PasR Fenia Kotsopoulou

The development of the research project can be viewed at the following  link>

http://sowspaces.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk/

INTRODUCTION TO CRYSTALLIZATION

-Ellingson

 

• where researchers situated themselves along the continuum

  of qualitative methods.

• Richardson> creative analytic practices: embody both rigorous data analysis and creative forms of representation. For others this approach ismerely experimental, or even possibly dangerous.

 

CONCEPT OF CRYSTALLIZATION from Laurel Richardson:

“The scholar draws freely on his or her productions from literary, artistic, and

scientific genres, often breaking the boundaries of each of those as well. In

these productions, the scholar might have different “takes” on the same topic,

what I think of as a postmodernist deconstruction of triangulation. . . . In

postmodernist mixed-genre texts, we do not triangulate, we crystallize. I

propose that the central image for “validity” for postmodern texts is not the

triangle—a rigid, fixed, two-dimensional object. Rather, the central imaginary

is the crystal, which combines symmetry and substance with an infinite

variety of shapes, substances, transmutations, multidimensionalities, and

angles of approach. . . . Crystallization provides us with a deepened, complex,

thoroughly partial, understanding of the topic. Paradoxically, we know

more and doubt what we know. Ingeniously, we know there is always more

to know. (Richardson, 2000b, p. 934, original emphasis)” .

-Crystallization  seeks to produce knowledge about a particular phenomenon through generating a deepened, complex interpretation

–

“Crystals are prisms that reflect externalities and refract within themselves, creating different colors, patterns, and arrays, casting off in different directions”

Ellingson: Crystallization:

-an emergent framework for qualitative research in order to accomplish my multigenre goals for ethnographic

and other qualitative work.

-map of the terrain to guide those seeking to learn more, who could benefit from specificity and instructions.

-combines multiple forms of analysis and multiple genres of representation

into a coherent text or series of related texts, building a rich and openly partial

account of a phenomenon that problematizes its own construction, highlights

researchers’ vulnerabilities and positionality, makes claims about

socially constructed meanings, and reveals the indeterminacy of knowledge

claims even as it makes them.

-Scholars who embrace a wide range of methods, practices, and perspectives

can adapt crystallization to their needs and goals.

-not for whom believs to objectivity.

-links between grounded theory and other systematic analyses) and creative genres of representation.

-assumes a basic understanding of the complexities involved in combining methods and genres from across regions of the continuum.

-constellation.

-blending of generic elements may develop into what some call rhetorical hybrids.

– goals, questions posed, methods, writing styles, vocabularies, role(s) of researchers, and criteria for evaluation vary

across the continuum as we move from a realist/positivist social science stance

on the far right, through a social constructionist middle ground, to an artistic/

interpretive paradigm on the left.

– GOALS

construct situated knowledges

To explore the typical

To generate description and

understanding

To trouble the taken-for-granted

To generate pragmatic implications

for practitioners

QUESTIONS

How do participants understand

their world?

How do the participants and author

co-construct a world?

What are the pragmatic implications

of research?

METHODS

Semistructured interviewing

Focus groups

Participant observation/ethnography

Thematic, metaphoric, and narrative

analysis

Grounded theory

Case studies

Participatory action research

Historical/archival research

WRITINGS

Use of first-person voice

Incorporation of brief narratives

inresearch reports

Use “snippets” of participants’ words

Usually a single interpretation, with

implied partiality and positionality

RESEARCHER

Participants are main focus, but

researcher’s positionality is key to

forming findings

VOCABULARIES

Social Constructionist/Postpositivist:

inductive, emergent, intersubjectivity,

process, themes, categories, thick

description, co-creation of meaning, social

construction of meaning, standpoint, ideology

(e.g., feminism, postmodernism, Marxism)

CRITERIA

Flexible criteria

Clarity and openness of processes

Clear reasoning and use of support

Evidence of researcher’s reflexivity

Incorporating differing

forms of analysis and genres enables researchers to cover more ground, incorporating

the researchers’ positionality, contrasting or conflicting points of view,

patterns, and exceptions

 

– Incorporating differing forms of analysis and genres enables researchers to cover more ground, incorporating

the researchers’ positionality, contrasting or conflicting points of view, patterns, and exceptions.

