Creative Writing for Social Research

Richard Phillips is Professor of Human Geography at the University of Sheffield. He is a specialist in creative and arts-led research methodologies, which he practises in his own work and encourages students to try in the field trips he leads in cities from Liverpool to New York. Richard's books include Georges Perec's Geographies (2019), Fieldwork for Human Geography (2012), Sex, Politics and Empire (1996), and Mapping Men and Empire: A Geography of Adventure (1997).Helen Kara has been an independent researcher since 1999 and specialises in research methods and ethics. She is the author of Creative Research Methods: A Practical Guide (Policy Press, 2nd ed. 2020) and Research Ethics in the Real World: Euro-Western and Indigenous Perspectives (Policy Press, 2018). Helen is an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the University of Manchester, and a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences.

• Chapter One: Introduction DefinitionsSynergies: Between Creative Writing and Social ResearchWhat FollowsChapter Two: Doing Creative WritingIntroductionDoing It Yourself: Getting StartedPutting Yourself in the PictureObservation and DescriptionStories and StoryingWriting about Ideas: Essays and ListsDoing It Yourself: Following ThroughChapter Three: Doing Research, Generating Data, Working with ParticipantsIntroductionGetting Started: Participatory Creative Writing for Social Research Workshops and GroupsWorking with IndividualsData and findings: Process and ProductChapter Four: Exploring and Articulating FindingsIntroductionData Analysis DisseminationFinding and Telling Stories: StoryingChapter 5: Searching and Queer(ing) Writing SearchingQueer(ing) Writing

“A fantastic book, a polyvocal story and a guide to creative practice with great examples and exercises. Once I started, I couldn't put it down! Essential reading for all social researchers and research methods students.” Maggie O'Neill, University College Cork“My dog-eared and scribbled-upon copy of Creative Writing for Social Research: A Practical Guide sits within reach of my desk. I am beginning my creative writing adventure and fully anticipate its condition will worsen considerably as I progress through my research project.” Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work