Abstract
In a global context characterized by successive migration crises, there is a great deal of research on the role that artists play in shaping the way we see, think and act on issues related to human mobility. This proposal takes Guillemin and Gillam’s (2004) distinction between “process ethics” and “ethics in practice” as a starting point and critically reflects again on the experience of these four women artists. From the in-depth interviews about their artistic projects, we discover that various ethical questions often arise in the specific context of the process. This situation requires a broader approach, as published guidelines or formal ethics are not enough when we enter an emotional terrain (Yassi et al 2016). It is clear from the interviews how the ethical decision-making processes that occurred ‘on the ground’ were an extension of a more everyday reasoning than we might typically associate with that quintessential ‘sensitive research’ where the complexity of human relationships recalls the centrality of integrity (Lenette, et al, 2018). Identification of a discourse close to the ‘ethics of care’ that is a feminine and humane ethic based on emphasising the importance of everyone having a voice and being heard. (Bussu et al, 2021, p. 668). The ethic of care enables the artists interviewed to engage deeply with their projects and critically scrutinise how they carry them out, while carefully negotiating their relationships with the migrants with whom they collaborate. Consequently, this paper argues that researching migration processes is a contested and emotive endeavour.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
The Arts in Social, Political, and Community Life
KEYWORDS
Ethic of Care, Ethics in Practice, Arts Based Projects, Migration
