{"id":239,"date":"2009-07-06T12:42:55","date_gmt":"2009-07-06T17:42:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/emu.edu\/blog\/restorative-justice\/?p=239"},"modified":"2010-05-27T07:52:09","modified_gmt":"2010-05-27T12:52:09","slug":"research-as-art-transformation-and-justice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/restorative-justice\/2009\/07\/06\/research-as-art-transformation-and-justice\/","title":{"rendered":"Research as art, transformation and justice"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

During the last several weeks I turned 65. \u00a0I also discovered the field of arts-based research (ABR).<\/p>\n

These two events are more connected than they may seem. \u00a0As I contemplate moving toward semi-retirement, I have been thinking that I might devote more of my attention to the arts and to their intersection with restorative justice. \u00a0My discovery of the relatively new field of ABR serves as an affirmation of this and suggests some opportunities and directions.<\/p>\n

I discovered ABR as I began preparations to teach qualitative research this fall. \u00a0I had taught this course – the only research course CJP then offered – from 1996 until 2001 when my administrative duties made it impossible. \u00a0I gave it up reluctantly; it was one of my favorite courses and students seemed to enjoy it. Some still tell me that it was their favorite course. \u00a0Although interviews were the central methodology, we also explored visual ways of knowing and communicating. \u00a0Instead of traditional research reports, many students incorporated or utilized visual arts, theater and even fiction. \u00a0I knew nothing of the emerging field of arts-based research (indeed, it would have been quite new then) but I did know what my heart and head were telling me as well as the direction qualitative research was taking as a field.<\/p>\n

Let me back up a bit. \u00a0Between 1977 and 1996 I was largely out of academic circles. During that time I was involved in restorative justice practice and advocacy but also worked much of that period part-time as a photographer. \u00a0I often did photojournalism assignments but I also began to do the kind of documentary work involving interviews and photographs represented in my books\u00a0Doing Life<\/em> andTranscending<\/em>.<\/p>\n

I was convinced of the importance of visual as well as verbal ways of knowing and communicating. \u00a0But I was also increasingly dissatisfied with the approaches that dominated written and photo journalism as well as academic studies. \u00a0Much of it seemed disrespectful and exploitive of “subjects” and much too confident of the photographer or researcher’s ability to get at “truth.” \u00a0I began to suggest a way to reframe photography that was more value-based and that reflected these concerns \u00a0(see p. 17 of\u00a0The Little Book of Contemplative Photography<\/em>).<\/p>\n

When I was asked to teach CJP’s research class in 1996 (I don’t think anyone else wanted to teach it) I was excited to discover that the field of qualitative research was going in the same direction. \u00a0The “Guidelines and values for transformative research” (transfres<\/a>)\u00a0were my attempt to articulate these principles and values. \u00a0Barb Toews and I also wrote an article entitled “Ways of Knowing for a Restorative Worldview” that attempted to bring together restorative justice and qualitative research values and principles (Weitekamp and Kerner,\u00a0Restorative Justice in Context: \u00a0International Practice and Directions<\/em>).<\/p>\n

I agreed to teach research this fall (2009) since one of faculty members will be gone and decided to call it “research as art and transformation.” \u00a0I wanted to specifically emphasize a variety of artistic approaches and the possibilities of this research as an intervention in peacebuilding, restorative justice and social change. \u00a0Then I discovered that ABR had already developed a literature for this.<\/p>\n

Arts-based research (in the education field, sometimes called A\/R\/Tography – artistic\/researcher\/teacher ethnography) is defined by Shaun McNiff like this:<\/p>\n

“Art-based research can be defined as the systematic use of the artistic process, the actual making of artistic expressions in all of the different forms of the arts, as a primary way of understanding and examining experience by both researchers and the people that they involve in their studies.” (Knowles & Cole,\u00a0Handbook of the Arts in Qualitative Research),<\/em><\/p>\n

The field incorporates a wide variety of artistic practices. Patricia Leavy’s book <\/span>Method Meets Art: \u00a0Arts-Based Research Practice,<\/em><\/span> which I am using as a text, has sections on narrative inquiry, music, poetry, performance, dance and the visual arts. \u00a0These approaches are used as a form of research itself (by the researcher and\/or participants) as well as a way to communicate findings. \u00a0The field strongly emphasizes holistic involvement of and communication with a broad audience, specifically citing the role of empathy and “resonance.”<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/p>\n

A fuller description of this field is beyond the scope of this entry. I do want to note, however, a few of the connections I see between restorative justice and ABR. \u00a0Both emphasize…<\/span><\/p>\n