An Action Research Study
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HUMANITARIAN VISUAL CULTURE CURRICULUM: AN ACTION RESEARCH STUDY DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Kim-ping Yim Department of Art Education The Ohio State University 2012 Dissertation Examination Committee: Professor Deborah Smith-Shank (Co-Chair) Professor Christine Ballengee-Morris (Co-Chair) Professor John Quigley Professor Sydney Walker Copyright by Kim-ping Yim 2012 ABSTRACT Facing world situations with an accelerating rate of violence and natural disaster, and living in an interdependent world that is deeply divided politically, economically, and culturally, my dissertation aims to find the most intellectually responsible way to address the idea of humanitarianism in/through art education. My research question is: How can I envision a visual culture curriculum that maximizes the positive educational value of Nachtwey’s anti-war photography in order to cultivate care ethics that may lead to the promotion of humanitarian education? This is an educational action research initiative with a critical edge. In Literature Review (Chapter 2), I address the theoretical foundation of this curriculum which has five dimensions: 1) identify with the victims, 2) address that the lack of equity is a determined political choice, 3) create a reverential condition in which to look at atrocious images, 4) cultivate relational ethic of caring, and 5) support social reconstructionist multicultural art education. These five dimensions are drawn from James Nachtwey’s photography, critical social theory, humanitarianism, general education, and art education. In Methodology and Data Collection (Chapter 3) and Data Analysis (Chapter 4), I lay ii out how this curriculum was designed, implemented, and evaluated. Findings indicate that this curriculum is promising, but not without challenges. Creating spectatorship of suffering is intimately intertwined with the notion of opening humanitarian space. Students’ personal experiences and contextual information presented by the instructor play critical roles in constructing students’ understanding of humanitarian issues. In Conclusion (Chapter 5), I propose three key directions for research and policy: 1) acknowledging our moral constitution as co-spectators of far away suffering, 2) facilitating an in-depth inquiry on the failure of humanity, and 3) coalescing around global humanitarian issues through an interdisciplinary approach. This study is one of the first to create a humanitarian space in/through art education. A key implication is that art education can be an important site for social justice, civic engagement, and world peace. iii Dedication To my parents. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS My sincere thanks and immense gratitude to Professor Sydney Walker Professor John Quigley Mr. Samuel Ting Ms. Kirsten Thomas Ms. Joyce Sun Professor Patricia Stuhr Professor Deborah Smith-Shank Professor Virginia Richardson Ms. Angela Paulin Professor Michael Parsons Ms. Holly Longfellow Ms. Victoria Lao Ms. Bee Kim Koh Mr. Greg Chu Professor Terry Barrett Professor Christine Ballengee-Morris * The Church in Columbus OSU Department of Art Education Thank You v VITA 1991……………………….. B.A. The Chinese University of Hong Kong, The Fine Arts 1995….……………………. M.F.A. The University of Iowa, Design & Photography 1997……………………..… M.A. The University of Iowa, Film Studies 1997-1999………………. Breakthrough, Hong Kong, Youth Camp Programmer 2002-2004………………. The Hong Kong Institute of Education, Instructor of Art Education 2004-2005………………. The Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education, Lecturer of Design 2005-2012………………. The Ohio State University, Department of Art Education, Graduate Teaching Associate AWARDS 2009……………………….. Mary Lou Kuhn Scholarship, Department of Art Education, The Ohio State University 2010……………………….. Mary Lou Kuhn Scholarship, Department of Art Education, The Ohio State University Fields of Study Major Field: Art Education vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. ii Dedication……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… iv Acknowledgement…………………………………………………………………………………………………. v Vita………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… vi List of Tables…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..xii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………………………….. 1 Background of the Problem……………………………………………………………………………………. 2 Statement of the Problem……………………………………………………………………………………… 6 Research Questions………………………………………………………………………………………………... 8 Research Objectives……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 9 Rationale………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 10 Signature of the Study………………………………………………………………………………………….. 