This ‘How-To’ Guide outlines the Collaborative Zine Making Method used by Professor Sarah Marie Hall from the University of Manchester and developed in collaboration with Inspire Women Oldham. The zine was also created in collaboration with Inspire Women Oldham.
Twitter: @Sarah_M_Hall and @InspireOldham
Social scientists from the Methods for Change project came together to discuss the research methods they use and how methods create change in society. Drawing from the expertise in the Aspect network, they collaborated on a series of ‘how to’ guides which are step-by-step instructions and top-tips for adopting these methods in a range of sectors. Visual and multisensory pieces, including comics, illustrations, posters, booklets, short films and animations were then developed in collaboration with creatives to capture the key value of these research methods with a view to being able to convey them to a variety of audiences.
It is hoped that these resources will be useful for people in higher education, commercial, public sector, third sector and community organisations who are interested in experimenting with, and expanding professional skills in, the adoption of social science research methods.
Collaborative Zine-Making involves the creation of zines with others. Zines are a grassroots tool for spreading information in communities, including news, politics, opinions and more.
A zine is often made of paper, folded, stapled or tied, comprising different pages, though it can also be a digital resource. The contents of a zine can vary, too. They can be a collection of writing, of images, a collage, puzzles, poems, and an array of other creative forms often interwoven in various combinations. Significantly, zines are made by and for communities, whether they be geographical, cultural, or social communities (e.g. a neighbourhood, a music scene, or a trade community). Zines do not require specific skills or expertise, and instead are favoured for their free form and inclusivity.
The Social Venture Pathway offers a toolkit of resources to guide you through the process of creating a social venture. This self-guided pathway aims to fill the gaps missing from traditional innovation processes by providing a clear and comprehensive training resource for starting your first social venture.
This blog by the Methods for Change team, illustrated by Jack Brougham, asks if we should spend more time talking about the methods we use as researchers. Drawing on a recent paper, we suggest that researchers need to articulate why methods matter in creating change to global challenges. We share three creative techniques that we have experimented with across the Methods for Change project that can encourage playful, reflective conversation about methods and their role in galvanising change.
