Public Health, Humanities and Magical Realism: A Creative-Relational Approach to Researching Human Experience

Description

This book calls for a re-conceptualisation of the public health evidence-base to include crucial forms of creative and relational data about people’s lived experiences that cannot be accessed through the biomedical approach to generating and using evidence. Drawing from the author’s ethical, ontological and epistemological dilemmas when studying controversial topics, and methodological evaluation framework to measure impacts of creative community engagement, the book argues that traditional methodologies and conceptualisations of evidence have the potential to exacerbate health inequalities by excluding and misrepresenting minorities. Fantastical realities based on ‘truthful’ research findings are intertwined with traditional public health approaches through artistic engagement with so-called ‘hard-to-reach’ groups. Working with their (sur)real life stories, the author reflects on how the population’s breadth is inadequately reflected which threatens validity and generalisability in public health research and decision making. Through different ways of knowing (epistemology) and different ways of being (ontology), this book shows how to design studies, make recommendations and adapt services that are aligned with views and experiences of those living on the margins and beyond. As such, it is an essential read for public health researchers and students. Cover Half Title Series Title Copyright Dedication Table of Contents Acknowledgements Time moves forward, it never moves back Time moves back List of Figures List of Table 1 What’s real and unreal in public health? 1.1 Statement of aims 1.1.1 What is my book about? 2 Emergence – the gap between two epistemic bubbles 2.1 Emergence – the gap between two epistemic bubbles 2.2 Measuring Humanity – a methodological minefield 2.3 What’s real and unreal in public health? 2.4 Foreword (for TCV report) – June 2018 Dr Marisa de Andrade – PI for Measuring Humanity, School of Health in Social Science, Centre for Creative-Relational Inquiry, University of Edinburgh 3 Measuring Humanity – a methodological mine(mind)field 3.1 Emergence – the gap between two epistemic bubbles 3.2 Uncomfortable competing truths 4 Knowledge is power 4.1 Knowledge is power 4.1.1 Analysis and ethics 4.1.2 A methodological mess 4.1.3 Sensemaking and meaning making 4.1.4 Meaning in life, agency, and “choice" 4.1.5 Real versus ideal 4.1.6 Problems versus solutions 4.1.7 Trust versus mistrust 4.1.8 Lunch: the finger food situation 4.2 Discussion 5 Can you hear me? 5.1 Thinking with abduction 5.1.1 Introduction 5.1.2 Measuring emotions in complex systems 5.1.3 Methods 5.1.4 Findings Limitations of self-reported emotions Same emotion, different emotional experience Subjective emotional experiences, trauma, and the system Creative interventions for emotion regulation and coping 5.1.5 Discussion 5.2 Thinking with magical realism 6 Convergence – accepting our differences Public Health, Humanities and Magical Realism: A Creative-Relational Approach to Researching Human Experience Index