Abstract

New technologies show promise for cultural and environmental sustainability, yet the processes of production, use, and disposal of digital devices involve the exploitation of natural resources and human labor and have dramatic impacts on social systems and people’s lives. This cumulative thesis presents research that explores the use of 360° video as a specific technology for sustainability, as well as the sustainability of such technologies in academic research, through a series of international case studies and photo essays: Salak Yom explores the use of 360° video for the safeguarding of cultural heritage in Northern Thailand,SCP in 360°describes the design and evaluation of a series of 360°videos I produced forUnited Nations sustainability communication, and Digital Devices in Academic Research examines the sustainability practices, policies, and procedures related to360°video and other research technology in a university system. These three cases studies use multi-sited multimodal anthropology andresearch-creation as methods to contribute to the field of sustainable human-computer interaction.This research addresses the overall question, How can anthropologists, media makers, and human-computer interaction researchers better understand sustainability through their practices and engagements with 360° video and the technology it entails?

This dissertation presents a visual, multi-sited ethnography following 360° video through its application in a cultural context, in the communications of an international organization, and as a research tool in a university setting.Individually, the case studies describe insights and limitations of 360° video for safeguarding cultural heritage, develop design implications for 360° video projects generally as well as for sustainability-focused interactive media, and make recommendations for university-level approaches to support sustainable technology practices. Collectively, the case studies and accompanying photo essays in this dissertation show how sustainability can be better understood through the specific technology of 360°video as well as through the sociotechnical systems in which people live and work.

Keywords: sustainability; virtual reality; 360° video; intangible cultural heritage; multimodal anthropology; photography

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Visit Projects:
360° Video for Sustainability
Digital Devices in Academic Research
Salak Yom Festival, Thailand