13 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW……………………………………………………………………… 17 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 17 James Nachtwey’s Photography and Its Representation………………………………………. 19 The Rwandan Genocide (1994): A Symbiosis of Humanitarianism, Colonialism, Militarism, and Imperialism………………………………………..…….. 24 The Displaced Darfurians (2004): A World of Difference ……………………………... 29 The XDR-TB Patients (2008): A Pathogenic Biosocial Spiral.………………..………… 34 Humanitarianism………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 44 A Practice of a Particular Kind of Humanitarianism…………………………………..….. 46 A Struggle for Human Rights…………………………………………………………………….….. 49 General Education………………………………………………………………………………………………… 52 On Photography……………………………………………………………………………………………. 53 The Power of Photographic Images……………..…………………………………..…… 54 The Politics of Photographic Images…………….…………………………………..…… 56 Regarding the Pain of Others………………………………………………………………………… 59 The Nature and the Limit of War Photography……………………………………… 60 The Practice of Representing Atrocious Suffering……………….………………… 63 The Logic of Seeing Death……………………….…………………………….……………… 65 The Ethics of Picturing Evil……………………………………………………….…………… 67 vii The Viewing Position of News Consumers…………………………………….……… 68 The Necessity of Designating Hell through Photography……………….……… 70 Moral Education in an Age of Globalization………………………………………..………… 72 War, Violence, and Peace in the Arts……………….……………………………………..……. 75 Art Education……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 77 Global Justice and Care Ethics are Emerging Topics……………………………….…….. 77 A Practice of Social Reconstructionist Multicultural Curriculum…………….……… 79 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY AND DATA COLLECTION…………………………………..….. 83 Methodology……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 83 Re-conceptualizing Research……………………………………………………………..…………. 86 Understanding Educational Research as a Social Practice………….……...…. 86 Transforming the Recursive Nature of Social Mediation………………………. 88 Theorizing Research/Practice from a Reflexive-Dialectical Perspective… 90 Measuring Up to the Quality Criteria of Action Research……………………….…… 101 Fulfilling the Political and Methodological Intentions…………………………………. 101 Enacting PAR as a form of communicative action………………..……………… 104 Engendering Emancipatory Knowledge……………..……………………………….. 108 Besieging Authorities with Reasons………………..………………………………..… 110 Demonstrating a Direction for New Generation of PAR………………………………. 111 Maintaining a Critical Edge in Educational Action Research………..……... 112 Envisioning a Form of Critical Educational Science………………..……………. 114 Telling Unwelcome Truths Against Schooling…………………..……..………….. 116 Making Connection to Emancipatory Ideals…………..………..……………….… 118 Addressing Five Essential Questions……………………………..……………………. 119 Constructing a Curriculum Framework……………………………………………………….. 121 School Setting and Course Description……………………………………………..… 121 Participants………………………………………………………………………………………… 122 Procedures…………………………………………………………………………………………. 127 Data Collection…………………………………………………………………………………………………… 127 Data Source………………………………………………………………………………………………… 128 Course structure…………………………………………………………………………………. 130 Assignment Design……………………………………………………………………………... 132 Description of Data Source………………………………………………………………….. 135 Data Selection…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 135 Question 1: What Are the Outcomes of the Curriculum Implementation?………………………………………………………….…. 135 Question 2: How Can the Positive Educational Value of Nachtwey’s Anti-War Photography be Maximized?……………………………. 136 Question 3: How Is Care Ethics Cultivated in this Curriculum?............... 138 Question 4: How Can Visual Culture Curriculum Promote Humanitarian Education?..................................................... 142 viii Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 145 CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS………………………………………………………………………..…. 147 Question 1: What Are the Outcomes of the Curriculum Implementation?………... 148 Data source#2A: The Overview of the Course Evaluation Summarized by the Department Chair Professor Patricia Stuhr…………… 149 Data source#2B: Student Course Evaluations……………………………………………… 150 Data source#2C: Spring 2011 Mid-Term Course Evaluation……………………..…. 159 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 162 Question 2: How Can the Positive Educational Value of Nachtwey’s Anti-War Photography be Maximized?………………………………………………………………………. 164 James Nachtwey Survey Question 1……………………………………………………………. 165 James Nachtwey Survey Question 2……………………………………………………………. 171 James Nachtwey Survey Question 3……………………………………………………………. 174 James Nachtwey Anti-War Photography Paper………………………………….……….. 176 The Multiple Ethical Dispositions in a Humanitarian Crisis………………….. 177 A World of Difference…………………………………………………………………….…... 180 Visibility and Representation………………………………………………………………. 181 Humanity,