Master thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (MSc)
open access
For more than twenty years, we have familiarised ourselves with the notion of the Anthropocene as the definition for the (ecological) epoch we currently live in. It acknowledges the irrevocable...Show moreFor more than twenty years, we have familiarised ourselves with the notion of the Anthropocene as the definition for the (ecological) epoch we currently live in. It acknowledges the irrevocable human influence we try to cope with on the planet. This thesis touches upon contemporary human-nature relationships within the Anthropocene as something under pressure and in a continuous flow of revision. After four months of fieldwork at the Hatertse and Overasseltse fens, semi-structured interviews were conducted, interdisciplinary footage was recorded and sensory walks were performed to study such relations. Thereafter, methodological reflection became the main focus. Based on sensorial anthropology and methodological literature, this thesis scrutinizes the sensory walk as the main ethnographic methodology. It shows how other methods contribute to the epistemological value of this method, discusses the interactive website and mapping as visualization possibilities (the interactive website “Voices in Nature” was developed following this research), and explores the human and nonhuman concepts of pathways, crowdedness, noise and wind as environmental and anthropogenic factors that were distilled from the walks, proving its ethnographic value. As a methodological reflection, this thesis will demonstrate the potential the sensory walk contains for visual anthropological research now and in the future. It will also show how it fits the interdisciplinary approach this research aspires to, contributing to methodological literature on the more-than-human world.Show less
Master thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (MSc)
open access
Severe menstruation pain is often normalized by society. However, this can be a sign of endometriosis. Endometriosis is a condition that affects people with a uterus1, where endometrial tissue...Show moreSevere menstruation pain is often normalized by society. However, this can be a sign of endometriosis. Endometriosis is a condition that affects people with a uterus1, where endometrial tissue grows outside the uterus. Often this tissue grows in the pelvic, the ovaries, abdominal cavities. Despite the fact that one in ten people with a uterus have endometriosis, there is little attention for or understanding of this condition. Therefore, this research, consisting of a documentary and accompanying text, explores the complexity of the everyday life experiences of four women with endometriosis living in a Dutch and Belgian context. By placing this research topic in a larger anthropological discourse about illness experiences, it allowed me to approach endometriosis as a condition that is socially constructed by people women themselves and society. Three major themes play a major role in the women's everyday illness experiences. First, there is a lack of awareness for the condition in society that often results in misunderstandings and false diagnoses. Second, the ongoing process of grief and acceptance. Finally, the desire of women for a more holistic approach to endometriosis care. The aim of the research is to create more awareness for the condition and to help us think more openly about chronic pain linked to menstruation.Show less