-including, interweaving, blending, or otherwise drawing upon more than one way of expressing data and/or the world

-we write memos in producing grounded theory analysis,

and researchers accomplish much autoethnographic reflection (i.e., analysis)

through construction of narratives or performances.

-reflexive consideration of the researcher’s self in the process of research design,

data collection, and representation. Reflexivity in research involves “thoughtful,

conscious self-awareness” (Finlay, 2002, p. 532)

– Crystallization celebrates knowledge as inevitably situated, partial, constructed, multiple, and embodied.

-enables sound critique to be coupled with other ways of knowing and of offering suggestions for theory, research, and practice

 

-triangulation involves an attempt to get closer to the truth by bringing together multiple forms of data and analysis to clarify and enrich a report on a phenomenon. Whereas triangulation seeks a more definitive truth, crystallization problematizes the multiple truths it presents. Unlike triangulation, crystallization is informed by postmodernism, meaning that it presupposes that no truth exists “out there” to discover or get close to, but only multiple and partial truths that researchers (and others) co-construct.

 

DRAFT PROPOSAL.

Title: “Manipulating the emotional body”.

A research regarding the Body of the emotional vocalizations of crying and laughing.

The aim of the research lies on finding if, when and how an artwork manipulates, influences, facilitates a viewer’s emotional behaviours of crying and laughing.

–          How can I make you cry or laugh?

–          What do you prefer:  cry or laugh? Or both in the same time?

–          How can I change the way you cry or laugh?

I am interested, through an active observation of myself and the others, to explore the process and the physicality of those emotional reactions, their relation to pain and pleasure and their similarities –differences in the context of “private” and “public”. The project will result in form of documentation of the research. At this point I am not sure how the exploration will manifest itself but my intention is to present a body of work that will be presented as a combination of video installation, sound text and live performance that will challenge viewers’ emotions.

 

Some sub-questions related to the main research question are:

-How the body moves whilst crying/laughing?

-(How) is it possible to cry or laugh without external stimuli?

-What does happen when the reaction of crying shift from a “private” moment to a “public” moment?

-How emotional behaviours become “abstract” actions and are transformed to an artwork?

– How can the emotions can be (con)fused within an artwork?

-What kind of somatic practices can be developed/used in order to be facilitated the movement research in a state of crying or laughing?

 

Research methodology.

In order to facilitate the process of the research I plan to use different methodological tools like:

-diary-video/photo documentation of myself during the somatic exploration of  crying and laughing.

-use of a blog during the process to collectand reflect on the material.

-records of sounds from different people .

-reading of texts in relation to the topic from sociological, philosophical, scientific, artistic point of view.

-use of web resources.

-interviews about personal moments and experience of laughing and crying.

The research will regard my self and the others. Regarding “Myself” the exploration /observation and movement research will take place in a studio as well in a private space and it will be documented through video/photo/sound each moment that involves crying or laughter. Concerning the “Others”, people will be invited to participate voluntarily in one hour session –research in order to extract video and sound material regarding the topic that it will be edit at the end of the day in order to create a collage of experiences.

 

 

NOTES by “Practice-led research, research-led practice in the creative arts”. Hazel Smith and Rger T. Dean

Graeme Sullivan
•Place of Practice-led Research

Cezanne: we live in a dynamic world where space, time and light could never be isolated or rendered motionless. The way light bends around forms, time varies with position, and space is neither flat nor far, give a sense of a world neing understood in all its complex simplicity.

Conventional pracice serve best as a basis of what not to do. (chapter 2)

“Let us go forth to study beautiful nature, let us try to free our minds form them (illustrious predecessors), let is strive to express ourseves according to our personal temperament. Time nad reflection, moreover, modify little by little our vision, and at last comrehension coms to us.” (Cezanne, in a letter to Emilie Bernard, 1905)

-Explore and explain complex theoretical issues.

