In the MEANtime

S3Ep3:The Human Touch: Rethinking Tech in Hospitality Workplaces

In this episode, host Dr. Lauren Siegel, joined by Dr. Rami Shamseen, interviews Dr. Agnieszka Rydzik (University of Lincoln) about her research on how increasing use of technology in hospitality affects workers’ experiences, especially since the pandemic accelerated tools like QR-code ordering and self-service systems. Drawing on dozens of interviews with workers and industry stakeholders, she discusses how technology can intensify work, reduce staffing, create new pressures when systems fail, and shift customer frustration onto employees, often without enough training. Agnieszka also explores how these changes can reduce meaningful human interaction with customers, coworkers, and suppliers, contributing to disconnection and stress, while affecting workers differently by role and workplace. 01:25 Pandemic Tech Acceleration 03:57 Defining The Research Focus 04:35 Peak Times Staffing Pressures 08:09 Training And Tech Troubles 09:48 Why Hospitality Matters 12:03 Tech Reduces Human Connection 14:05 Invisible Workplace Tech Shifts 17:00 Gen Z Tech Reality 17:34 Human Connection Over Apps 18:01 Worker Centric Tech Rethink 18:29 Hospitality Futures Tool 20:39 Bartender Audio Narrative 22:19 Dehumanization and Manners 29:01 Guidelines for Better Practice

S3Ep2:Exploring the Unseen: Queer Spaces, Death Rituals, and Storytelling with Dr. Ian R. Lamond

In this episode, hosts Dr Lauren Siegel and Dr Wenjie Cai welcome visiting researcher Dr Ian R. Lamond (University of Greenwich, March 2026) to discuss their work on “death spaces,” storytelling, and rituals. Ian describes their book Death and Events and autoethnographic reflections from death-industry practitioners and death scholars, sparked by a case where tourists photographed an Indian funeral. Ian shares their move into celebrancy—focused on LGBTQIA+ ceremonies, gender-affirming renamings, themed weddings/funerals, and non-human companion rituals—and links this to narrative, performance, and research. Ian shares an impactful experience from attending the São Paulo Pride event. connecting this to the need for ongoing queer resistance and legacy. They also outlines creating Leeds rainbow plaques and trails marking queer history, and defines events as ruptures that reveal power and enable change. 02:40 Studying Death Stories 04:19 Tourists at Funeral 06:06 Death Industry Insights 07:06 Celebrancy New Career 14:03 Rituals and Liminality 16:53 Living Funerals Trend 17:43 Sao Paulo Pride Story 22:09 Queer Legacy Projects 28:01 Critical Event Studies 32:10 Comedy and Farewell https://rapport-celebrancy.com/ Ian's edited book: Death and Events [https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/edit/10.4324/9781003155324/death-events-ian-lamond-ruth-dowson] Upcoming: International Critical Autoethnographic Perspectives on Death [https://www.waterstones.com/book/international-critical-autoethnographic-perspectives-on-death/khyati-tripathi/ian-lamond/9783032163110]

S3Ep1:Belonging and Becoming: Central and Eastern European Women Academics Making Britain Home

In this episode, hosts Dr. Lauren Siegel and Dr. Rami Shamseen speak with Dr. Agnieszka Rydzik(University of Lincoln) and Dr. Maria Gebbels (University of Greenwich) about their forthcoming book, Central and Eastern European Women Academics in the UK: Making Britain Home (out 20 March 2026). Originating from reflections on the 20th anniversary of the 2004 EU expansion and stereotypes about Eastern European women, the project gathered 29 first-person chapters by 30 authors, spanning PhD students to professors, to “give voice” to personal yet political experiences of migration, academia, language, and belonging. Contributors use diverse formats beyond essays, including poems, photography, collage, paintings, soundscapes, and dialogue. 01:27 Origin Story and EU Migration 02:49 A Personal Political Anthology 05:52 Trust and Writing Vulnerably 06:51  Authors' personal stories 15:25 Creative Formats and Methods 23:12 Language Identity and Accents 24:06 Diversity Across Backgrounds 26:19 Surprises Hope and Belonging 29:20 Who the Book Is For 30:22 Closing Thoughts

S2Ep6: From Stage to Classroom: Drama-based Techniques in Teaching

In this episode, Dr Lauren Siegel and Dr Chen Yang speak with Dr Ewa Krolikowska-Adamczyk and Dr Robert Arnett Robson about drama-based teaching techniques for higher education. They define drama-based techniques as using elements from acting—such as voice, body, classroom space, props, humour, and performance skills—to enhance teaching and student engagement, emphasising that attention is a key resource for lecturers. Ewa outlines three focal techniques from their work: sketches (short humorous scenarios), soliloquies (voicing a character’s internal thoughts aloud), and storytelling delivered with dramatic elements to create a memorable “wow factor.” They stress inclusivity by depicting relatable scenarios that do not alienate diverse students and explain their focus is primarily on lecturers using these techniques rather than requiring students to perform. Ewa shares her drama and theatre undergraduate background, while Rob describes an informal performance interest developed through corporate training and his doctorate in education on drama-based techniques; they explain how they connected with colleague Kevin Williams and now collaborate as “Act One Education.” They discuss applicability across disciplines (including nursing, science, engineering, and medicine), advise hesitant or introverted educators to start with small performance tools and remain authentic. They position drama as one tool within a broader teaching toolkit and plan to write more due to a gap in higher-education-focused research, and future research on barriers and fears that prevent educators from adopting these techniques. 01:09 What Are Drama-Based Teaching Techniques? 01:46 The Real Reason Drama Works: Winning Student Attention 03:05 The Big 3 Techniques Explained: Sketch, Soliloquy & Storytelling 05:39 Do Students Have to Perform? ‘Acting for the Non-Actor’ 06:34 Workshop Storytime: The Skit That Hooked the Room (No More Death by PowerPoint) 08:23 How Ewa, Rob & Kevin Found Each Other (and Built Act One Education) 11:32 From Corporate Training to Global Classrooms: Drama Across Cultures 14:39 Can Drama Work in Any Subject? Real Classroom Examples 16:50 Nervous or Introverted? Start Small with Props, Space & Baby Steps 22:30 Making Learning Memorable (and Not Over-the-Top): Drama as One Tool in the Toolkit 26:39 Workshops Beyond Greenwich + Building a Community of Practice 28:59 What’s Next: Future Research, Barriers & Spreading the Word

S2Ep5:Influences on Workers' Rights: Technology, Unions, and Policy

In this episode, Dr. Lauren Siegel and Dr. Rami Shamseen are joined by Dr. Elisa Pannini to discuss labor unions, employment legislation, and workplace conditions. Dr. Pannini shares her journey into labor market research and talks about the significance of platform work as a major shift in the labor market. The conversation explores how unions are adapting to represent precarious and marginalized workers, the evolving landscape of labor regulations, and how technology is influencing labor dynamics. Dr. Pannini also highlights her upcoming research on the use of AI and algorithmic management in call centers and its implications for workers. 01:06 Dr. Pannini's Research Journey 03:02 Impact of Platform Work on Labor Markets 04:19 Union Efforts in Organizing Precarious Workers 05:15 Challenges and Opportunities in Worker Organization 10:08 Education and Workers' Rights 17:48 Global Labor Market Dynamics 21:40 Unions and Democracy 24:12 Future Research and Conclusion