Event Date
Topic: Studying Collective Action among Climbers from the (Attempted) Praxis-Scholarship Nexus
Speaker: Dr. David Carter, Assistant Professor; Programs of Public Affairs, Dept. of Political Science, University of Utah
Abstract: In this presentation, David Carter will share his experience pursuing an engaged-scholarship approach to researching collective action among rock climbers. Climbing historically falls under what recreational sociologists refer to as “lifestyle sports” - pastimes characterized by individualism (absence of team competition), self-governance (lack of an official governing entity), and distinctive subcultures. Climbing is increasingly becoming more mainstream, however, challenging the community institutions (referred to in climbing circles as “ethics”) that traditionally govern climbing behavior. Climbing contexts are thus rich in opportunities for collective action research focusing on topics such as institutional maintenance and change, community self-governance in the face of social and technological transition, and resource co-management. Such research is also substantively valuable as climbers self-organize through more formal initiatives (commonly referred to as “local climbing organizations”). David will discuss the opportunities and challenges of attempting to research at this scholarship-praxis nexus.
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