How does the lack of contemporary and representative research themes in reading list resources such as the Fine Art Subject Guide Bibliography affect student engagement with library research and librarian support?
This week I have been getting to grips with planning my reading for the Action Research Project. I need to develop a better foundational understanding of the methods appropriate to Action Research in the UAL context. This post is a placeholder detailing reading I will mostly undertake in mid to late November, prior to circulating my survey in early December.
I plan to review relevant literature around increasing diverse representation and inclusivity in library resource recommendations and reading lists with a focus on race; such as Bhambra et al. ‘Decolonising the university’ (2018), Whittaker and Broadhead ‘Disaggregating the Black student experience’ (2022) and Belluigi ‘Why decolonising “knowledge” matters’ (2023). I will give some consideration to learnings on student-led representation rather than running a full participatory project, such as outlined by Lenette (2024), in recognition of the scale and timescale for the unit. I will be reviewing reflective writing where available following similar projects tackled in other institutions, particularly those that were student-led or participatory (Goldsmiths and UCL both ran quite high profile reading list decolonisation projects), in addition to researching and where appropriate embedding ongoing initiatives at UAL.
My planned readings to support understanding of the research and project focus in a creative and educational context will include ‘Black British intellectuals and education: multiculturalism’s hidden history’, Warmington (2014), ‘The failure of whiteness in art education: A personal narrative informed by Critical Race Theory’, Spillane (2015), and ‘Whiteness and art education’ Acuff (2019).
I plan to refer to McNiff (2022) to ensure I am reflecting an ‘action research’ approach to the project. I will also support my choice and application of time-limited research methods by drawing in some value from earlier more participatory projects, further considering the potential for more participatory future development of this initial piece of work; readings to include ‘Enhancing social justice and socially just pedagogy in higher education through participatory action research’ Aktaş (2021), and ‘Students as co-researchers: participatory methods for decolonising research in teaching and learning in higher education’ Timmis et al. (2024).
I will refresh and deepen my understanding of using my proposed methods well through an iterative journey; readings to include ‘Research methods : a practical guide for the social sciences’ Matthews and Ross (2010), and Sage qualitative research methods (2010). I intend to research for better understanding of extractivism, as I am concerned not to burden and ‘other’ already minoritised students – sources to include; ‘Condition or process? researching race in education’ Dixon et al. (2020), ‘From object to objectified: The ongoing precarity of Black bodies in institutional spaces’ Jones (2024) and ‘International Students’ Feeling of Shame in the Higher Education: An Intersectional Analysis of Their Racialised, Gendered and Classed Experiences in the UK Universities’ Hu (2024). Similarly, I would like to increase my understanding of citational justice (Kwon, 2022) in the context of academia, recognising that, while this is not a stated objective of the exercise, I hope that the revised resource will be of use to staff too.
To support some of my interpretations of EDI work in librarianship I will cite resources encountered in my MSc librarianship research, in addition to the foundational Critical Race Theory text from that project ‘Knowledge justice: disrupting library and information studies through critical race theory’, Leung and López-McKnight (2021).