Building Up Your Building Up Your Research (and thesis)Research (and thesis)

Rawiwan OranratmaneeRawiwan OranratmaneeSeminar in architecture 2008Seminar in architecture 2008

Homestay village in Northern Thailand

Establishing the researchEstablishing the research

From my interest in housing to the From my interest in housing to the issue of change in a homeissue of change in a home

Turning from physical and economic Turning from physical and economic to social and psychological aspectsto social and psychological aspects

Focusing Focusing • Concept of a homeConcept of a home• ‘‘Home’ vs ‘Meanings’Home’ vs ‘Meanings’• Changes in home environmentsChanges in home environments

Studying through homestay subjectStudying through homestay subject

Concept of a HomeConcept of a Home a place, a space, a symbol, a feeling, a functiona place, a space, a symbol, a feeling, a function a private dwelling space a private dwelling space a place of shared lifea place of shared life a place for the familya place for the family a reflection and symbol of self and statusa reflection and symbol of self and status an identification; a place where one starts froman identification; a place where one starts from a security or a refuge from outsidea security or a refuge from outside a microcosm; small world in big worlda microcosm; small world in big world a theatre of life; a place for reproduction of the speciesa theatre of life; a place for reproduction of the species a protection from natural elements and scrutiny of a protection from natural elements and scrutiny of

othersothers a territory, a prison, a fortressa territory, a prison, a fortress

(Bachelard 1964, Marcus 1988, Norberg-Shulz 1985, Oliver 1987, Rapoport 1969, Rybczynski 1988) Bachelard 1964, Marcus 1988, Norberg-Shulz 1985, Oliver 1987, Rapoport 1969, Rybczynski 1988)

Changes in a home environmentChanges in a home environment The world has changed, so does a home The world has changed, so does a home Changes are brought into a homeChanges are brought into a home Ideas that home could perform other functionsIdeas that home could perform other functions Commercializing home can be a way of utilizing Commercializing home can be a way of utilizing

domestic space for the economic wealth, resulting in domestic space for the economic wealth, resulting in the well-being of the family the well-being of the family

Nevertheless, is the meaning attached to a home Nevertheless, is the meaning attached to a home has changed once it has become commercialized?has changed once it has become commercialized?

If so, how this affects the family and their values?If so, how this affects the family and their values? What are their perceptions towards the intervention What are their perceptions towards the intervention

in their homes? in their homes?

Private Dwelling in Rural Private Dwelling in Rural HOmestays: Northern ThailandHOmestays: Northern Thailand

Privacy is a significant aspect of a home Privacy is a significant aspect of a home How privacy in a domestic realm is affected when How privacy in a domestic realm is affected when

home is utilized differently? home is utilized differently? A homestay is chosen due to its interesting A homestay is chosen due to its interesting

aspect of allowing a non-member of the family aspect of allowing a non-member of the family into the home in a close relationship and for a into the home in a close relationship and for a long period of time compared to other practiceslong period of time compared to other practices

Rural context because of its cultural complexities Rural context because of its cultural complexities and more impact than those in urbanand more impact than those in urban

Northern Thailand for its recognition as rural Northern Thailand for its recognition as rural homestay cases both in Asia and the worldhomestay cases both in Asia and the world

Definition: ‘Homestay’, also known as guesthouse or bed-and-breakfast, is a type of accommodation where visitors or guests pay directly or indirectly to stay in private homes (Lynch 1998)

ObjectivesObjectives

Main: The thesis aims at understanding the phenomena Main: The thesis aims at understanding the phenomena taking place in rural houses offered for commercial taking place in rural houses offered for commercial hospitality as ‘homestays’. The objectives are:- hospitality as ‘homestays’. The objectives are:-

1 To investigate the physical, economic, social, cultural, 1 To investigate the physical, economic, social, cultural, political and environmental issues arising when rural political and environmental issues arising when rural houses are turned into homestays. houses are turned into homestays.

2 To analyse the way in which the households cope with 2 To analyse the way in which the households cope with their life living in homestays, in terms of relationship their life living in homestays, in terms of relationship between:between:• domestic activities, space use and objectsdomestic activities, space use and objects• social interaction social interaction • the meaning of the homethe meaning of the home

3 and to explain how these relate to home and homestay 3 and to explain how these relate to home and homestay and the theoretical contextsand the theoretical contexts

QuestionsQuestions

The research seeks to find answers to the following The research seeks to find answers to the following questions:-questions:-

What are the physical, economic, social, cultural, What are the physical, economic, social, cultural, political and environmental characteristics of the case political and environmental characteristics of the case studies? studies? – Objective 1– Objective 1

What are the patterns of domestic activities, space What are the patterns of domestic activities, space use and objects as well as their interrelationships? use and objects as well as their interrelationships? – – Objective 2.1Objective 2.1

What are the patterns of social interaction in What are the patterns of social interaction in homestay? homestay? – Objective 2.2– Objective 2.2

How do the families perceive the meaning of home How do the families perceive the meaning of home and that of homestay? and that of homestay? – Objective 2.3– Objective 2.3

