By Caitlin McKinnon, PhD candidate, Queen Margaret University (and the University of Stirling)
/TEACHING EXPERIENCES
Making the Familiar Strange: Using zines as a reflective tool in arts management education
Defining a zine
To define a zine is no easy task, for as Dr. Ash Watson notes “a zine is often understood by what it is not” (Zine Making as A Method 2020). Zines, unlike magazines, are self-made publications. Importantly, there are no set-in-stone rules for zine-making. They can be about anything that is of interest to the maker and can contain poetry, narratives, drawings, comics, collage, among many other things. Zines are “often associated with radical or alternative cultures” (Brown et al. 2021, p.1), with the DIY nature and ‘self-publishing’ aspects acting as both key features “as well as an ethos and a kind of political orientation” (Zine Making as A Method 2020). They are inherently non-commercial and non-professional.
My PhD research focuses on the variation in the discourse of arts management within academic institutions, arts and cultural organisations, and cultural policy and public bodies in Scotland. Seeking to develop a greater understanding of how arts management is taught and practiced, this research explores the relationship between arts management in the sector and in academia in the hopes of contributing to building a stronger more collaborative connection. This was done with the understanding that my previous research (McKinnon 2020) and many other authors have identified a sense of distrust from arts management practitioners towards arts management education ((DiMaggio 1987; Martin and Rich 1998; Burns and Pichilingi 2000; Sikes 2000; Şuteu 2006; Brkić 2009; Rosenstein 2013; Varela 2013). As such, a consideration of this scepticism and the possible tensions of an increasing popularity of arts management education, professionalisation and standardisation within the arts and cultural sector sits at the forefront of my approach to the research.
In reference to the work of Donald Schon, Moon (2001, p. 3) suggests “professionals are not necessarily able to describe the basis on which they act”, highlighting that ‘professionals’ build up experience based on their ‘practice’ through a process of reflection, which creates theory for practice that is inherently tacit and therefore difficult to describe. Recognising this, I wanted to create space within my research for participants to dive into their understanding of their learning, and ultimately tap into those tacit and often intangible aspects of how they do their work. An ongoing journey to decolonise my approach to research added further reasoning to weave in alternative ways of approaching research on education.
Images 1 & 2 Example of an 8-page mini-zine folded and unfolded [Author]
Wanting to provide tools that could – to pull from the old anthropological saying – make the familiar strange and the strange familiar, I incorporated zine workshops. Where interviews introduced me to the breadth of knowledge my participants held on the field of arts and culture more widely, zine workshops mixed in depth by promoting a process of active reflection. Deconstructed by nature, zines provide a physical way to break up an idea or problem between its eight pages (Zine Making as A Method 2020; Brown et al. 2021), making them a useful vehicle to unravel an experience and “encourages a personalised remixing of ideas” (Brown et al. 2021, p. 1).
Calls for more reflexivity
Recently, researchers in the field of arts and cultural management have shown increased interest in the field’s professionalisation and the effects this may bring, both positively and negatively (Heidelberg 2018, 2019; Durrer 2020). Heidelberg (2019, p. 63) suggests future research should “critically examine whether or not individuals do want to fully professionalize the field”, adding that there are some compelling reasons not to. Included in this are fears of increased standardisation across the field that “reflects the isomorphic tendency in neoliberal societies to adopt organizational procedures and policies that are considered legitimate” (Alvarez Lorenzo and Gilmore 2021, p. 123) and fails to consider those who have always been practicing uncodified and unrecognised forms of arts and cultural management (DeVereaux 2009; Cuyler et al. 2020). The danger, as Dragićević Šešić (2018, p.10) notes, lies in “uncritically accept[ing] notions and ideas without questioning its applicability or relevance in another cultural context”.
Further to this, authors, such as Durrer (2020, p. 189), indicate a need for increased reflexivity in the field to investigate seldom explored “values underpinning what is meant by ‘managing culture’ and what constitutes ‘valid’ knowledge in addition to teaching and learning traditions”. Similarly, DeVereaux (2009, p. 163) suggests the establishment of a reflective discourse of practice, which moves beyond reflection alone and leads to “a critical examination of accepted practices”.
