Deep Map and Short Residence as Crucial Elements for a Dialogic Research Method Investigating Places

Abstract

Deep mapping is a research method and working practice mainly developed by artists and scholars that promises to blur the boundaries between science and art as well as between experts and local populations. This article presents the methodological thoughts and results of a deep map project carried out in a rural municipality in the Alpine region of Valle d’Aosta, Italy. Following two years of preparation, in 2019 our research team, consisting of scientists and artists, took up residence in a house in the village for a week. Based on these deep mappers’ experiences and the results of the residence, it is argued that deep map practices can benefit from being combined with a research residence in the area under investigation, as well as by using a dialogic research design to develop a clear ethical and methodological stance. The research experiences further suggest that the creation of multimedia products for deep map projects can help to animate local populations and initiate continuous dialogues between residents and deep mappers. Finally, critical moments of the investigation design are highlighted, and theoretical gaps are addressed with a view to improving the design of future deep map projects.