Burning Progeny: The European Efflorescence of Burning Man
Information for Participants
Burning Man is a flourishing worldwide cultural movement, and Europe is the strongest region of growth outside North America. Over the past two decades, Burners have translated and revisioned their ethos around the globe. During this time, the Ten Principles of Burning Man have been adopted in a blush of regional events, civic initiatives and communities impacted by the legacy of Burning Man.
With a focus on Burning Man in Europe, Burning Progeny is the first project affording this cultural movement the depth of study it deserves. Supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation, and conducted by researchers in the Department of Social Science at The University of Fribourg, Switzerland, Burning Progeny is a four-year (Feb 2016 - Dec 2019) comparative ethnographic project studying the culture of Burning Man in Europe. As a component of this project, we are conducting interviews with community leaders and participants in the Burning Man European community. Along with several research articles, a book will be published after the conclusion of the research. Your participation will help the growing world of Burners understand itself and the non-Burner world become better informed about the movement and its culture.
Thank you for your participation.
Important Information about the interviews.
To better understand how the ethos of Burning Man has been adopted in European contexts we are interested in learning about your experience with the regional movement, your inspirations, creativity, crises, solutions. Recorded unstructured interviews (in English) are typically one hour in length, and sometimes conducted via Skype. Parts of your responses may be used in proposed publications. We respect confidentiality and unless you state otherwise you will retain anonymity (i.e. a pseudonym) in intended publications.
This collaborative study is conducted in the Department of Social Science, University of Fribourg, Switzerland, by Prof Dr Francois Gauthier, Dr Graham St John and Dr Botond Vitos.
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Please feel free to ask any questions about this study by contacting Graham St John at graham.stjohn@unifr.ch
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About the Burning Progeny project team:
François Gauthier, PhD, is Associate Professor in the Department of Social Science, University of Fribourg, Switzerland. He is a leading researcher in the fields of religion, consumption and neoliberalism, and in the study of subcultures and Burning Man. He is project Lead Investigator.
Graham St John, PhD, is a cultural anthropologist and Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Social Science, University of Fribourg, Switzerland. He has authored eight books and specialises in the study of event-culture movements.
Botond Vitos, PhD, is Research Assistant on the Burning Progeny project. His research interests include popular music studies, electronic dance music culture, the mediations of aesthetic experiences and the cultural meanings of drug use.
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