Sculpting stories: methods to unsettle knowledge production in disasters

Purpose
This study examines the application of arts-based research (ABR) methods in producing knowledge about the lived experiences of disasters, particularly focusing on the effects of flooding in an informal settlement in South Africa. It emphasizes the use of playdough sculpting as a tool for storytelling, aiming to address and reduce power imbalances between local participants and external researchers.

Design/methodology/approach
The study employed a qualitative approach, using playdough sculpting workshops conducted in the Quarry Road West informal settlement in Durban. These workshops were designed to capture the personal stories of individuals affected by the 2022 Durban floods. Data were collected through participant observation, photography and interviews, and were analyzed using a thematic framework to identify recurring patterns in the participants’ disaster experiences.

Findings
The research demonstrates that ABR methods, particularly playdough sculpting, effectively foster participatory engagement in disaster research. This method provided a platform for participants to describe their embodied experiences of the floods, addressing uneven epistemological power dynamics. It also highlighted the potential of ABR in facilitating the decolonization of disaster research by centering local narratives.