Research creation, a method of researching and developing theory with and through arts-based methods, has been practiced within the arts and humanities since at least the 1990s (Loveless 2019, Truman 2021). However, within Geography this practice remains less known (see McCormack 2008). In this session we aim to explore the theoretical implications of research creation with a particular focus on critical data studies. 

This call is underpinned by the European Research Council (ERC) funded project, Data Stories, led by Rob Kitchin, which employs research creation to investigate the planning and property data ecosystem. By partnering researchers and artists in a series of case studies, Data Stories aims to co-produce knowledge about data use and data practices through artist-led workshops with planning and policy stakeholders in the public, private and civil sectors. The collaboration seeks to avoid tokenism (i.e. only employing artists to disseminate findings and/or using artists as consultants to lead the workshops) to instead leverage the unique capacities of artists in knowledge production throughout the entire duration of each case study. However, throughout the process, the case studies have also highlighted challenges, such as differing work practices, timelines and outputs between researchers, artists and the engaged stakeholders. See this blog post for our reflections on the above, as well as Kitchin (2023) for a discussion on arts-based methods to research digital life. 

We have three dominant objectives for this session: 

1. To theorise what constitutes co-production of knowledge in the context of critical data studies.
2. To develop theoretical insights on the co-production of academic knowledge with artists and stakeholders who possess different epistemologies and practices.
3. To examine the potential of research creation as a method to elucidate data’s use in the shaping of the built environment, policy and planning. 

We invite submissions from scholars, artists and scholar-artists engaged in similar projects who are interested in theorising the effectiveness of research creation. We seek papers that emphasise epistemological inquiry rather than those that primarily showcase the outputs of using arts-based methods. Papers that critically consider arts-based methods in the social sciences, engage with data, and focus on housing, planning, and property will be prioritised.  

Submission Guidelines: Please submit an abstract of up to 250 words to Carla.Kayanan@mu.ie and Juliette.Davret@mu.ie by Friday, October 11th. Notifications of acceptance will be sent by Friday, October 18th with the recognition that the AAG’s abstract submission deadline is October 31st. 

We look forward to your contributions to this theoretical exploration of research creation in critical data studies. 

Organisers: Dr. Carla Maria Kayanan (Assistant Lecturer, Maynooth University) and Dr. Juliette Davret (Postdoctoral Researcher, Maynooth University)  

Conference Details: 2025 AAG Annual Meeting, March 24-28, Detroit (Michigan, USA)  

For further information, please contact Carla.Kayanan@mu,ie and Juliette.Davret@mu.ie. 

References 

Kitchin, R., 2023. Arts-based methods for researching digital life. Available at: https://mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/16870/1/DS%20WP1%20Arts%20based%20methods.pdf

Loveless, N., 2019. How to make art at the end of the world: A manifesto for research-creation. Duke University Press.

McCormack, D.P., 2008. Thinking-spaces for research-creation. Inflexions, 1(1), pp.1-16.

Truman, S.E., 2021. Feminist speculations and the practice of research-creation: Writing pedagogies and intertextual affects. Routledge.