This book incorporates art-based, partnership-oriented inquiry into social justice discourses and advances qualitative research strategies through the medium of three theoretical frameworks: phenomenology, critical ethnographic research, and poststructuralist theories. Maxine Greene's aesthetic theories motivated to create the ARtS initiative and the author explores the possibility of enhancing children’s understanding of active citizenship and community. It illustrates narratives from children in an urban context while they developed a sense of constructive community and active citizenship in an afterschool program called the ARtS (aesthetic, reflexive thoughts, & sharing) initiative. As a qualitative methodology text, Three Approaches to Qualitative Research through the ARtS explicates theoretical tenets and research strategies in art-based research. This book shows three examples of how to connect a theoretical framework with the analysis of ethnographic data. A nexus between theory and practice enables researchers and practitioners to understand the value of aesthetic-inspired programs to foster democratic citizenship and to advance equity issues. Social justice-oriented teacher educators, qualitative researchers, and artists will explore and learn how the ARtS initiative recognizes the power of art and multiple research methodologies in imagining and representing a community differently and advancing social justice in a challenging time.
Seungho Moon, Ed.D. (2011), is Associate Professor at Loyola University Chicago. He received his Ed.D. in Curriculum and Teaching from Teachers College, Columbia University. He published many articles on cross-cultural conversation between East-West, curriculum theorizing, and art-based, qualitative inquiry.
AcknowledgementsList of IllustrationsIntroductionImagination and the Aesthetic ExperienceWhat Is the Arts Initiative?Methodological Groundings of This BookOrganization of This BookChapter 1: Three Theoretical Approaches to the Arts: Where Our Conversation BeginsWhere to StartPhenomenological InquiryCritical Ethnographic ResearchPoststructuralist TheoriesMethodological Inquiry QuestionsChapter 2: Heart Is Active CitizenshipMetaphors in PhenomenologyHeart and Active CitizenshipThe Heart of the Arts: Images of PartnershipChapter 3: Active Citizenship Is a Shout-OutActive Citizenship, Solidarity, and Social ChangeVignettes of the Field: From Critical Ethnographic Research PerspectivesFurther ConsiderationsChapter 4: The Arts Community without CommunityThe “How” of the Cultural Experience in the ArtsThinking with Theories and Theories with ThinkingThe Concept of Community without CommunityCommunity of InterrelationalityMultiplicities of CommunityCommunity without Community and Social TransformationChapter 5: The Arts, Social Justice, & Research MethodologyIssue 1: Open-Ended Inquiry in the ArtsIssue 2: Arts and Equity IssuesIssue 3: Community and PartnershipIssue 4: Towards Methodological ImaginationActive Citizenship and MetaphorsAppendixReferencesIndex