"Arts-based research" is a new methodology that combines both scientific and artistic components. The term that was first coined in the early 90s by curium theorist, Elliot Eisner, indicates a new research method extending beyond the limiting constrains of discursive communication to express meanings that would otherwise be inflatable. Arts-based research embraces all kinds of artistic methods, which include painting, photography, videography, poetry, drama, dance and music, among others, at all stages of research activity. By doing so, researchers are able to achieve a plurality of view, rather than fixing their attention on a singular traditional scientific approach to the research process. Facing major changes in qualitative research brought on by postmodernism, feminism, narrative turn, globalization, and more, researchers at present are focused on conducting not only truthful but also useful research, which is open to a variety of audiences inside and outside of academia. By utilizing artistic methods, arts-based research is aiding researchers on this journey. This paper introduces major theories related to arts-based research, covering the emergence of arts-based research in education and its use in the field of qualitative research. It also examines the development of arts-based research in Japan, focusing on the work of "Keio ABR." This paper intends to recognize arts-based research as a continuum of qualitative research and aid its future development within the field of sociology.
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