Beyond Text

Description

This original new book represents a variety of art forms across different professional contexts. Its focus is on the ways that educational practitioners and leaders from a range of cultures, disciplines, professions and organizations practice arts-based research, and it explores how these can enable innovative means of learning and enhance professional and organizational development.

This vibrant project allowed for long term systematic conversations between a large and unusually diverse group of twenty-nine people from eight organisations in six countries. It was unusually diverse in many senses: for some the word ‘data’ meant little, for others it was central to their daily work; for some artistic practice was core, while for others the arts were a means to an end; while some were social entrepreneurs running their own companies others were researching in universities and a number were doing both; some were working within the STEM disciplines of business, management, engineering, science, technology, sustainability and the built environment, others were in the social sciences of social and health care, education and youth work while others were engaged in rapid or long term social and cultural action as a means of resisting state violence and military occupation; some worked in one of the safest countries on the planet, others in one of the most tear-gassed refugee camps in the world.



Within these professional groups there were also ranges of experience, for example senior researchers, early career researchers, PhD students, seasoned professional artists and newcomers to arts forms. Whilst the main communication of this group was English, six other major languages were spoken, Estonian, Finish, Catalan, Spanish, Arabic and key stakeholders bought Swedish and Japanese into the space. This meant that while the conversations in and about arts-based practice were transnational, interdisciplinary and systematic, they had all the messy, troubled-ness that the intercultural on all of the above levels brings with it.

This unique and exciting collection discusses how creative arts practices can have a significant impact on research across a range of international contexts, drawing on their own field of research and educational experience. For instance, drama, music, dance and visual arts can be used to understand how learners internalise concepts, reflect on how decisions are made in the midst of action in leadership education, or investigate the use of the intuitive alongside the rational and analytical in their educational experience. Non-textual arts-based forms of research can also provide modes of investigation into pedagogical and professional practices when applied to fields that normally lie outside of the arts.

Its greatest strengths are its focus on arts-based research as a way of learning in a variety of contexts, and often in collaboration.  Its consistent theoretical, artistic and professional engagements make it a very readable and engaging read. 

The representation of a variety of art forms across different professional contexts means that this book will have appeal to several readerships in higher education, including the following groups.

Academics and practitioners using arts-based methods in organisation and business settings. Researchers in the arts and researchers generically in the social sciences, humanities and arts. University students of the arts, education and professional studies, especially those interested in the wider international and intercultural diversity of research methodologies.

Those working in international research teams using any form of qualitative research will also find this collection very interesting.  It also has potential interest for groups outside higher education with an interest in arts-based research – for example community groups looking to explore collaborative projects.

Foreword: The culture of seriousness and anxiety by Arja Lehto

Beyond text: Introduction

Part I. Experimenting with arts-based research practices in academia

Chapter 1. Insights and outlooks: Experiences from a PhD course in arts-based research methods by Ulrika von Schantz and Eva Österlind

Chapter 2. Dilemmas of alienation in arts-based education research methods by Jeff Adams and Emma Arya-Manesh

Chapter 3. Accelerating movement across the intentional arc: developing the strategic sensographer by Mary Ann Kernan, Clive Holtham and Sara Jones

Part II. Arts explored through arts-based practices

Chapter 4. Travelling to the top of the mountain: Research investigation through found poetry as means of data analysis, presentation and dissemination by Fadel Alsawayfa

Chapter 5. From eco-anxiety to hope through drama by Anna Lehtonen and Panu Pihkala

Chapter 6. Leaving everything behind: The use of video illustration to critically reflect upon the experiences of Palestinian academics living in the UK by Muayyad Elwaheidi

Chapter 7. How music accessibility can be used in art-based research experiences by Lluís Solé Salas and Simon Poole

Part III. Arts-based research adopted in professional fields

Chapter 8. Organising reflection in health-care services: The contribution of research-based theatre by Anne Pässilä, Helinä Melkas, Satu Parjanen, Allan Owens

Chapter 9. The zine method as a form of qualitative analysis by Monica Biagioli, Anne Pässilä and Allan Owens

Chapter 10. Convoking radical imagination: The use of arts-based methods for inquiry in organizational contexts by Suvi-Jonna Martikainen, Anne Pässilä and Allan Owens

Part IV: Social action through arts-based practices

Chapter 11. The Secret of Dayta: learning and evaluating through process drama by Elisabet Aznar, Elisa Ballardin, David Martínez

Chapter 12. Beautiful Resistance: A response to a complicated political context   by Abdelfattah Abusrour and Hala Al-Yamani