These calls to action align with what I have seen in my own research as it continues to develop. In many ways my participants have expressed a strong desire to learn, think and critique and to have the time and space to do so (McKinnon 2024a). Emphasing their fears and concerns for the sector, they pointed to a lack of time for critical reflection when working in the field and the general sense that the sector is apprehensive to shift the way things are done and ultimately is risk adverse.
Zines as a pedagogical tool
I was initially drawn to zines as a tool for reflection as it positioned participants “as critics, creators, and crucially, experts in their own communities of knowledge” (Brown et al. 2021, p. 2) and provided a space for participants to ask uncomfortable questions or challenge deeply held beliefs within themselves, within existing systems and within the very institutions in which they sit.
Image 3 A selection of zines I’ve created to reflect on my own research practices [Author]
In my own somewhat nebulous position of student, teacher, and researcher, I have found the practice of using zines useful to breakdown the especially complicated and sometimes uncomfortable issues that arise when doing research about academia from within. Whether that be re-working my research question, disentangling my positionality, or reflecting on the process of ‘doing’ research (McKinnon 2024b), taking the time to look at these experiences away from my laptop, in creative and embodied way, provided a way of making sense through the process of making that was quite empowering and honestly, refreshingly fun.
In approaching my research, I was keen to use methods which could address my concerns regarding recreating certain power structures and dynamics in the classroom or research space. This was a particular focus for the workshops with students. As such I drew from feminist and critical pedagogical theorists such as Bell hooks and Paulo Freiré whose work, as (Sahagian 2022, p. 1) suggests, “insist[s] that learning must be a process of liberation that destabilizes hegemonic constructs including white supremacy, patriarchy, and capitalism”. From my perspective as a researcher, the goal was to facilitate an activity and create a space where these power relations were considered and the relationship between myself and my participants (i.e., students and teacher) were non-hierarchal.
There is already much literature on incorporating zines in the classroom as a feminist and critical pedagogic tool. Creasap (2014, p. 156), for example, suggests “zine-making employs three principles of feminist pedagogy: participatory learning, validation of personal experience, and the development of critical thinking skills”. In this sense, the zine method is presented as a way for students to connect complex theories to their everyday lives in a participatory and collaborative way (Creasap 2014; Ashtari et al. 2022). Historically speaking, the cultural context and development of zines makes them an effective pedagogic tool to deconstruct dominant discourses and ideologies and uniquely situates them to explore one of the core aims of critical pedagogy – examining “the role of power in the production of knowledge” (Desyllas and Sinclair 2013, p. 298). As Desyllas and Sinclair (2013, p. 299) advocate, “the utilization of zines in the classroom is also an opportunity to teach our students that their voice has as much validity, legitimacy and power as a well-known author” which further destabilizes the traditional academic classroom.
Strengths, benefits, and things to consider
The following section includes excerpts from a conversation I had with writer and fellow academic, Alan MacPherson, as well as selections from a reflective piece by student, Claire Shortt. MacPherson attended one of my research workshops with his students and went onto use the method in his classroom as a form of reflection/evaluation at the end of another module. Shortt wrote about her experience using zines in my workshop for a reflective journal assignment for another module and kindly gave me permission to share aspects of it.
Creating space
For MacPherson, the choice to use zines in the classroom was framed in reference to his approach to teaching more broadly.
“I suppose my initial approach to designing courses was to give as much content as possible. But over the last few years … I’ve kind of changed my approach so that … there is plenty of content and quite hopefully diverse content – but also space for students to reflect, to have a lot of discussions, to work together collaboratively as well” (MacPherson 2024).
In our conversation together, we explored how this aligns with some core tenets of the critical pedagogic practices I had been exploring where the focus is on making space for collective learning and knowledge sharing rather than a “Western epistemic approach where individuals acquire, create and own knowledge as private intellectual property” (Ashtari et al. 2022, p. 3).
From an educator/researcher perspective, the reflective space and comfortable environment stood out as a strength of the zine workshop.
“I think the combination of … the very sort of comfortable, safe space, the questions, the introduction – that [were] provided. All of that helped to really encourage a very open and I thought, you know, deeply reflective. And for me, very useful conversation among the students” (MacPherson 2024).
The informal elements of the workshop afforded a certain level of comfort to students to be able to express themselves in ways that they had not previously.