-The process is clarified in retrospect as issues and ideas are revealed through the process of reflexive and reflective inquiry.

-Age of multimplicity, plurality and netwoks cultures (Taylor 2001)

-New knowledge is built on iterative practices that draw on what was known , even if the outcom is not.

Practice led research involves the identification of research questions, problems, but the research methods, contexts and outputs involve a focus on creative practice. This type of research aims, through creativity and practice, to illuminate or bring about anew knowledge and understanding. The result in output may not be text- based but rather a performance (music, dance, drama), design, film, or exhibition.

Practice led research meks good use of the creative and critical processs and provide novel perspectives in reviewing existing knowledge structures.

– Is the knowledge found in the art object or whether is it made in the mind of the viewer?

Browns: “symptoms of practice”.

•Both knowledge production and the functions to which knowledge is put are a dymanic structure that integrates theory and practice and contributes to personal , social, and artefactual systems of understanding.

Research process: working form the “unknown to the known”.

SCOPE of research practice.

-Framework of practice:

Central strand: Theoretical practices: Experiences, Transformations, Exhibitions.

Boarder areas: Conceptual practices> Excercises, Interactions, Designs.

Practices that make good use of “think in a medium”

Dialectical practices> |Encounters, Dialogues, Narratives.

Forms to explore the human process of making meaning through experiences> of art making process ot outcomes of encounters with artworks.

“Thinking in a language”

Contextual practices> Enactments, Debates, Texts

Practices that make use of cognitive processes thata re best describing “thinking in a setting” that makes use of visual texts, issues, debates, and desires that are local in focus but global in reach.

ACTION

DATA COLLECTION

http://www.creativityandcognition.com/resources/PBR%20Guide-1.1-2006.pdf

Q3. How much detail should I go into when describing the
methodological approach?
A3. Some tips are:
1.start with the actual things you have done/will do (asif instructing an assistant)
2. then add a brief description of the origins of the method(s) -sourcesfrom which
they have been selected
3. if any aspect is not yet justified develop the argument to justify it.
Number 3 should be minimal.If the argument includes negatives(“statisticsis no good for
this” or “semiotics does not work in this case”) be sure that you are knowledgeable about what
you are rejecting.

 

Q4. How should I write reflective documentation?
A3. Monitoring and Recording ‘Events’ for Reflective Practice
• Keep a written record either in the form of an online diary or blog, or a hand written
notebook.
• Having a notebook with you at all timesto record any observations or events during
the process of making a work is advisable.
• If you are collecting audio records, you will probably need to transcribe them atsome
point and may need to factor that in to your time and effortschedule.
• Keep an overview chart to be able to see at a glance what has been recorded and what
you plan to record.
• It is advisable to designate time for reflection after the events and to record your
reactions and emerging thoughts atspecified Review points. Do not be tempted to
only review and reflect on an ad hoc basis. Build it in to your timetable.
Good questionsto ask yourself are:
– what was proposed, discussed, decided and carried through,
– whatstumbling blocks arose and how they were addressed….,
– whether the ideas were workable, interesting, challenging….
– whether the collaboration worked well or not
– reasonsforsuccess or otherwise
– did the solutions work well, if not why not?
– whether there were different viewpoints between you and your collaborating parties
– whether lessons were learnt from failures.

Viewpoints

Ross Gibson’s view is’the text is not an explanation of the artwork;rather, the text is an
explicit, word-specific representation of processesthat occur during the iterative art-making
routine, processes of gradual, cyclicalspeculation,realisation or revelation leading to
momentary, contingent degrees of understanding. To this extent the text that one producesis
a kind of narrative about the flux of perception-cognition-intuition. The text accountsfor the
iterative processthat carries on until the artist decreesthat the artwork is complete and
available for critique, ‘appreciation’, interpretation, description, evaluation. All these particular
practices can entail other particular texts.’
Steve Scrivener’s view:‘The art object does not embody a form of knowledge’
o Art is not a form of knowledge communication
o Art is not a servant of knowledge acquisition
o Art making creates apprehensions
o Artresearch creates novel apprehensions