Paula Bialski is a Polish-Canadian doctoral candidate at Lancaster University. She gains her inspiration from the stories she’s lived through, friends, family, and strangers, as well as her great supervisors, Prof. John Urry and Dr. Monika Buscher. As once a part-time radio and print journalist, her main interests include mobility, tourism, and friendship and social networking, and has published various articles regarding these, and other, topics. Her current academic work is centered around something she calls Sytems of Intimate Mobility – hospitality exchange networks and online hitchhiking websites. These systems, she believes, instigate a shift in friendship, trust, and intimacy among a mobile world. After being based in the English countryside, Paula is now back in Warsaw, and lecturing in the cultural studies department at the Warsaw School of Social Sciences and Humanities.
In her free time, she tours and records with her band “Paula & Karol.” (www.myspace.com/paulaikarol)
Hi Paula,
just stumbled over your blog – well congrats for your MA! And your planning on doing a Ph.D. – hope you gave that a good thought!
I was just in Budapest for a conference, where I met your “twin” – look a like! Wish you all the best!
Kathrin (GOR07) – Internet and Integration…remember
Hi Paula,
I have recently bought your publication ‘Intimate Tourism’. I have not finished reading it, but what I have read so far is really remarkable.
I am a PhD student in Leeds (Centre for Tourism and Cultural Change) and I am also working on hospitality exchange networks. My geographical focus is on the Maghreb region (especially Tunisia and Morocco).
Unfortunately we cannot meet up that easily since you are in Poland at the moment – as I was informed on your blog. Still I hope that there will be a possibility to meet up and exchange thoughts at one point or another.
I am currently trying to connect (the few) people researching hospitality exchange networks and would like to ask if you are interested in participating. For the start, a mailing list would be helpful to spread information on what others are working on exactly, which articles they are publishing etc. Later on, this exchange will hopefully also lead to further (common) projects.
At the moment, I know only of a few people doing research on hospitality exchange: Apart from you and me there are Dennis Zuev (sociologist at the Siberian Federal Univ.) and Jennie Germann-Molz (Assistant Professorin Worcester/US). Do you happen to know any other people working in this field?
Before I forget: You can (of course) also have a look at my CS profile to get an impression of me.
I am looking forward to hearing from you!
Regards,
Sonja
Hey there Sonja! Sorry for not replying! How is your research going? Perhaps you’d be interested in this conference:
http://researcher.royalroads.ca/moodle/course/view.php?id=1029
There will be a panel on Couchsurfing which is being organized by by Jennie Germann-Molz.
Cheers!
Paula
hi there,
I’m just starting my bachelors thesis on the alteration of our perception of reality by digital hosting networks.
Are you two still in the matter, then please hook me up with any information you got please.
Sincerely,
Simon from Cologne
simon.mader@gmx.de
Hi Paula
I am organizing a session about Anthropology and CS for the Society for Applied Anthropology (SfAA) meetings in Merida Mexico in March 2010.
I would love for you to present on the panel. If you are interested, write me back or you can find me on CS or Facebook.
I am one of the CS Ambassadors for Tampa and if you ever want to visit Florida just say the word!
A
Hi Paula,
I am Doreen Chen, a PhD student in National Taiwan University. I am interested in the idea of CouchSurfing and trying to make a research proposal about it. In my opinion, hospitality exchange in tourism is great, but still a quite “Western” idea; even it is a global network. So, as an Asian researcher, I am interested in how this new type of travelling to be practiced for Asian Surfers and hosts, and how it influences the idea of “tourism” and “home” for them.
In the process of searching the literature, I found that you have written a book about hospitality exchange. However, it is difficult to get the book here. So I would like to ask you that, if it is possible to ask you a copy through email? Or, could you give me a suggestion about how to get the book in Taiwan? Thank you very much! I am looking forward to your reply!!
Ps.BTW, I also listen to your music…it is great! I love it. Actually I also have my own band (I am the vocal and play the folk guitar also). I am sure that we could be friends ‘cause we have much in common!
Regards,
Doreen
Hello,
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Regards,
Joanne
Hi everyone! Im from Argentina Im starting a research at the University of Patagonia in Argentina, and Im on the tourism field. Im doing my thesis about Hospitality Philosophy inside of the social networks of CS and HC: Travelers and Tourist into the exchange process
“La Filosofía de la Hospitalidad en las redes sociales: Viajeros y Turistas en el Proceso de Intercambio. Couch-Surfing y Hospitality-Club”
And at least here in my country this a very weird and new way to travel, so actually I dont even have much material in my language, It is a big challenge for me.
And Paula, your work is really inspiring.
So people…if please count with me for exchange material and thoughts
cheers
Maru
Hello Paula, judging by your postings, it seems like you should have finished your Ph.D. by now. I offer my tentative congratulations! How did you surmount all those moments of doubt, sloth, distraction, and procrastination? I am but a mere M.A. (at the University of Chicago), but I can feel your pain, and I hope you are now Dr. Bialski.
I am writing because I wish to enter the strange bubble of academic CS researchers. In as few words as possible, I hope to look at the CS from contrasting perspectives: economics rational choice and the sociology and anthropology literature on gift giving practices. In your M.A. Thesis, you request contact from anyone intending to use your project as a resource. I would like to do so. Also, I wonder if there is a paper available for the work you did with Batorski, the work from whence that lovely poster was produced.
If you still look at this blog (I will also send a message to your CS profile), please respond here, on CS, or by email (brturner@uchicago.edu). I look forward to hearing from you.
Wishing well,
Bradley Turner