The project is the first to apply persona studies at a national level, as well as to study this period of South African music video. My work incorporates a variety of archival sources as well as semi-structured interviews with, and ethnographic observations of, music video producers, musicians operating between the commercial and countercultural spheres, and record label representatives. During this fieldwork, I aim to investigate how music video prosumers engage with their past productions, and critically evaluate how time, nostalgia, and collective memory shape perceptions of these videos. I will be visiting archival collections which have not yet been digitised, as well as undertaking the above interviews, in Cape Town and Pretoria.

Mo Zhou

My PhD research project aims to explore the connection between Wa traditional music and modern music. The Wa ethnic group is a transnational ethnic group in Asia, mainly distributed in mainland China, Myanmar, and Thailand. The long historical development, original religious beliefs, and rich types of musical instruments have established and enriched the Wa music culture. As globalization and modernization continue to impact indigenous culture, Wa music has developed many new genres in the context of modern music, bringing more possibilities to its future development.

My fieldwork is conducted in Ximeng, one of the main gathering places for the Wa ethnic group. Based on the limitations of the relevant literature, I use various methods to collect data, including interviewing local artists, visiting Wa historical sites, and participating in local activities. I hope to collect more potential information through this fieldwork to fill the current gap in the literature on Wa culture and provide a theoretical framework for my PhD.

Anonymous PhD candidate

This artistic research project explores the role of sound-based praxis within Environmental Conservation and Restoration (ECR) through a process-based, participatory approach. By embedding sonic methodologies within ongoing ECR initiatives, the study challenges dominant anthropocentric and ableist paradigms, advocating instead for a multispecies and decolonial perspective on ecological restoration.

Rather than adhering to conventional site-based data collection, this project reimagines fieldwork as a relational and situated practice. When travel to specific locations is not possible, restricted, or fraught, the research adopts a community-based and collaborative model. This model also invites immobile and silent subjects to its process and puts forward creative and collaborative modes of researching. The primary case study is situated within the [X] community, where reciprocal engagement and collective knowledge-building replace traditional extractive methodologies. This approach not only redefines fieldwork within a decolonial and collaborative praxis but also investigates ethical considerations around accessibility, safety, and recognition.