Chapter 13. Overflowing the university: Embodied learning, caring relationships by Judit Vidiella, Assumpta Bassas, Eva Marichalar-Freixa and Marta Ricart

Sujets

• Teaching
• EDUCATION
• Study
• Art
• Performance

Informations

• Publié par: Intellect Books
• Date de parution: 13 juillet 2021
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781789383577
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Beyond Text

Beyond Text
Learning through Arts-Based Research
EDITED BY
Jeff Adams and Allan Owens
First published in the UK in 2021 by Intellect, The Mill, Parnall Road, Fishponds, Bristol, BS16 3JG, UK
First published in the USA in 2021 by Intellect, The University of Chicago Press, 1427 E. 60th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
Signed texts, their authors
Rest of the book, the editors
Copyright 2021 Intellect Ltd
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Copy editor: MPS
Cover designer: Aleksandra Szumlas
Cover image: Raquel Benmergui
Frontispiece image: Raquel Benmergui
Production managers: Faith Newcombe and Georgia Earl
Typesetter: MPS
Print ISBN 978-1-78938-355-3
ePDF ISBN 978-1-78938-356-0
ePUB ISBN 978-1-78938-357-7
Printed and bound by TJ Books
To find out about all our publications, please visit our website.
There you can subscribe to our e-newsletter, browse or download our current catalogue, and buy any titles that are in print.
www.intellectbooks.com
This is a peer-reviewed publication.
Contents
Acknowledgements
Foreword: The culture of seriousness and anxiety
Arja Lehto
Introduction
Jeff Adams and Allan Owens
PART I: EXPERIMENTING WITH ARTS-BASED RESEARCH PRACTICES IN ACADEMIA
1. Insights and outlooks: Experiences from a Ph.D. course in arts-based research methods
Ulrika von Schantz and Eva sterlind
2. Dilemmas of alienation in arts-based education research methods
Emma Arya Manesh and Jeff Adams
3. Accelerating movement across the intentional arc: Developing the strategic sensographer
Mary Ann Kernan, Clive Holtham and Sara Jones
PART II: ARTS EXPLORED THROUGH ARTS-BASED PRACTICES
4. Travelling to the top of the mountain: Research investigation through found poetry as means of data analysis, presentation and dissemination
Fadel Alsawayfa
5. From eco-anxiety to hope through drama
Anna Lehtonen and Panu Pihkala
6. Leaving everything behind: The use of video illustration to critically reflect upon the experiences of Palestinian academics living in the UK
Muayyad Elwaheidi
7. How music accessibility can be used in arts-based research experiences
Llu s Sol Salas and Simon Poole
PART III: ARTS-BASED RESEARCH ADOPTED IN PROFESSIONAL FIELDS
8. Organizing reflection in health-care services: The contribution of research-based theatre
Anne P ssil , Helin Melkas, Satu Parjanen and Allan Owens
9. The zine method as a form of qualitative analysis
Monica Biagioli, Anne P ssil and Allan Owens
10. Convoking radical imagination: The use of arts-based methods for inquiry in organizational contexts
Suvi-Jonna Martikainen, Anne P ssil and Allan Owens
PART IV: SOCIAL ACTION THROUGH ARTS-BASED PRACTICES
11. The Secret of Dayta: Learning and evaluating through process drama
Elisabet Aznar, Elisa Ballardin and David Mart nez
12. Beautiful Resistance: A response to a complicated political context
Abdelfattah Abusrour and Hala Al-Yamani
13. Overflowing the University: Embodied learning, caring relationships
Judit Vidiella, Assumpta Bassas, Eva Marichalar-Freixa and Marta Ricart
Contributors
Index
Acknowledgments
Beyond Text Project: EU Strategic Alliance Key Action 2 Funding (2016-19). Tate Liverpool; NSEAD, UK; InSEA; Storyhouse, Chester; La Nave Va Teatro, Catalonia-Spain; University of Stockholm; LUT University, Lahti Campus, Finland; Viljandi Culture Academy, University of Tartu, Estonia; Alrowwad Cultural and Arts Society, Aida Refugee Camp, Bethlehem, Palestine; Bethlehem University, Bethlehem, Palestine; Universitat de Vic-Universitat Central de Catalunya; Fine Arts Faculty, Universitat de Barcelona; Faculty for Education, Universitat de Manresa; ERAM College, UdG, Spain; University of Malmo, Sweden; Cass Business School, City University London; Islamic University, Gaza; Phillip Barker Centre for Creative Learning, University of Chester; London College of Communication, University of the Arts, London; Artist-Led Learning in Higher Education (ALL) Funded by Erasmus +Key Action 2: Strategic Partnerships for Higher Education (2018-21); Innovation Booster project funded by Business Finland; ArtsEqual project funded by the Academy of Finland s Strategic Research Council, Equality in Society Programme (project no. 293199).
Cover image designed by Raquel Benmergui.
Foreword: The culture of seriousness and anxiety
Arja Lehto

