Performing Interpretation
An Ethnodrama-Based Method for Arts-Based Dementia Research
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7577/ar.6517Keywords:
ethnodrama, narrative inquiry, arts-based research, dementia, diaspora, culture, interpretationAbstract
This study explores how art-based research (ABR) can be used to raise awareness of front temporal dementia (FTD) in the United Kingdom. Although drama is often used as a tool for dissemination in health-related research, its potential as a method of interpretation remains underdeveloped. In this study, the art-based method was used to create a narrative, a play called “My Name is Beatrice,” based on autoethnographic conversations and observations and desk-based research. First, the data from observations and conversations, together with findings from desk-based research, were analysed using narrative analysis to develop an understanding of the essential components ethnodrama should encompass. This analysis resulted in the creation of a play. Second, a narrative analysis was conducted, focusing on the structure of the play. This analysis examines the play’s construction and central findings through key dramatic elements. In this article, ethnodrama is positioned as an analytic tool that highlights cultural silence, stigma, and misdiagnosis while offering new ways of engaging communities and professionals in dialogue about FTD. The intersection of culture, dementia, and the arts highlighted in this study highlights the need for interdisciplinary approaches to dementia research.
Photo: John Alao
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