personal experience from my research into \u27Experiment with Light\u27. I argue by reference to the work of Labaree, Pillow and Boff that the inherent complexities of researching a process which itself seeks \u27Truth\u27 requires the researcher to be reflexive to the point of discomfort. I show how the dilemmas Labaree identifies in insider research signal Pillow\u27s uncomfortable reflexivity and move her analysis beyond the context of race and gender to the religious context, where it serves a different purpose. I conclude by reference to Boff\u27s theory that in the field of this type of religious ethnography insider is preferable to outsider research and suggest areas for further enquiry
Quaker Studies, 2007
In this article based on ongoing research, I discuss the difficulty of separating my personal exp... more In this article based on ongoing research, I discuss the difficulty of separating my personal experience from my research into 'Experiment with Light' .1 I argue by reference to the work of Labaree,Z Pillow3 and Boffl that the inherent complexities of researching a process which itself seeks 'Truth' requires the researcher to be reflexive to the point of discomfort. I show how the dilemmas Labaree identifies in insider research signal Pillow's uncomfortable reflexivity and move her analysis beyond the context of race and gender to the religious context, where it serves a different purpose. I conclude by reference to Boff's theory that in the field of this type of religious ethnography insider is preferable to outsider research and suggest areas for further enquiry.
In this article based on ongoing research, I discuss the difficulty of separating my personal exp... more In this article based on ongoing research, I discuss the difficulty of separating my personal experience from my research into ‘Experiment with Light’. I argue by reference to the work of Labaree, Pillow and Boff that the inherent complexities of researching a process which itself seeks ‘Truth’ requires the researcher to be reflexive to the point of discomfort. I show how the dilemmas Labaree identifies in insider research signal Pillow’s uncomfortable reflexivity and move her analysis beyond the context of race and gender to the religious context, where it serves a different purpose. I conclude by reference to Boff ’s theory that in the field of this type of religious ethnography insider is preferable to outsider research and suggest areas for further enquiry.
The Quaker condition: the sociology of …, Jan 1, 2008
Helen's presentation is prompted both by her experience in James Turrell's work and his teasing r... more Helen's presentation is prompted both by her experience in James Turrell's work and his teasing remark: "This idea of going inside to gain outlook is of course this idea that there is in meditation. And certainly the Quakers were involved in that. And for them it was going inside to greet the Light. That's what my grandmother would always say to me, and I'm still sort of finding out what that really means."
She will explain what Quakers mean by 'Light' and explore the links between that Quaker meaning (of Light) and James Turrell's work (with light). She will describe the basis of Quaker worship and the nature of Quaker experience and, with particular reference to Kjaer (2008) and Adcock (1990), highlight Quaker inferences in his sculptures. Helen will also discuss the experience of being in Turrell's pieces, concluding how they both evoke Quaker practice and invoke Quaker experience.