Poetic inquiry as innovative research method

 

Poetry has the power to transform. By creating poems from qualitative 'data', it is possible to communicate knowledge in a new way, reaching new audiences, and generating impact in different ways.

In the last three days, it has been an absolute privilege to be in the company of accomplished poets, students, emerging and established researchers, and learn for the first time about poetic inquiry. This research method conceptualises ways of transforming qualitative 'data' into poems. One such way is called 'poetic transcription'; a related output are so-called found poems. 

The above is a snip from the visual representation of our workshop proceedings (day 1). Among the participants and attendees of the "Harvesting Poetry" workshops were: 

Heidi van Rooyen, Raphael d’Abdon, Duduzile Ndlovu, Yvonne Sliep, Angela Hough, Kirsten Deane and Marilyn Couch. The participants included the amazing Nova (Lebohang Masango), Bernadette Muthien, Adam Cooper, and many others. 

Poetry (as well as theatre, puppetry, visual essays from photovoice, etc.) are all methods that have a serious decolonising potential. After the suppression of oral cultures, oral histories and oral knowledges, including indigenous knowledges, these innovative methods of conducting social research have such as huge potential to transform. 

The important matter is to keep our hearts and minds open to learning, innovation, and seeking better and stronger connections not only with grassroots as 'data source' but also as the one's for who our research ultimately is (beyond funders and commissioners) if it is to have any real impact.