How do the above aspects relate to home and How do the above aspects relate to home and homestay and their theoretical contexts? homestay and their theoretical contexts? – – Objective 3Objective 3

Research Approach & Research Approach & MethodologiesMethodologies

Mixed Approach: Sequential ->Quantitative for Mixed Approach: Sequential ->Quantitative for profiling then Qualitative for detail investigationprofiling then Qualitative for detail investigation

Participant Observation: Researchers stay with Participant Observation: Researchers stay with homestay families as their guests homestay families as their guests

Anthropological study using in-depth interviews, Anthropological study using in-depth interviews, observations, visual materialsobservations, visual materials

Content Analysis of different data by coding and Content Analysis of different data by coding and discourses the key issuesdiscourses the key issues

Triangulate different dataTriangulate different data Integrate and generalize to related issues, Integrate and generalize to related issues,

concepts, ideas; from concept of a home, concepts, ideas; from concept of a home, changes, commercializing, tourism and housing in changes, commercializing, tourism and housing in generalgeneral

Interference in the Home settings Family well-beingSocial, cultural and economic constraintsSpatial and temporal factorsChanges in home settings Home-based enterprises

The study of a homeAnthropology of homeConcept of a homeConcept of dwellingAspects of privacyPrivate dwellingRelations to vernacular Rural home settings

HomestaysPerspectives of tourism & hospitality Influencing factors Defining homestays Rural homestays Impacts of homestaysComparative data of homestays

Meanings: Domestic environment•Theoretical reiview•The study of meanings•Domestic environment•Issues therein

Literature Review

Data Collection

Syntheses

Conclusions

Methodology Established: Anthropological methods. Mixed approach. Participant observation

observation daily activities and space in-depth semi-structured interviews and informal talks with the villagers

Sketches & Photos & videoTime log

Proposal established: Private Dwelling in Rural Homestay, Northern Thailand

PaintingAnalysis

Coding

Coding

Interview tapes

Triangulation and interpretation of different data

Coding

Narrative

Discourse Coding

Analytical FrameworkAnalytical Framework

Output and SignificanceOutput and Significance This thesis provides research-based information about rural This thesis provides research-based information about rural

homestay for tourism. It adds more in-depth knowledge about the homestay for tourism. It adds more in-depth knowledge about the interrrelationships between space, social interaction and meaning interrrelationships between space, social interaction and meaning that helps us understand relationships in domestic spacethat helps us understand relationships in domestic space

This knowledge contributes to home study, tourism, hospitality and This knowledge contributes to home study, tourism, hospitality and vernacular studies which can be used by tourism policy-makers as vernacular studies which can be used by tourism policy-makers as well as by the communities involved in homestay practiceswell as by the communities involved in homestay practices

It responds to the need to study the meaning of home, which is It responds to the need to study the meaning of home, which is increasingly diversified in different contexts. Its conclusions about increasingly diversified in different contexts. Its conclusions about the living conditions and well-being of the homestay family can be the living conditions and well-being of the homestay family can be used by psychologists, ethnographers, and designers seeking in-used by psychologists, ethnographers, and designers seeking in-depth information about a home from the point of view of those depth information about a home from the point of view of those who live in itwho live in it

On a broader and more general level, it contributes to studies On a broader and more general level, it contributes to studies relating to home studies, concepts of a home, home relating to home studies, concepts of a home, home commercialisation, tourism, hospitality and vernacular traditionscommercialisation, tourism, hospitality and vernacular traditions

Note: all outputs are related to literature - the significance of good literature Note: all outputs are related to literature - the significance of good literature review is a solid research outputreview is a solid research output

Time scheduleTime schedule 18 months M.Phil consisting:18 months M.Phil consisting:

• Proposal Proposal (6 months)(6 months)• Literature review Literature review (continuous)(continuous)• Methodology review/establishment Methodology review/establishment (2 months)(2 months)• Case study selection Case study selection (2 months)(2 months)• Preparation for fieldwork Preparation for fieldwork (3 months)(3 months)• Fieldwork Fieldwork (3 months)(3 months)• Transfer to PhD. Transfer to PhD. (2 months)(2 months)

18 months Ph.D consisting18 months Ph.D consisting• Analysis Analysis (9 months)(9 months)• Prepare to submit and exam Prepare to submit and exam (6 months) (6 months) • Publication Publication (3 months)(3 months)

Month

10 n

ow

Case StudiesCase Studies

Rural area of Northern ThailandRural area of Northern Thailand 3 homestay villages, 1 month each village 3 homestay villages, 1 month each village 3 homestays + 2 non-homestays families, 3 homestays + 2 non-homestays families,

totaling 15 families ~ 45 – 50 interviews totaling 15 families ~ 45 – 50 interviews Criteria: Criteria:

• Be a homestay villageBe a homestay village• having homestays in their own homeshaving homestays in their own homes• Consisting different family membersConsisting different family members• Representing diversities of homestays in the Representing diversities of homestays in the

northern Thailandnorthern Thailand