“I had never tried to communicate or hone these beliefs I held, with this space being the first time I felt comfortable doing so, and crucially, where I was asked to openly share them, and openly share them I did” (Shortt 2024).
Shortt’s reflection demonstrates the ability of the space created through this process to enable learners to share their knowledge, experiences, and opinions. The emphasis on being asked to share beliefs she had not yet articulated suggests the importance placed on having the space to share her views and have them seen on an equal level to that of researcher/educator, perhaps for the first time.
Disrupting hierarchies
As a writer, who is concerned with texts and visual culture, MacPherson emphasised the cultural and historical context of zines as an aspect that makes disorder (in a positive sense) possible.
“The fact that [they are] something that is so associated with … counterculture or less mainstream cultures. And the fact that [they are] therefore … perhaps loaded with a sort of slightly … unorthodox or non-official kind of method of making a document” (MacPherson 2024).
Describing that she “unexpectedly fell down” a different route than her peers, Shortt (2024) noted feeling “slightly guilty for taking a dark turn”, with her zine resembling as she describes the “newspaper cut outs of a deranged serial killer”. While I would have preferred to the process to be guilt-free, her candour and openness to explore “the struggles [she] felt internally about … issues within the sector” exemplifies the benefit of this non-conventional media to pick apart feelings of frustration and question, “‘the system’ and in particular the role of [an art] manager within it”. Shortt’s zine, though potentially grim, became a vessel to explore her position and future place within this system.
Elements of formality and hierarchy associated with management systems and the traditional academic context are inherently challenging to disrupt both in a reflective sense and in the real. To be clear, zines are not being presented as a cure-all but rather a tool open to oddities, weird explorations and disruption of these elements, systems, and ways of thinking
“Providing students with a with a means to express their learning and their reflections on the learning that kind of empowers them, maybe a little bit, to sort of disrupt those hierarchies and disrupt that formality – I think that for me makes it a really useful thing” (MacPherson 2024).
Cultivating collaboration
As Creasap (2014, p. 156) notes “whether an individual or collective effort, making zines is a collaborative process”. Those participating can collaborate through the conversation that often surrounds zine-making, they can share ideas, provide feedback, and respond to what others are doing and talking about. In creating a space that is “not ‘productive’ in the usual sense, with participants operating neither in ‘conflict or …harmony’, but in the ‘continuing process’ (Le Guin 1989: 153) of being together in the university”, the goal becomes “co-education through craft, support and discussion” (Brebenel and de Bruin-Molé 2020).
Importantly, this collaborative aspect can move beyond student-to-student and creates the opportunity to blur the student/teacher boundary. In fact, Ashtari et al. (2022, p. 3) suggest, a truly “transformative experience as whole human beings bearing emotions, contradictions and lived realities that create moments of vulnerability, but also deep and intimate learning conveyed by critical awareness and engagement … is not possible if we as teachers avoid being vulnerable and merely encourage students to take risks”. That said, taking part in a process that sees learning as dialogic exchange rather than depositing information can be quite challenging for both students and educators as it requires a certain level of openness and as Shortt (2024) describes it can bring up “quite a lot of heavy emotions and feelings” that educators need to be prepared to deal with.
Some things to consider
Brebenel and de Bruin-Molé (2020) propose zine-making as a “micro-action that offers a potential bridge towards praxis as resistance”. However, it is important to understand that zine-making alone does not guarantee radical transformation in your classroom. In truth, the use of zines should be done with attention to their history and a thorough contemplation of the institutional context which you intend to bring them into. The implications of introducing zines to the classroom format can range from confusion and frustration from students to hesitancy and resistance from wider academic circles. Both can be weary of how their expectations of knowledge transfer will be met and concerned about how this will fit into traditional academic grading systems.
From a research perspective, there is also a complexity to analysing and working with the ‘data’ produced through this process. For instance, in my research, the object created is inherently connected to the conversation that takes place surrounding its making. Without that context, analysis of the zine’s rests on the researcher’s ability to interpret what the participant intended. This can be both a challenge and limiting for findings. With an understanding of these limitations, I encouraged participants to begin the analysis process by explaining their zine in the workshop.
