Pam Hall's research explores art as a form of making and moving knowledge. Traditionally, science has been seen as the main and often the only source of knowledge in western society, and this research will work to expand, deepen and make visible many others forms of knowledge that have been undervalued and consequently under-used. Hall's work begins with the assumption that everyone knows something interesting and important about where they live and how they live there.

The project is called Towards an Encyclopaedia of Local Knowledge and it's goal is to make that knowledge visible so it can be shared and used within and beyond the communities where it emerges. It will hopefully include participants ranging from school children to elders, who will share their own knowledge to be included in the Encyclopedia. Everyone who participates will be acknowledged as a co-author.

Everyone has some expert knowledge and Towards an Encyclopaedia of Local Knowledge will gather ecological, social, historical, technical, material and cultural knowledge from voluntary "experts" up and down the west coast of the Province. It will build on, expand, and extend some of the community-specific knowledge that already exists and make it visible, alongside new knowledge - so it can be shared and presented - honoured and celebrated.

This research is funded by Barbara Neis Trudeau Foundation Fellowship and a SSHRC doctoral fellowship.

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