Peripheries and borders: Pushing the boundaries of visual research

Abstract

In my last paper for Inscape, ‘Ways in Which Photographic and Other Images are Used in Research: An Introductory Overview’ (July, 2012), I summarised the ways in which the arts are being used by social scientists. In this paper I look at less mainstream developments which are nevertheless of interest. In particular, I outline Iain Edgar's idea of ‘imagework’, which is the use of creative visualisation within research processes (although much of what he does is rather akin to some forms of art therapy). Probably less well documented and explored is the interesting borderline between social science research and personal therapy represented by both social art therapy and phototherapy, both of which will be explored in further detail. This paper is then contextualised with reference to other recent papers discussing the potential contribution of art therapy to social science, psychological and ethnographic research projects.

Keywords:

• Visual research methods
• interdisciplinary
• arts and health
• qualitative methods
• arts in research
• visual sociology

Acknowledgements

Thanks to the anonymous critical readers for helping me to turn prose, which made sense to me, into something that might also communicate to others. Your efforts are truly appreciated. I would also like to thank my PhD and Doctor of Practice students who force me to think deeply.