Arts-based research methods

This course will explore the importance of art as a research method that contributes to qualitative approaches. This session will discuss the theoretical ideas in applying the use of art as a method. In this, we will draw on sociological theories including feminist and decolonizing approaches that contribute to the design and practice of adopting art-based methods. 

Further, we will learn about the benefits and challenges in using art, and how this can assist in the research design. The session will explore the practical issues in applying art as a method, and how this can complement other proposed methods in the named study.  

In this, we will look at the types of groups and research settings that may benefit in participating in arts-based methods, and how we are able to use these methods to explore perceptions, expressions, and feelings.  In addition, this session will explore the ethical considerations in adopting arts-based methods, and we will explore in depth how art-based methods can influence the dynamics between the researcher and participants. 

This part of the session will also discuss the importance of reflexivity in arts-based methods, and how the researcher can capture their positionality within the data collected. As a part of this, we will explore suitable analytical tools used to analyse artwork collated, and how this may complement other forms of data. Lastly, we will discuss ways on how to disseminate and generate forms of impact using artwork in research. 

This will be an interactive session with a small group setting taught on campus. We will provide research case studies, practical exercises, and group discussions to facilitate this session.

Please note: this course does not cover the use of computer software programmes to assist qualitative data analysis. See events run by the CAQDAS networking project at the University of Surrey for training on specific CAQDAS packages.