Five Members of BU’s Centre for Qualitative Research (Lee-Ann Fenge; Caroline Ellis-Hill; Maggie Hutchings; Michele Board; Anne Quinney) wowed recent visitors to FHSS from Sogn og Jordane University College in Norway. The College is based in the Sogn og Fjordane University College (Førde, Norway) which is currently situated on two campuses in Forde and Songdal on the west of Norway and on the longest and deepest Fjord in the world.
Each CQR member took a turn in presenting a short and sharp ten-minute demonstration by means of sharing the outputs of an arts-based qualitative project. These included:
- Ephemera workshop—sharing life stories via personal objects
- Seen but Seldom Heard –short video screening of a poetry project with disabled youth
- HeART of Stroke Project—sharing of a painting project for Stroke patients
- Meaning of Home photo project – sharing of a photo book of baby boomers’ recollections of home
- Methods to Diversity—sharing and distribution of Method Deck of cards to encourage LGBT and ageing awareness
A screening of the award-winning, research-based short film, RUFUS STONE, then followed the five short presentations. The visiting scholars remarked that they were very moved by the film. Overall, they appreciated the nuances in the use of arts-based approaches to create as well as disseminate research projects.
CQR is known internationally as a hub of excellence in Performative Social Science, a theoretically based approach to using tools from the arts and humanities in researching and/or disseminating a wide variety of health and social science topics.
One team member remarked, “On reflection, many of the messages from the six presentations overlapped, and so we created a very coherent and deep forum by means of hands-on sharing of objects”.
Another said, “There was a real buzz in the room and the event proved a great showcase for focusing on the strengths, power, magic, beauty, depth, richness of the many and varied CQR activities”.
Elizabeth Rosser, HSS’ Deputy Dean for Education and Professional Practice, who organised the three-day visit to BU, summed up the Norwegians’ response: “They were MOST impressed and felt they gained considerably from the meeting with the Centre for Qualitative Research members”.
