Urban Studies has lent heavily on the premise that people move between areas of dry land (Hall, 2012; Miller, 2008; Allen et al, 2003). However, 2.5% of London is made up of âblue spaceâ, formed of canals and rivers that host an annually expanding floating population (NBTA, 2016). Increasing dramatically from 638 in 2012, there are now upward of 1, 954 âcontinuous cruiserâ boat-dwellers in London (NBTA, 2016; RBOA, 2017). Regulations state that âcontinuous cruisersâ can moor in one âneighbourhoodâ for 14 days, putting them in constant flux through central and peripheral areas of the city (CRT, 2015b:11). Whilst mobility theorists analyse urban movement, work remains separate from the residential context (Jenson, 2010; Sager, 2006). Challenging the association of mobile dwelling with rural âtravellerâ communities (Martin, 2002; Hetherington, 1998), Londonâs mobile boaters bring continuous residential mobility into the discussion of everyday urban life. This ethnographic study will explore practices of belonging, variant forms of mobile-home making, and urban interaction. Durational ethnographic engagement with âeveryday lifeâ is intended to encourage understanding of the ârhythm and temporalityâ of Londonâs urban water.
Flutter, Lorna
Start date:
October 2018Research Topic:
London's Boat Dwelling CommunityResearch pathway:
SociologyResearch Supervisor:
Tom Hall and Kate MolesSupervising school:
School of Social Sciences, Cardiff UniversityPrimary funding source:
ESRC StudentshipEmail:
FlutterLI@cardiff.ac.ukTwitter:
@FlutterLorna