Critical Arts-Based Inquiry

Critical Inquiry

Critical inquiry occurs when actors attempt to determine the meaning and value of societal artifacts and actions (e.g., words, work, hegemony). Researchers undertake critical inquiry because they seek to understand the systems of power and oppression at play in society and because they search for ways to disrupt unjust systemic power structures. Inquiry serves as the basis for reenvisioning social interactions, processes, and historically ingrained ideas in efforts to reform society toward democratic practices and values of social equity. Critical inquirers typically either belong to the communities they research or form very strong, caring, emotional, and intellectual attachments with individuals in those communities as part of their methodological praxis. Meanwhile, “inquiry” implies a broader range of questions and modes of interpretation than [Page 143]does “research,” and it stands in some contrast to “research” in its use in emergent traditions of qualitative research.

Arts-Based Research

Arts-based research draws on emotive and affective responses to experiences, senses, and bodies in exploration of space and place; it arouses imaginative and emotive aspects of intellect; and it opens alternatives for interpretive and creative praxis. Primarily, it addresses the need to explore new options for representing research that are produced within new paradigm methodologies. Arts-based researchers appropriate many different forms of the arts for reporting on research, including dance, film, plastic arts, photography, drama, poetry, and narrative writing.

Types of Critical Arts-Based Inquiry Methods

To do critical arts-based inquiry, researchers-as-artists and artists-as-researchers create spaces for dialogue and facilitate openings for diverse voices. They engage in multiple collaborations of varying types. Although theory provides guidelines for work (both process and product) that is political, pedagogical, moral, and ethical, the purpose of the work is to change accepted theory, create new understandings, and involve a broader community in reflective practice so as to initiate meaningful actions that complete political commitments to social justice, democratic equity, and emancipation of oppressed peoples. It follows, then, that there are no prescribed methods for doing critical arts-based inquiry. The methods will be those that fit the context and priorities of the Indigenous or local community where the research occurs as well as its forms and traditions of art. Modes of performance will fit meanings and be chosen for their “power to inform,” and they are not limited to public murals, films and photographic displays, oral and written poetry and stories, installations, dance, and dramatic and comedic performances. Quality of critical arts-based inquiry hinges on inclusivity, reflectivity, advocacy, and the potential of such inquiry to inspire various types of actions such as the following.

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