Arts-Based Research: Trojan Horses and Shibboleths. The Liabilities of a Hybrid Research Approach. 'What Hath Eisner Wrought?'

Canadian Society for Education through Art. Faculty of Education, Lakehead University, 955 Oliver Road, Thunder Bay, ON P7B 5E1, Canada. Tel: 807-684-0772; Web site: http://www.csea-scea.ca

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18

Art; Research; Research Methodology; Research Problems; Social Science Research; Art Education; Aesthetics; Differences; Postmodernism; Social Theories; Educational Research

0706-8107

The term "arts-based research" has been debated for some time now. In an article strongly in favor of this approach Bean (2007) identifies three species: "Research on the arts (italics in the original) (art history, visual and cultural studies, media studies etc.)...Research for the arts, refers to research into applied techniques, materials and tools used in the creation of art...Research in the arts, or practice-based research..." (p. 81). In this essay the author proposes to continue the debate on the third species of arts-based research by pointing out that there is a fundamental disjunction between the research that artists do and the research that social scientists do, and that to call both activities "research" does a disservice to both groups of practitioners. The ultimate irony is that although arts-based research is supposed to question the standard scholarly research practice of the academy, it originated in that very same academy. The author supports his claim with reference to the foundational work of Eisner. He suggests that Eisner envisioned and promoted the model of arts-based research not so much as a subversion of scholarly research practice, but as a way of helping fine arts practitioners and educators to achieve legitimacy in the academy.

ERIC

17

2010

EJ867346