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'Am I Being Unreasonable' to use Mumsnet to explore historical geographies of childhood in domestic spaces?

Authors :
von Benzon, Nadia
Source :
Social & Cultural Geography. Jan2024, Vol. 25 Issue 1, p123-139. 17p.
Publication Year :
2024

Abstract

This paper addresses the potential for using childhood memories shared on social media as a means of interrogating experiences of twentieth-century social historical geographies of home and family life. In so doing, the paper discusses briefly the value of children's perceptions as guests in others' homes as an insightful source of data, before exploring the value of social media as a place for sharing these recollections and accessing them as a researcher. The paper draws data from a thread on the popular UK-based parenting website and internet discussion space, 'Mumsnet', asking contributors to share the 'weirdest' thing they saw at someone else's house when they were a child. This paper positions social media research as an ethically, epistemologically and ontologically sound approach to creating data for geographical research, which has become well-established in other sub-disciplines. The paper seeks to explore what it is to remember intimate childhood experience alongside those whose memories might reflect or conflict with your own. Further, the paper addresses the way in which a social media thread created new narratives and uncovered long-buried memories which provide an insightful lens for exploring a particular domestic historical geography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
14649365
Volume :
25
Issue :
1
Database :
Academic Search Index
Journal :
Social & Cultural Geography
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
175141033
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1080/14649365.2022.2130412