Similar issues arise when utilising zines as an assignment. How one marks a zine can create anxiety for both students and educators. Educators might feel pressure to include a traditional academic reflection along with zines as a means to combat this complexity, but this poses further challenge. Some authors argue that within the confines of the academic context, the popular axiom – that there are no rules – is at risk and suggests the possibility that “at best we were co-opting zines for neoliberal academic institutions chasing pedagogical novelties, or at worst these zines as class assignments were not zines at all” (Ashtari et al. 2022, p. 8).
Balancing the benefit of the process versus what is produced in this context requires tact. These challenges, however, should not be viewed as impossibilities, but rather important considerations of the realities and implications of incorporating such methods. Choosing to incorporate zines into research or pedagogical practices should be rooted in understanding of how they fit into wider research aims and pedagogic goals.
Practical application
Introducing the activity
As someone coming into the classroom as a one-off external visitor, it felt necessary for me to provide ample time for the participants to get comfortable with me, the materials, the topic and amongst themselves as a group. Practically speaking, this meant taking time to introduce myself, my research, and zines at the beginning. This included learning to fold the mini-zines together and allowing the participants to start exploring the materials, the prompts, and their zines before encouraging conversation.
Image 4 Folding instructions and illustration from Ashley Topacio
How you introduce the activity will depend on your goals overall and how much time students have previously had to familiarise themselves with module content, the instructors, and other students. That said, in most cases it will be useful to contextualise the tradition of zines as a media rooted within feminist and anti-capitalist ideologies (Creasap 2014; Sahagian 2022) as this can help your students understand the “role of zines as alternative forms of writing stemming from political practices of social movements that center counter-narratives” (Ashtari et al. 2022, p. 6).
Including examples and prompts
While a full introduction might not be necessary in each particular case, it may still be useful to explain to your students the motivation for utilising such a method and ultimately what you might hope to achieve through the process. Providing some examples can help students begin to visualise what they might make themselves.
Images 5 & 6 Zine produced by Freelance creative Morvern Cunningham exploring why the cultural sector in Edinburgh (and beyond) needs to return to future thinking in our so-called ‘post-pandemic’ world [Images from Out of the Blueprint]
Including zines produced by those working in the student’s own sector may be an appropriate catalyst for thinking about current issues within their field “that [are] not written about anywhere else” (Creasap 2014, p. 157). Similarly, providing a couple of prompts can help point students in the right direction for the goals you have identified. Prompts might range from 2-3 more focused questions which elicit specific answers or responses, or 4-8 larger themes that leave space for more exploration, understanding or deconstruction of ideas or concepts.
Choosing materials
In the same sense that there are no rules for zine making, the materials you provide can be open-ended. If you choose to use the mini-zine as your format, you will want to ensure you have paper (A4 will do) and scissors. Along with that you will likely want some drawing and writing tools.
Image 7 Examples of materials provided at zine workshops [Author]
Additionally, while not a requirement, adding some materials such as magazines or other texts and images to dissect can be beneficial in removing the pressure to produce “something good in a normative artistic sense” (Zine Making as A Method 2020). What is more, the visual or textual materials you provide may be used in a prompt-like way to encourage criticality and a creative analysis of the materials supplied. For example, in my own workshops, I provided printed copies of a cultural strategy document, descriptions of academic programmes as well as old copies of an arts and cultural magazine.
Concluding thoughts
Reflecting on his experience, MacPherson (2024) noted that the “rich response that was obtained from students from having used this method, really stood in stark contrast to the kind of lack of engagement” they might get with more standard issued evaluation forms. As an example, a student describing how much they enjoyed a field trip as part of their module with a tongue-and-cheek drawing of themselves on the trip “yay arts!” poking fun at the “STEM losers over there” who didn’t get to attend such a cool trip. Likewise, Ashtari et al. (2022, p. 8) point to the “happy discoveries: ‘that thought is going into my zine!’” that were interspersed throughout lectures and discussions. Though further reflection on output produced by the zine-making process is needed, I too have noticed the unique quality of insights in initial analyses of zines students have created. Somehow uncomfortable conversations, looming fears and questions, and strong beautifully articulated critiques made their way onto the pages of the zines in the unexpected forms of satire, memes, and cartoons among other fantastic creations.
Further Reading
While I am certainly not the first person to incorporate zines into the classroom or research context (and I certainly won’t be the last), my hope in writing this piece is that it may provide a convenient introduction for those interested in utilising zines as a reflective tool in the arts management and cultural policy classroom. It seems appropriate to end with an acknowledgment of zinesters (both academic and not) who have come before me and urge you to check out the further readings below.
