The second day of the Spectral Recycling Team’s stay in Vienna (May 23rd) was dominated by the interactive workshop. Thanks to the Scientific Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Vienna we could meet in a beautiful Lanckoroński hall in the 3rd district to discuss, analyze, and interpret together with a wonderful group of researchers.
In the first part of the meeting, led by Karolina, we delved together into theoretical aspects, such as how one can analyze ghosts, and how we can define them within the project and in a broader context. Recycling was also discussed, one of the examples was the Viennese monument to Karl Lueger, the pre-WW1 mayor of the city. The monument became controversial after the anti-Semitic views of Lueger were reminded to the inhabitants of the city by the waves of protests regarding the commemoration. Thus, the monument is regularly doused with paint and covered with inscriptions as a form of protest. This act repurposes the monument as a platform for expression. The latter sparked debate on whether certain actions could be considered as recycling, prompting participants to question and differentiate the phenomenon in their analyses.
The method of exchanging ethnographic postcards was presented by Karina Hoření. It is a methodological experiment developed by Endre Dányi, Lucy Suchman, and Laura Watts that our team also adopted. Besides sharing within the team photos accompanied by a brief written commentary in the form of a postcard, we also show them to outsiders and ask them to find a common trace for chosen examples. The goal is to assess how different groups interpret the postcards. We were astonished by the brilliant interpretations that stemmed from this part of the workshop, as well as the rich and robust discussion between the participants on the individual postcards.
Michal Korhel led the final part of the workshop, drawing on the experiences of all team members and addressing challenging and intriguing issues in their work, focusing on what it means to work within the scope of spectral ethnography. He used the theme of the coal mine in Handlová and the German past present in the area, referring to stone houses, the language used in mines, or remnants of fruit orchards hidden in the forest that he frequently encountered in Handlová.
Overall, the workshop provided a platform for insightful discussions and critical thinking on the project’s key concepts. We would like to express our gratitude to all the guests and workshop participants who joined us in exploring the possibilities hauntology provides for research. Your active participation, insightful suggestions, and engaging discussions truly enhanced the overall experience for everyone involved. We look forward to further opportunities to collaborate with you in the future!