[Special Talk] Ethnomethodological Approaches to Taste and Tasting (Dr. Giolo Fele, March 18, 4:30PM, J128)

We are pleased to invite you to a special lecture by Professor Giolo Fele from the University of Trento, Italy, hosted by the Sogang BK21 Linguistics-TESOL Research Team and the Institute for Language and Information.

This lecture will explore how the subjective experience of 'taste' is socially organized through interaction, utilizing the perspective of Ethnomethodology and Conversation Analysis (EMCA).

1. Event Overview

Date & Time: Wednesday, March 18, 2026 | 4:30 PM

Venue: Room J128, Jeong Ha-sang Hall (J Building)

Speaker: Prof. Giolo Fele (University of Trento, Italy)

Title: Ethnomethodological Approaches to Taste and Tasting

2. Abstract

The talk begins by introducing taste and tasting as topics for social studies. It outlines why sensory experience, and the ways people describe and evaluate it, can be treated as socially organized phenomena rather than purely individual perceptions. The presentation then introduces the ethnomethodological and conversation analytic (EMCA) approach, briefly explaining its methodological orientation and its relevance for studying situated practices such as tasting. In the final part, the speaker presents selected excerpts from video recordings of professional tasting sessions. These data are used to illustrate how participants collaboratively produce and negotiate sensory descriptions, and to discuss some preliminary analytical results emerging from the study. 

3. About the Speaker

Giolo Fele is Professor of Sociology of Culture at the University of Trento, Italy. His interests lie in the study of social interaction and social theory, with particular reference to ethnomethodology and conversation analysis. He has studied conflict in family therapy sessions, the organisation of emergency calls and dispatches, visibility and observability in sports video, and the intersubjectivity of tasting.

※ The lecture will be conducted in English, with real-time Korean subtitles provided for your convenience. We look forward to your interest and attendance.

※ 본 강연은 영어로 진행되며, 참석자분들의 이해를 돕기 위해 실시간 한국어 자막이 제공될 예정입니다. 학생 및 연구자분들의 많은 관심과 참여를 부탁드립니다.

Organizers:

BK21 Research Team, Dept. of English, Sogang University

(서강대학교 영어영문학과 BK21 교육연구팀)

Institute for Language and Information, Sogang University

(서강대학교 언어정보연구소)

Contact:

Email: bk21engl@sogang.ac.kr