Entitled,
“Connecting
Research with Communities through Performative Social Science” (PSS), the paper contextualises both the use of the Arts in
Social Science, as well as the utility of Social Science in the Arts and
Humanities. PSS is conceived of as a fusion of the Arts and Social
Sciences, creating a new paradigm where tools from the Arts and Humanities are
explored for their utility in enriching the ways in which we investigate Social
Science subjects and involve communities in our research efforts and diffusion
of our collaborative endeavours. Performative Social Science is redefined in terms of a synthesis that
can break down old boundaries, open up channels of communication and empower
communities through engagement.
The
article harks back the beginnings of PSS by recalling the influential AHRC
funded series of workshops, “Social Science in Search of its Muse”
held at BU throughout 2006-07, reported in a short video. This was followed
by a Special
Issue on Performative Social Science
for the online, qualitative journal, Forum:
Qualitative Social Research (Jones et al., May, 2008), providing a wide
range of examples and manifestations of PSS, with contributions from various
disciplines/subject areas, and realized through a wide variety of approaches to
research practice.
Since these early efforts in PSS, the impact of these
explorations has been measurable, including several completed PhDs utilizing
principles of PSS, many journal articles, films and conference presentations
nationally and internationally and further funding by Research Councils UK of
research based in Performative Social Science
methods.
I then turn to examples from my own work to illustrate what happens when Art
talks to Social Science and Social Science responds to Art. The benefits of
such interaction and interdisciplinarity are outlined in relation to a recently
completed project using multi-methods, which resulted in the production and
current dissemination of the professional short film, Rufus Stone.
I conclude that “Performative Social Science provides the overarching intellectual
prowess, strategies and methodological and theoretical bases to engage and
unite scholars across disciplines and, in turn, connect researchers’ endeavours
with communities and stakeholders. Performative
Social Science or a fusion of the arts and sciences are central to both
community engagement and as catalysts for change”.
