Carrying out research across the arts and humanities and social sciences: developing the methodology for Dementia and Imagination

Abstract

This paper analyses how the methodological approach for a major Arts and Humanities Research Council and Economic and SocialResearch Council-funded project entitled Dementia and Imagination 1 was formulated. This multidisciplinary project brings together the arts and humanities with the social sciences with their different epistemological philosophies and subsequent understandings of research methods. The main objective was to determine how visual arts activities may change, sustain and catalyse community cultures, beliefs, attitudes and behaviours to create dementia-friendly communities. This project involves 6 different UK universities, 14 researchers, 10 formal partners, 7 project artists, 3 research artists and a large number of civil society organisations. The analysis presents a series of themes that have been identified as influencing the approach taken to develop methods which aimed to speak to different audiences in the social sciences, arts and humanities, policy/practice and public domains. It is concluded that a research project of this type needs to embrace a wide variety of epistemological positions if it is to successfully achieve its objectives. This paper contributes to knowledge about how the methodology of large-scale multidisciplinary projects may be constructed which will be of value to those building research consortia across different universities and between universities and community partners.

Retaining identity: Creativity and caregiving

“…Retaining Identity’s multidisciplinary research team of art and dementia care experts in art, social work, and public health were able to balance the needs of the participants with the creation of aesthetically pleasing artwork. This multidisciplinary approach is starting to gain traction as seen by Dementia and the Imagination, a project underway in the UK led by experts in the arts, humanities, and social sciences to explore the use of art to improve quality of life for people with dementia and to promote dementia awareness within the community (Newman et al., 2016). Encouraging researchers to connect with artists at the local, national, and international level has the potential to develop new innovative programs and research initiatives.…”

The role of the visual arts in the resilience of people living with dementia in care homes

“…The research protocol for the Dementia and Imagination project has been published by Windle et al (2016) and the process of deciding upon various methodological approaches by Newman et al (2016). These provide details of the research project and the wide range of academic and community partners that were involved in the work.…”

Social Sciences and the Cultural Sector in England

“…While many assume that the arts and social sciences should be complementary (Bakhshi, et al 2009: 9), actual collaborations have been described as insufficiently focused on constructive cooperation (Bakhshi 2012: 213). Exceptionally, Andrew Newman et al (2016) retrospectively reflected on a large-scale multidisciplinary project across the arts, humanities and social sciences, admitting to the difficulties of overcoming entrenched research methods. Writers looking to future partnerships tend to be optimistic (Clarke 2014).…”