Aurelie Roy-Bourbeau

Aurelie (Settler, She-Her, able-bodied) is completing her master’s degree in Social and Cultural Anthropology at Concordia University. In her quest to expand her comprehension of humans and to deconstruct her/our biases, she studies how our senses connect us with our worlds. Under the supervision of David Howes and in relation to the idea of western society as oculocentric, she explores the worldview of people with visual impairment. While being interested in sensorial anthropology, the research brings her to understand and acknowledge the experiences of people with disabilities. In her research, Aurelie is interested in theory but also promotes changes in the praxis. She has been an assistant at l’Arche of Jean Vanier in Bangalore, India. In Montréal she has worked with people with mental disorders and people with physical handicaps. Aurélie is currently a research assistant for the Explorations in Sensory Design research project.