Artful Approaches for the Study of Multiracial Student Experiences - Not Artifact, But Aperture

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Pentious

The article examines how artful methodologies can deepen understanding of mixed and multiracial postsecondary students’ experiences beyond conventional quantitative surveys and interview-only approaches. Based on three artful productions generated by students across three studies from 2017 to 2020, it argues that art functions as an aperture for new inquiry and analysis rather than a mere artifact or thick description. Research and postsecondary education implications are discussed.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages16

Reading Time40 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Artful inquiry and postsecondary development

Art as an aperture for research

Study design and cases

Three artful productions (2017–2020)

Research questions and implications

AERA Open January-December 2025, Vol. 104, No. X, pp. 1–16 DOI: 10. 1177/23328584251321450 Article reuse guidelines: [sagepub.com/journals-permissions](sagepub.com/journals-permissions)[ ](sagepub.com/journals-permissions)© The Author(s) 2025. [https://journals.sagepub.com/home/ero](https://journals.sagepub.com/home/ero) Artful Approaches for the Study of Multiracial Student Experiences: Not Artifact, But Aperture Orkideh Mohajeri West Chester University Victoria K. Malaney-Brown Columbia University Within higher education, various methodologies are used to collect data on student experiences, including both quantitative and qualitative approaches. This paper highlights the importance of attending to artful methodologies particularly when learning with/from mixed and multiracial postsecondary students. We share three artful productions generated by multiracial undergraduate and graduate students from three separate studies, conducted over a range of time from 2017 to 2020. We argue that in each case, the art itself goes far beyond an artifact or “thick description” and instead serves as an aperture to new possibilities for inquiry and analysis. Not only are artful methods a generative form of inquiry with/on multiracial postsecondary students, but also the artful productions of these students can guide and shape continued, future scholarship in this area. Implications are discussed for research and postsecondary students in institutions of higher education. Keywords: artful methodologies, arts-based education research, higher education, multiracial, postsecondary education, qualitative research, race Art is one of the first mediums children around the world learn and employ, a tool for expression, interpretation, and development (Kinder, 2010; Theodotou, 2019). During early adolescence, however, the majority of Western-educated youth generally seem to take a step away from artful inquiry (Graham, 2003) . But artmaking and artful exploration can take center stage again during the years of postsecondary schooling (Clark/Keefe, 2014; Hoffman Davis, 2008; Riley, 2001) . College students are encouraged to take art classes as part of their general education requirements, and often they experiment with formats that are new to them, such as ceramics, jewelry-making, theater, and creative writing. It can be stated that there is a return to artful inquiry as part of the psychosocial exploration and development of emerging adults during the college years (Aaron et al., 2011; Hensel et al., 2012; Leavy, 2020; Price & Swan, 2020) . Art helps crystallize, contain, and process both pain and joy, both struggle and growth, and can serve as a platform for the inte gration of new understandings (Leavy, 2020; Lou, 2018) . College students who identify as mixed 1 and/or multiracial also use artful methods in their psychosocial exploration and development journeys (Mohajeri & Lou, 2021; Reid et al., 2018; Shaffer, 2024) . Multiracial young adults are often engaged in profound processes of identity exploration and development during their postsecondary years (Johnston, 2014; Johnston-Guerrero & Chaudhari, 2016; Renn, 2004) . In spaces across the curriculum, multiracial young adults use the arts to articulate their grappling with U.S. schemas of racial difference and these are captured in poetry, painting, theater, dance, and other forms (e.g., Lou, 2018; Shaffer, 2024; Wilson, 2018, 2020). Artful methods might be particularly suited toward the study of multiracial student experiences because they allow for different forms of communication and expression. Artful methods of inquiry offer formats beside survey data collection or interview conversations by which students can trouble, connect, and integrate many of the deep questions and themes they are engaged with. Looking specifically at scholarship on mixed and multiracial students in postsecondary settings, a few scholars have published studies specifically incorporating

FAQs

What problem does the article address about studying multiracial student experiences?

It argues that conventional designs often fail to capture the complexity of multiracial experiences, so artful methodologies are needed to better explore context, relationships, and identity development.

How does the article describe the role of art in its research approach?

Art is presented as an analytical framework and an “aperture” that opens possibilities for inquiry and analysis, rather than functioning only as an artifact or thick description.

What data sources and time range are used in the study?

The paper shares three artful productions generated by multiracial undergraduate and graduate students from three separate studies conducted between 2017 and 2020.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Pentious