Workshop - Sensory Ethnography

Between the 6th and 7th of July 2023 a workshop on Sensory Ethnography was organised by Olúwatóbilóba Adéwùnmí and Salomé Isibhenmen Okoekpen (two P.h.D students and IFRA research fellows) on the 6th and 7th of July 2023 at the Institute of African Studies and IFRA. The purpose of the workshop was to introduce and discuss the significance of different senses in the production of ethnographic data, explore methodologies for sensory data collection and analysis, and examine the possibilities of disseminating research to a wider audience.

The photographer Nengi Nelson, the sound artist Oluwaseyi Eniayo and the smell artist and perfumer Abayomi Lambo were invited as resource persons to guide a team of 9 participants throughout the two days’ workshop. The workshop aimed to create a community of early career researchers interested in sensory methods and foster future collaborations in Nigeria. participants came from different States of Nigeria bringing interesting discussions on various fieldwork contexts. They expressed a keen interest in further exploring sensory ethnography in their own research and highlighted the need for more opportunities like this workshop.