We are serious here, we do not play! 1
Sweden enjoys a rather good reputation as a gender equal country in international comparisons. This is partly due to the gender equality legislation that has been in place for almost 40 years. Does that mean that the state of equality is satisfactory? You can draw your own conclusions about the massive women s protest movement (#MeToo) caused by sexual harassments in workplaces, schools and universities last year. Why were there so many women that experienced sexual harassment even though it has been forbidden in the law that regulates every employer (both private and public sector) to prohibit harmful behaviour? It is simply the fact that formal regulations and documents alone are not enough to eliminate the problems. The proactive work for equal opportunities regulated in the Discrimination Act must be revitalized and transformed into organizational practices.
My story as a dedicated outsider to arts-based research (ABR) inquiry and methods is based on my analysis and observations on the Swedish public-sector agencies challenges in promoting gender equality according to the Discrimination Act. Based on my long professional experience and observations working with gender and anti-discrimination issues in public-sector organizations for the Equality Ombudsman, I have faced a lot of frustration and fatigue amongst those responsible for implementing the regulations.
To make the employers and middle managers actively promote equality they must be aware of the reasons behind what they must do besides writing correct documents. The actors responsible are often not aware of their own role in causing discriminatory practices and processes. Just complying with the legal rules may give the appearance of legitimacy to others, such as the monitoring authorities, but seems to create anxiety when implemented as the correct approach . This can be construed as a gap between the equality plans and the practice. To be more successful, the equality work must in fact be based on concrete local organizational needs and practices.
The implementation process, the link from the legal documents such as equality plans to the results of concrete measures, however, is a complicated one. The employers must interpret the policy documents given to them, which is the first step towards concretizing local needs. What seems to happen in the document writing is that the reality becomes codified and adjusted to the language that can be communicated to make a good image and create legitimacy in the eyes of the public. The self-image of the organizations showing off by being serious and doing things correctly might hide the anxiety of not really understanding what to do. But as Carol Bacchi 2 formulates it, the process of writing policy documents is not only about writing, it is also about constructing an image of being a good employer. Sometimes the act of writing the document becomes the (only) doing of the doing , to cite Sara Ahmed. 3
It is here that I find arts-based inquiry necessary to vitalize the legally based equality work in order to break up the anxiety and shame of making mistakes and trying different ways, experimenting and making equal opportunities mean something. That is why it is important to really start to make the barriers visible.
My own frustration with work in the field for many years led me to look for more creative, alternative methods. I found myself as a professional in various situations, such as educating employers or HR-personnel, creating a sense of ambiguity, and even fear instead of genuine curiosity. The culture of seriousness and anxiety that was to a large extent a part of my own professional role made me reluctant when I first took part in a workshop that introduced ABR methods. At the same time these methods made me reflect on myself as being ingrained in the very same culture that I was critical about: the culture of seriousness and anxiety.
How then to break up the institutionalized equal opportunities work practices that are ossified by the Equality Act? Since employers and equality officials want more knowledge in how to vitalize equality work, I can see the potential of introducing arts-based methods to the public sector. With the help of arts-based inquiry it could be possible to create spaces that can break up the organizational anxiety of the formal obstacles connected to legislative rules.
I do not want to say that it is an easy task to break down the barriers in public sector equality work, but do we have an alternative?
Arja Lehto, senior research analyst, Office of the Equality Ombudsman, Stockholm, Sweden.
NOTES
1. A reaction from an employer for not wanting to take part in a short workshop with arts-based methods suggested for him.
2. Bacchi, Carol (2009), Analysing Policy: What s the Problem Represented to be?, Frenchs Forest: Pearson Education.
3. Ahmed, Sara (2007), You end up doing the document rather than doing the doing : Diversity, race equality and the politics of documentation , Ethic and Racial Studies, 30:4, pp. 590-609.
Introduction
Jeff Adams Allan Owens FIGURE 0.1: Photograph and edit: Raquel Benmergui.
The focus of this book is on learning through arts-based research (ABR) practices. The chapters emerged from, and in response to, the Beyond Text project, which focused