Reflective Blog
From Creative Practice to Conscious Research: Reflecting on Representation, Identity, and Growth
When I first started this project, I wasn’t sure how to think of myself as a “researcher.”
I’ve always seen myself more as an artist and filmmaker, someone who makes things and
then figures out what they mean afterwards. But over the past few weeks, I’ve realized
that research isn’t separate from creativity – it’s part of it. The change I want to see in the
world, and in my own practice, is representation that feels layered and real, not just
surface-level diversity.
Being an international student has shaped this journey in ways I didn’t expect. Living
between cultures makes me constantly aware of how identity is framed, misframed, or
ignored. That awareness influences the stories I’m drawn to and how I tell them.
Positionality theory helped me put words to this – the idea that where I stand socially and
culturally affects what I notice and how I interpret things. It’s made me more careful
about not speaking “for” others, but instead listening more – allowing space for different
voices, and then reflecting.
I also found Saunders’ “research onion” surprisingly useful. It reminded me that every
choice I make – from methods to ethics – is part of the research process. Crenshaw’s
intersectionality theory pushed me further, showing how identities overlap and how
experiences of marginalization can’t be reduced to one factor. That insight reminded me
to not settle with simple narratives but aim for more complex storytelling.
Action research gave me a practical way to work. McNiff’s cycle of acting, reflecting,
and refining felt close to how creative projects actually unfold. For example, some of my
early experiments felt too surface-level. Feedback from peers confirmed that they lacked
depth. Reflecting on that, I changed my approach to focus more on the documenting
process and asking more thought-provoking questions. This cycle of trying, reflecting,
and adjusting has been key to moving forward.
Reading Smith’s Decolonizing Methodologies was uncomfortable but necessary. It made
me realize how easy it is to reproduce dominant Western narratives, even when I think I
have diversity in mind. That was a wake-up call. The change I want to see isn’t just more
diverse representation – it’s representation that resists simplification and acknowledges
complexity, even when it’s messy or uncomfortable.
Thinking about impact meant asking how my work might affect audiences and
stakeholders. There’s always a risk of stereotyping or misrepresentation, and that can
cause harm. At the same time, there’s potential to create space for voices that are often
ignored.. That dual awareness has made me more accountable. I’ve started to see impact
not just in terms of scale – how many people see the work – but in terms of depth: how
deeply it challenges people’s assumptions or opens up new perspectives.
Reflective practice has tied all of this together. Writing, note-taking, and documenting
my process have slowed me down and made me more intentional. Bolton’s idea of
reflection as professional and personal development resonated with me, and Amulya’s
reminder to learn from experience rather than rushing ahead has helped me pause and ask
why I’m making certain choices. Reflection has become part of my creative practice, not
something separate.
I don’t have everything figured out yet, and maybe I never will, but I do feel like I’ve
started to understand the responsibility that comes with the kind of work I want to make.
For me, the change I’m aiming for is representation that isn’t just about ticking boxes or
showing diversity on the surface. I want it to feel real, layered, and conscious of the
people whose stories are being told. This project has reminded me that growth usually
comes with discomfort – and instead of avoiding that, I’ve learned to face it directly.
That’s what’s pushing me toward a practice that feels more honest and hopefully more
impactful.
Bibliography
• Amulya, J. (2004). What is Reflective Practice? Massachusetts: MIT.
• Bolton, G. (2018). Reflective Practice: Writing & Professional Development. London:
Sage.
• McNiff, J. (2013). Action Research: Principles and Practice. London: Routledge.
• Smith, L. T. (2012). Decolonizing Methodologies (2nd ed.). London & New York:
Zed Books.
• Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2019). Research Methods for Business
Students. Pearson.
• Crenshaw, K. (1991). “Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and
Violence against Women of Color.” Stanford Law Review, 43(6), 1241–1299.
• Merton, R. K. (1972). “Insiders and Outsiders: A Chapter in the Sociology of
Knowledge.” American Journal of Sociology, 78(1), 9–47.
• Sikes, P., & Potts, A. (2008). Researching Education from the Inside. Routledge.
• Rowe, A. (2014). “Positionality in Research.” International Journal of Social
Research Methodology, 17(3), 263–276.