The research group Popular Culture, Sustainability & Innovation is aimed at the transdisciplinary knowledge domain where popular culture, technology and economy meet. Artists and designers can play an initiating and catalysing role in this. The objective of the research group is to make optimal use of the possibilities of artistic research and the use of popular culture in social innovations.

The key research strand of the research group PSI is:

Popular culture and artistic research as catalyst for Transformations in the living and working environment.

The research group wants to develop research projects in collaboration with experts in the area of, amongst others, urban and regional planning, shifts in regional industries, shrinkage, energy and ecological problems. These research areas have been identified as relevant stimulation areas for artists and designers because of the essential connection inhabitants, users and other stakeholders have with the issues, and the multi-faceted aspects of the problems. In these contexts problems of a dissimilar nature are inextricably bound. Artists and designers can make essential catalysing contributions to projects with a complexity such as this because of their surprising ways of approaching a problem, their critical attitude, associative hands-on approach and their focus on experiencing and interaction.

Method

The action research which is used in the research group Popular Culture, Sustainability & Innovation combines analysis and interpretation. In this we distinguish three branches within the so-called practice based research:

Research for the practice. Here knowledge is developed which is used for the realisation and acquisition of more comprehensive levels of the (artistic) content. Usually conventional methodologies are used, such as sociological en ethnographical research methods, field research, interviews etc.

Research into the practice. Here knowledge is developed about techniques, approaches which lead to practical or professional innovations. Usually techniques which are part of the practice are used, such as sketches, notes, photography, simulations, reflections, story boarding, etc. These are regularly supplemented with the conventional sociological methods mentioned above.

Research by or in the practice with creative techniques, often combined with conventional methods, builds up knowledge about social, political, philosophical questions or complex problems of a different nature.