- ASHTARI, A., HUQ, E., and MIRAFTAB, F. (2022) The Joy of Many Stories: Zine-making and Story-mapping in Planning Pedagogy. Planning Practice & Research, 1–18.
- BIAGIOLI, M., PASSILA, ANNE, and OWENS, A. (2021) The zine method as a form of qualitative analysis. Beyond Text Learning through Arts-Based Research.
- BREBENEL, M. and DE BRUIN-MOLÉ, M. (2020). The Carrier Bag of Feminist Pedagogy: Zine-making as Training in the Neoliberal University.
- BROWN, A., HURLEY, M., PERRY, S., and ROCHE, J. (2021) Zines as Reflective Evaluation Within Interdisciplinary Learning Programmes. Frontiers in Education, 6.
- CREASAP, K. (2014) Zine-Making as Feminist Pedagogy. Feminist Teacher, 24(3), 155-168.
- DESYLLAS, M.C. and SINCLAIR, A. (2013) Zine-Making as a Pedagogical Tool for Transformative Learning in Social Work Education. Social Work Education, 33(3), 296–316.
- SAHAGIAN, J. (2022) UVA Library | Scholar’s Lab. [online]. Zine-Making as Critical DH Pedagogy.
- Zine Making as A Method (2020) YouTube Video.
Reflective Questions
- How would you describe the space or environment of a typical academic classroom? How would introducing a tool like this change that dynamic? Is that something you would want? Why or why not?
- Are there any concepts within your programme or course that would benefit from being reflected on in a non-traditional way? What elements of this approach would be useful for this and how would they be different from a more traditional academic assignment?
References:
ALVAREZ LORENZO, F. and GILMORE, C. (2021) Alternative Values and Stigmatized Agents: Communicating Legitimacy in the Creative Industries. The Journal of Arts Management, Law, and Society, 51(2), 113–126.
ASHTARI, A., HUQ, E., and MIRAFTAB, F. (2022) The Joy of Many Stories: Zine-making and Story-mapping in Planning Pedagogy. Planning Practice & Research, 1–18.
BREBENEL, M. and DE BRUIN-MOLÉ, M. (2020) The Carrier Bag of Feminist Pedagogy: Zine-making as Training in the Neoliberal University. MAI: Feminism & Visual Culture.
BRKIĆ, A. (2009) Teaching Arts Management: Where Did We Lose the Core Ideas? The Journal of Arts Management, Law, and Society, 38(4), 270–280.
BROWN, A., HURLEY, M., PERRY, S., and ROCHE, J. (2021) Zines as Reflective Evaluation Within Interdisciplinary Learning Programmes. Frontiers in Education, 6.
BURNS, S. and PICHILINGI, D. (2000) Training Artists as Managers within a Higher Education Context: A Case Study. Journal of Arts Management Law and Society, 30, 113–122.
CREASAP, K. (2014) Zine-Making as Feminist Pedagogy. Feminist Teacher, 14(3), 155-168.
CUYLER, A.C., DURRER, V., and NISBETT, M. (2020) Steadfastly white, female, hetero and able-bodied: An international survey on the motivations and experiences of arts management graduates. International Journal of Arts Management, 22(3), 5–16.
DESYLLAS, M.C. and SINCLAIR, A. (2013) Zine-Making as a Pedagogical Tool for Transformative Learning in Social Work Education. Social Work Education, 33(3), 296–316.
DEVEREAUX, C., 2009. Cultural Management and the Discourse of Practice. In Bekmeier-Feuerhahn, S., Berg, K., Höhne, S., Keller, R., Koch, A., Mandel, B., Tröndle, M. and Zembylas, T. (eds.) Forschen im Kulturmanagement: Jahrbuch für Kulturmanagement (pp. 155-168). DIMAGGIO, P. (1987) Managers of the arts: careers and opinions of senior administrators of U.S. art museums, symphony orchestras, resident theatres, and local arts agencies, National Endowment for the Arts, 20, 1-102.
