Drifting pollen geographies: an amateur’s engagement with palynological practice and a drifting self

Larsen, Maia Taylor Suhm (2025) Drifting pollen geographies: an amateur’s engagement with palynological practice and a drifting self. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

This thesis aims to explore how pollen science may be used as a tool to understand myself in the world through its history and practices of said history. The thesis uses palynology to explore the relationships between the material and temporal and seeks to unpack the role ‘science’ and ‘art’ play in constructing these relations. I situate the thesis within a growing literature of plant geography with an underlying foundation in the idea of a shimmering relationality being key to unveiling a myriad of assemblages which carry with them temporal and material relationships. This is done through my own personal experiences with researching palynology and participating in palynological field and lab work, as well as my own encounters with more creative expressions and investigations including poetry, photography and a foray into more ‘experimental’ ways of engaging with plants. Moreover, the thesis takes seriously the implications of how a colonial past has shaped my understanding of self and science, and how pollen, much like my own body, becomes a story because of its temporal and material assemblages.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Subjects: G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > G Geography (General)
• Colleges/Schools: College of Science and Engineering > School of Geographical and Earth Sciences
• Funder's Name: Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
• Supervisor's Name: Philo, Professor Christopher
• Date of Award: 2025
• Depositing User: Theses Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:2025-84946
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 17 Mar 2025 09:16
• Last Modified: 21 Mar 2025 12:50
• Thesis DOI: 10.5525/gla.thesis.84946
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/84946