Page 10 - Career Symposium 2019

10 THE BRANDON SUN • CAREER SYMPOSIUM • APRIL 2019

Kathleen Irwin,
associate dean
of research and
graduate studies
in the Faculty of
Media, Art, and
Performance at
the University of
Regina.

(University of
Regina)
» University of Regina

PhD expands boundaries in research

It’s not every day that a new will appeal to a unique niche
PhD program is launched. A of potential scholars, it’s vi-
new interdisciplinary PhD in tally relevant to the Truth and
Media and Artistic Research Reconciliation Commission
in the Faculty of Media, Art, calls to action.
and Performance (MAP) Irwin envisions research
marks a significant milestone questions that apply Indige-
in developing, advancing, and nous methodologies will find
promoting research creation a comfortable fit within the
and Indigenous scholarship PhD, in particular through
through the arts. “embodied and grounded re-
The new PhD recognizes search — research that hap-
“research in the arts” in which pens in the body and literally
the artistic practice is an es- on the ground.”
sential component of both the The PhD aligns with sev-
research process and results, eral other Indigenization ini-
and sees this as equal to any tiatives in MAP including
other form of critical thinking, a new hire in Indigenous art
said Kathleen Irwin, MAP, practice.
associate dean of research and For Irwin, the value of the
graduate studies. program to society is clear:
“Research in the arts is there are many ways to under-
truly innovative. It recogniz- stand the world around us and
es that the actual making of to create new knowledge.
something, the investigation “Many cultures have di-
that goes on around it and verse ways of getting to new
how it’s disseminated, can be knowledge and exploring the
recognized as creating new world around them. And it’s
knowledge.” time that we opened up the
Although the new program doors to it.”