Exploring artistic, pedagogic, and therapeutic practices: Interdisciplinary knowledges for responsible research and innovation?

This event will explore the nature and characteristics of artistic, pedagogic, and therapeutic practices, and how such practices relate to interdisciplinary knowledges and responsible research and innovation (RRI) in schools, in health care, in arts institutions and communities, the creative industries and other parts of society. 

The arts are home to a diverse array of research employing artistic, qualitative and quantitative traditions of inquiry.  Often these traditions are viewed as conflicting and competing paradigms that require clear separation in all respects to maintain their integrity and validity.  Yet at the same time interdisciplinarity has become a major trend in all fields globally.  The International Fjord Summer School welcomes dialogue and reflection regarding what interdisciplinarity means in research contexts which are not only separated by subject matter and theoretical orientation, but in fundamental issues of epistemology and ontology.  We encourage consideration of the current trends in the organisation of knowledge production within and between disciplines and practices, and the possibilities and risks of attempts to interconnect, juxtapose, or transcend what many argue are distinct forms of knowledge and ways of knowing.  

The event will also focus on the relationship between practice, interdisciplinarity and responsible research and sustainable innovation (RRI).  We invite presentations that address questions of how responsible and sustainable research may impact on music inquiry specifically and the arts more broadly.   In what ways might research on, in and through the arts foster inclusive, democratic and sustainable research and innovation?  How can the arts address key societal challenges?  Does artistic or scientific work in the arts meet or problematise calls for enhanced social and economic relevance of research? 

Invited Speakers

• Professor Shannon Jackson, Berkeley University of California
• Dr Dave Camlin, Royal College of Music, London.
• Professor Laura L. Ellingson, Santa Clara University, California
• Professor Raymond MacDonald, University of Edinburgh

The seminar will include keynote lectures, performances,  panel debates, exhibitions, workshops, mini-courses and discussions to create a generative platform for an enhanced inquiry and understanding.

This is an open call for papers for any researchers and practitioners from any discipline who are engaged with the theme.  Submissions from Ph.D. candidates and early career researchers are particularly welcome. 

Ph.D. candidates can gain 3 or 5 ECTS credit points for participation in this course and have the option of presenting on the main theme of the course OR on their own research project. These presentations will receive feedback from senior researchers and peers.

Venue and Travels

The Fjord Summer School 2019 will take place along the coast of Western Norway right in the middle of the Norwegian Fjord Country.  The event will begin in Bergen at the Faculty for Fine Art, Music and Design, University of Bergen before moving to Leirvik via a cruise along the specular Norwegian coastline on the classic costal passenger ship, M/S Sunnhordland.  The event will then continue at the Rommetveit Campus of Western Norway University of Applied Sciences on the summer island of Stord. More practical info at this page.

This event is supported by funding from the SPIRE, the Strategic Program for International Research Education at the University of Bergen, the Kulturtanken-Arts for Young Audiences, and the Rommetveit Seminar, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences.