Observing the narratives of cities with Sreya Ajay

We caught up with one of Hey Neighbour’s Research Assistants about qualitative data analysis and her favourite foods from Delhi.

How did you get involved with Hey Neighbour?

I recently started a master’s program at SFU in urban studies. When I received my admission letter for the program, I talked with Robyn Lee and she told me about Hey Neighbour! I thought it was interesting, so, last semester, I joined one of their research groups that help conduct surveys of multi-family buildings.

Why urban studies?

My bachelor’s is in architecture and after I completed my schooling, I worked mostly with urban public projects and campaigns (back home in India). It started as an interest in urban design and broadened to urban research! I’m not a practicing architect now, but one of the aspects I enjoy most about the discipline is making observations about communities and cities. 

There aren’t many urban research programs in India, so I started looking at universities in other countries. One of my friends who applied to SFU a few years ago told me about the program, and it sounded like exactly what I was looking for.

What are you most excited about studying during your Master’s?

Even back home, one of my main interests was studying urban ecological vulnerabilities, in terms of disasters and emergencies. Urban resilience is a key theme I’m interested in exploring, especially when it comes to vulnerable communities, low-income communities, and people with precarious housing. I’m also passionate about climate justice and how our changing climate impacts these communities. We can’t ignore it anymore.

Tell us more about the survey work you’ve done with Hey Neighbour.

Every two years or so, Hey Neighbour conducts resident surveys to understand the social connectedness, health, and well-being of residents in affordable housing projects. We visit the buildings of our partner housing providers and conduct surveys and interviews with residents who are willing to participate. I worked on the third iteration of the survey, which involved questions on connection with neighbours, isolation, and well-being. We’re now in the analysis phase, and I’m working alongside Olivia. She’s focusing on quantitative analysis and I’m focusing on qualitative data analysis.

What is it like to parse out qualitative data?

Our qualitative data involves analyzing a lot of written comments and descriptive responses. We get to observe a range of opinions, like how people feel about their living situation, and their perceptions of their well-being or level of isolation. It’s very interesting and I feel it gives more depth to the numbers (the “quantitative” data).

Qualitative data can be emotional and unfiltered. Sometimes, if I need a break, I’ll read or work on something else.

Antiques at the Chalai market in Trivandrum in India.
Antiques at Chalai, the oldest and largest market in Trivandrum, India (and one of Sreya’s favourite places to walk in the city).

Where in India are you from?

I am from Kerala, which is in the southern part of the country. It’s very warm and humid, very green, and always raining. So, I don’t feel too bothered by the rain in Vancouver! 

Before I came to Canada, I lived in Dehli for two years. It’s one of my favourite cities! Because it’s the capital city, it’s quite multi-cultural. Every day, you can see or experience something new. It’s also a very well-connected city with affordable transportation, and the street food there is amazing! One of my favourites is a version of dumplings called ‘momos.’

A canal in Alappuzha, India.
Sreya’s hometown, Alappuzha, also known as Venice of the East because of the canals running through the town.
Crowds of people walk though the archways of the Red Fort, a fortress in New Dehli, India.
Red Fort, a fortress in New Dehli, India.

Have you found some favourite places in Vancouver?

I’m still fairly new to the city but I really enjoy Kits Beach and walking around Robson Square. It’s always active and full of different kinds of things. When I have time, I also love to just wander around downtown. I love walking in the city, rather than taking a taxi or a cab. The slower pace means I get a chance to look around more. 

How do you like to observe cities?

I have a habit of taking random photos on my walks around a city. Right now, I’m focusing on the various stickers or posters stuck to buildings, walls, or lampposts I walk by. To me, they tell a narrative about the city. They make me curious about questions like, “How does a city hold multiple things? What is happening here?” That’s something that I do. I take pictures of things that are interesting!

An assortment of flyers and posters near the Commercial-Broadway SkyTrain station in Vancouver, British Columbia
An assortment of flyers and posters near the Commercial-Broadway SkyTrain station in Vancouver, British Columbia

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