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PNG0097
Creative research methods for urban contexts
Our social, environmental and spatial imaginaries, which we reflect through planning and design processes, depend on our knowledges that we produce with different research methods. Today, the social and humanities turn in spatial research and vice versa (the spatial turn in social sciences and humanities) has provided researchers with new instruments to reveal and make sense of complex social, environmental and spatial phenomena, which are not visible with conventional research methodologies. New and improved knowledge of these phenomena help research to better anchor to social, cultural and political realities of urban places and provide perspectives to how to transform them for sustainable and just urban futures.
This course aims to introduce a selection of creative research methods and allow the student to explore how these could be used to engage with urban contexts and communities. The methods, and associated methodologies, come from a variety of disciplines, including emerging ethnographic practices, cultural mapping, creative writing, the performing arts (dance, choreography, theater, music, sound, circus, poetry), photography, and film.
The course design is modular, each module focusing on a specific creative research method. Each module includes a lecture, a seminar and preparatory tasks such as engaging with related literature and other materials (maps, films, exhibition catalogues…). One of the modules focuses on contextualizing creative research methods in relation to society and more conventional research.
The course will include the following:
- Creative practices as research practice
- Photovoice & visual ethnography
- Critical & cultural mapping
- Community theater & emphatheater
- Creative and reflexive writing
- Artistic research
- Politics of knowledge-visibility-representation
The course design is based on a ‘flipped classroom’ approach, in which the students take part of pre-recorded online lectures and readings, which are then further explored and discussed at seminars. Smaller preparatory exercises are used to prepare for the seminars. The course can be run entirely online, or be blended with some or all of the seminars on campus.
This course aims to introduce a selection of creative research methods and allow the student to explore how these could be used to engage with urban contexts and communities. The methods, and associated methodologies, come from a variety of disciplines, including emerging ethnographic practices, cultural mapping, creative writing, the performing arts (dance, choreography, theater, music, sound, circus, poetry), photography, and film.
The course design is modular, each module focusing on a specific creative research method. Each module includes a lecture, a seminar and preparatory tasks such as engaging with related literature and other materials (maps, films, exhibition catalogues…). One of the modules focuses on contextualizing creative research methods in relation to society and more conventional research.
The course will include the following:
- Creative practices as research practice
- Photovoice & visual ethnography
- Critical & cultural mapping
- Community theater & emphatheater
- Creative and reflexive writing
- Artistic research
- Politics of knowledge-visibility-representation
The course design is based on a ‘flipped classroom’ approach, in which the students take part of pre-recorded online lectures and readings, which are then further explored and discussed at seminars. Smaller preparatory exercises are used to prepare for the seminars. The course can be run entirely online, or be blended with some or all of the seminars on campus.
Syllabus and other information
Syllabus
PNG0097 Creative research methods for urban contexts, 7.5 Credits
Subjects
Landscape ArchitectureEducation cycle
Postgraduate levelGrading scale
Pass / Failed
Prior knowledge
Accepted as a PhD student.Objectives
After taking this course the student will be able to: - know how to use a variety of creative research methods to understand complex cultural and social practices, people’s social, political, sentimental and spatial associations; - know how to use different representation techniques to express revealed invisible knowledges regarding urban places; - critically reflect on the role of different creative methods in knowledge production and knowledge politics, particularly in relation to community engagement.Content
Our social, environmental and spatial imaginaries, which we reflect through planning and design processes, depend on our knowledges that we produce with different research methods. Today, the social and humanities turn in spatial research and vice versa (the spatial turn in social sciences and humanities) has provided researchers with new instruments to reveal and make sense of complex social, environmental and spatial phenomena, which are not visible with conventional research methodologies. New and improved knowledge of these phenomena help research to better anchor to social, cultural and political realities of urban places and provide perspectives to how to transform them for sustainable and just urban futures. This course aims to introduce a selection of creative research methods and allow the student to explore how these could be used to engage with urban contexts and communities. The methods, and associated methodologies, come from a variety of disciplines, including emerging ethnographic practices, cultural mapping, creative writing, the performing arts (dance, choreography, theater, music, sound, circus, poetry), photography, and film. The course design is modular, each module focusing on a specific creative research method. Each module includes a lecture, a seminar and preparatory tasks such as engaging with related literature and other materials (maps, films, exhibition catalogues…). One of the modules focuses on contextualizing creative research methods in relation to society and more conventional research. The course will include the following: - Creative practices as research practice - Photovoice & visual ethnography - Critical & cultural mapping - Community theater & emphatheater - Creative and reflexive writing - Artistic research - Politics of knowledge-visibility-representation The course design is based on a ‘flipped classroom’ approach, in which the students take part of pre-recorded online lectures and readings, which are then further explored and discussed at seminars. Smaller preparatory exercises are used to prepare for the seminars. The course can be run entirely online, or be blended with some or all of the seminars on campus.Additional information
Additional contacts:Josefin Wangel, josefin.wangel@slu.se
Time table
The course will run 8 December, 2021 – 23 March, 2022. A tentative schedule for the seminars looks as follows:
8 December, 2021: Module 1 – Introduction to creative research methods
22 December, 2021: Module 2 – TBD
12 January, 2022: Module 3 – TBD
26 January, 2022: Module 4 – TBD
9 February, 2022: Module 5 – TBD
11 March, 2022: Module 6 – TBD
23 March, 2022: Meeting 7 – final seminars
This course is given by the LTV faculty in collaboration with the Society and Landscape Research School at the Department of Urban and Rural Development.
Responsible department
Department of Urban and Rural Development