DRAGIĆEVIĆ ŠEŠIĆ, M. (2018) Cultural Management as a Teaching/Research Discipline-an act of resistance or an act of adaptation. In Wróblewski, L., Dacko-Pikiewicz, D., and Liu, J.C.Y. (eds.) Cultural Management: From Theory to Practice (pp.7-11). London, UK: London Scientific Ltd.
DURRER, V. (2020) A Call for Reflexivity: Implications of the Internationalisation Agenda for Arts Management Programmes Within Higher Education. In Durrer, V., Henze, R. (eds.) Managing Culture: Reflecting on Exchange in Global Times (pp. 173–203). Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan.
HEIDELBERG, B.M. (2018) The State of Arts Management Education Literature in the United States. In Wróblewski, L., Dacko-Pikiewicz, Z., Liu, J. C. Y. (eds.) Cultural Management: From Theory to Practice (pp. 43-66). London, UK: London Scientific Ltd.
HEIDELBERG, B.M. (2019) The professionalization of arts management in the United States: are we there yet? Cultural Management: Science and Education, 3(1), 53–66.
MACPHERSON, A. (2024) Exploring the use of zines in the classroom – Conversation with Alan MacPherson and Caitlin McKinnon. TEAMS Call.
MARTIN, D.J. and RICH, J.D. (1998) Assessing the Role of Formal Education in Arts Administration Training. The Journal of Arts Management, Law, and Society, 28(1), 4–26.
MCKINNON, C. (2020) ‘Arts Management Education and Professionalisation’, MA Dissertation.
MCKINNON, C. (2024a) Findings – Zine Workshops. Unpublished Findings. Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh.
MCKINNON, C. (2024b) Me, a practice researcher? Reflecting on the ‘doing’ of research. [online]. Available from: https://www.qmu.ac.uk/campus-life/blogs/caitlin-mckinnon/me-a-practice-researcher-reflecting-on-the-doing-of-research/.
MOON, J. (2001) PDP Working Paper 4 Reflection in Higher Education Learning. LTSN Generic Centre.
ROSENSTEIN, C. (2013) The MFA in Arts Management. The Journal of Arts Management, Law, and Society, 43(2), 106–114.
SAHAGIAN, J. (2022) Zine-Making as Critical DH Pedagogy. [online]. UVA Library | Scholar’s Lab. Available from: https://scholarslab.lib.virginia.edu/blog/workshop-zine-translation//
SHORTT, C. (2024) “Can I Change ‘the System’? A Reflective journey on my inherent distrust of management systems in ‘The Arts’ and my self-appointed duty to disrupt them”. Unpublished Reflective Journal.
SIKES, M. (2000) Higher Education Training in Arts Administration: A Millennial and Metaphoric Reappraisal. The Journal of Arts Management, Law, and Society, 30(2), 91–101.
ŞUTEU, C. (2006) Another brick in the wall: a critical review of cultural management education in Europe. Amsterdam: Boekmanstudies.
VARELA, X. (2013) Core Consensus, Strategic Variations: Mapping Arts Management Graduate Education in the United States. The Journal of Arts Management, Law, and Society, vol. 43(2), 74–87.
Zine Making as A Method, (2020). YouTube Video.
Biography:
Caitlin McKinnon is an SGSAH funded PhD Candidate at Queen Margaret University and the University of Stirling. Through a partnership with Creative Scotland, Caitlin is exploring the intersections of arts management and education. Caitlin holds a BA from Toronto Metropolitan University with a major in Cultural Studies and a double minor in Philosophy and Curation. Fostering a strong love for learning and research, Caitlin went on to complete a PgCert from Humber College in Arts Administration and Cultural Management, before making the big move from Canada to Scotland to complete an MA in Arts, Festival, and Cultural Management at Queen Margaret University. Throughout her education, Caitlin has sought to immerse herself in the arts and cultural world in a variety of different positions, highlights include co-founding a community arts zine in her home town, volunteering with a Toronto Artists Collective during their takeover of a vacant subway kiosk, and working at the Lakeshore Grounds Interpretive Centre to run story based workshops for the local community. More recently, Caitlin has worked on a number of different research projects commissioned by Creative Scotland, British Council (Scotland), Engage Scotland, as well as organisations such as Out of the Blue, The Stove, and SESQUI Canada. As a developing researcher, Caitlin’s research interests include discourses of arts management, professionalisation, cultural policy, and relations of power in the cultural sector.
