Researching discrimination through poetry: Developing a method of 'collaborative poetics'

This project focused on developing a method of ‘collaborative poetics,’ in which poets and social scientists work together as a ‘research collective’ to produce creative texts.  The ‘collaborative poetics’ method harnesses the skills and knowledge of both these groups to produce innovative, creative pieces which enrich our understanding of social scientific issues and help us to communicate this new knowledge in engaging, accessible ways. The approach focuses on expounding the subjective, lived experiences of co-researchers, and thus also harnesses a third base of expertise – that of personal experience.

The method was developed in a pilot study carried out in the summer of 2016 at McGill University’s Participatory Cultures Lab. This pilot research worked with seven young spoken word poets over an intensive six-week period, to explore issues around prejudice and discrimination. The co-researchers were trained in qualitative research methods by Helen Johnson and coached in poetry performance/writing by experienced, local artist-educators, Cat Kidd, Deanna Smith, Tanya Evanson and Chris Masson. The co-researchers’ experiences were illustrated and elucidated in a series of poetic autoethnographic texts, which were disseminated in a chapbook, a spoken word performance, and a series of video poems.

Members of a poetry meeting

Project timeframe

The pilot study research took place between July and September 2016. The project is now entering its second phase, with network development and the development of a collaborative poetics resource pack.

Project aims

The aims of this project were to:

  • use spoken word poetry to create social-scientifically informed poems which explore lived experiences and understandings of discrimination
  • develop the use of poetry as a research tool, exploring ways in which poets and social scientists can work together collaboratively to elucidate personal experiences and inform positive social change.

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Project findings and impact

The project findings and method were explored and disseminated through a live spoken word show, a poetry chapbook, symposia, workshops and online teaching materials. Future planned outputs include video poems and conference presentations.

The project impact was evaluated through: focus groups, interviews and emails with poet co-researchers and other project participants; informal feedback from the spoken word show and chapbook audiences; and written qualitative feedback on talks and workshops aimed at disseminating the method.

A thematic analysis of the data took place. Findings indicate that the project achieved a range of outcomes for co-researchers, including:

  • providing co-researchers with a sense of ownership and empowerment around their discrimination experiences
  • enabling co-researchers to build a range of skills related to poetry writing and performance, and to social scientific research
  • enabling co-researchers to develop and articulate their thinking around discrimination, embedding their experiences within broader social scientific frameworks and sociopolitical contexts
  • encouraging co-researchers to challenge incidences of discrimination which they encounter in their daily lives.

In terms of audience impact, feedback from the spoken word show indicated that the poems were viewed as powerful and thought provoking. In addition, the chapbooks have been widely disseminated, and have been used in a variety of contexts, including as teaching tools in schools and universities.

In terms of the dissemination of the collaborative poetics method, there has been a great deal of interest from academics, artists and community organisations. All events aimed at disseminating this method have booked out to date. Feedback from these events has been overwhelmingly positive with the vast majority of participants expressing an interest in applying this method in their own work.

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View this interview with Helen Johnson about the method used

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View reflective piece from one of the pilot study co-researchers

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View this film of a collaborative poetics workshop

Research team

Helen Johnson

Output

Johnson, H., Macaulay-Rettino, X., Banderob, S., Lalani,I., Carson-Apstein, E. and Blacher, E. (In press) A rose by any other name? Developing a method of ‘collaborative poetics.’ Qualitative Research in Psychology

Johnson, H., Carson-Apstein, E., Banderob, S. and Macualay-Rettino, X. (2017). Forum Qualitative Social Research/Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung, 18 (2).

The Struggle is Real. Spoken word show at Mainline Theatre, Montreal in August 2016

A Rose by Any Other Name? Using Poetry as a Tool for Collaborative Research. Talk at University of 91快活林, 14 November 2016.

Collaborative poetics workshop. First run at University of 91快活林 on 6 January 2017. Second run at University of 91快活林 on 13 April 2017.

'An Artist, a Participant, and a Social Scientist Walk Into a Bar... Creating Collaborative Poetic Autoethnographies,' workshop and talk at the Voicing Experience Conference at University of Sussex. Friday 16th June 2017.

‘You Kind of Have to Listen to Me’ – Chapbook of poetic autoethnographies, (available for £7 + postage and packing from Helen Johnson. Email: h.f.johnson@brighton.ac.uk)

A Rose by Any Other Name? Developing a method of ‘collaborative poetics’ (paper forthcoming)

Partners

  • Matt Shi
  • Amy Iliza
  • Ellana Blacher
  • Emily Carson-Apstein
  • Xander Macaulay-Rettino
  • Inara Lalani
  • Simon Banderob

Funded by the National Centre for Research Methods; developed in partnership with Professor Claudia Mitchell and McGill University’s Participatory Cultures Lab.