Supervisors: 

  • Dr Rebecca Georgis (University of Exeter, r.georgis@exeter.ac.uk) 
  • Louise Champion (Holburne Museum, l.campion@holburne.org) 

Dr.  Agata Vitale is Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology and Co-Leader of the Research Centre in Mental Health, Wellbeing, and Creativity at Bath Spa University 

Dr. Rebecca Georgis is Lecturer in Psychology and Education at the University of Exeter;  

 Louise Campion is Head of Learning and Engagement at the Holburne Museum, Bath.  

The supervisory team has complementary research and applied expertise in creative interventions, youth’s mental health, art-based participatory research, cultural institutions, and building community resilience. The team has extensive supervisory research including one SWW DTP-funded doctoral student.   

Subject

 This doctoral project explores the power of Art-Based Interventions (ABI) to facilitate a cross-cultural dialogue on forced migration among secondary school youth from refugee and non-refugee backgrounds. This timely investigation aims to foster connectedness, enhance reflection on held convictions on forced migration, and address discrimination in schools via artistic expression.  

This project involves a collaboration between the supervisory team, secondary schools in Bath, refugee youth, and the Holburne Museum. The Holburne will provide input in designing and hosting the ABI workshops, offer pop-up exhibitions based on outputs, and support youth to present their work to the public. 

The project will be co-designed by the doctoral student and the supervisory team. The student will be guided in developing the theoretical and empirical frameworks for the investigation, liaising with relevant stakeholders, including secondary schools. Every research stage will be co-designed to enhance the student’s research skills and consider their career aspirations. 

Research questions and methods

The overarching research question is: 

How can participatory art-based interventions facilitate cross-cultural awareness and empathy on the effects of forced migration amongst youth? 

A Participatory Research Approach will be adopted to allow the young people to play a key role in the research via a cycle of action – reflection. Young people will be involved in choosing and developing the ABI and disseminating the research outputs via exhibits and community engagement events. 

Art-based methodologies will be combined with traditional data collection methods, including interviews and focus groups with young people to reflect on the benefits and challenges of the process. The doctoral student will be mentored in developing and leading the ABI by drawing on art-based methodologies familiar to the supervisors such as storytelling, photovoice, and handling object boxes. The student will take a leadership role in co-deciding on data collection methods and analysis, thus developing their research skills and gaining experience in participatory and collaborative research. 

Research context

Schools play a vital role in supporting refugee children’s adaptation and integration by providing opportunities for socialization with host culture peers and preventing loneliness and isolation upon resettlementHowever, refugee children often report exclusion, discrimination, and bullying in schools. Older refugee children are at higher risk as they have lower self-esteem and confidence in their academic and social skills post-migration and find it difficult to make friends in secondary schools. It is important to tackle negative attitudes towards refugees by developing activities to support cross-cultural communication between migrant and non-migrant children, address cultural barriers, and improve confidence in interacting with different cultures. ABIs can be used to promote belonging and to help young people understand the effects of forced migration. Furthermore, ABIs build hope, social inclusion, and solidarity among young people from different backgrounds 

Skills developed by student and employability enhancement

The student will have access to Bath Spa University and the University of Exter training opportunities and research centres. 

BSU has excellent art facilities including in the new Locksbrook Campus, that the student can access to receive hands-on training on ABI techniques that can be embedded in the project such as photography, and printing. 

The HEI training will include researching refugees, ethics, cultural trauma, Participatory Research and Art-based Methodologies, qualitative methods and analysis, embedding Narrative Therapy techniques and principles in ABI, unconscious bias and mental health awareness training, developing interventions for youth, and doctoral training opportunities such as writing workshops and communicating research findings. 

Non-HEI training will contribute to and enhance the student’s professional development to extend beyond academia and improve future career and employability. It will include developing outreach and youth engagement skills, curating and advertising community-based art exhibitions and events in museums, sharing research outcomes with non-academic audiences via public lectures and exhibitions, and working with secondary school youth to foster their understanding of challenging topics through art.  

  

Download project brief (Word, 31kB)

SWWDTP CDA application and assessment timeline, and application guidance.


© 2024 South, West & Wales Doctoral Training Partnership

Privacy Policy