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JARring:makingphEmaterialistresearchpracticesmatter

ByEmmaRenold,CardiffUniversityandJessicaRingrose,InstituteofEducation,Universityof

London.

Howtocite:

Renold,E.andRingrose,J.(2019)JARing:makingphematerialistresearchpractices

matter’,MAI:FeminismandVisualCulture,SpringIssue.

IntroducingphEmaterialism:FeministPosthumanandNewMaterialistResearch

MethodologiesinEducation

‘PhEmaterialism’(FeministPosthumanandNewMaterialismsinEducation)startedoutas

thetwitterhashtagin2015forthenetworkconference,FeministPosthumanNew

Materialism:ResearchMethodologiesinEducation:‘CapturingAffect’(seeRingroseetal.

2015).However,itrapidlybecameaconcept-making-event;aliving,livelyeverexpanding

humanandmore-than-humanworkinggroup,whichnowbringstogetheraglobally

dispersedcollectiveofstudents,researchers,andartistsexperimentingwithhow

posthumanandnewmaterialismtheoriesform,in-formandreassembleeducational

research(Ringroseetal2018).PhEmaterialism,combinesfeministposthumanism(Braidotti,

2013;Haraway,2008,2016;ÅsbergandBraidotti2018)andthenewmaterialisms(Barad

2007;VanderTuin,2016).Itsabbreviationforegroundstheentanglementofeducational

scholarsinterestedinworkingwithnewfeministmaterialistandposthumanideasand

practices.The‘ph’ispronounced‘f’sothatsoundandletterformationbringposthuman

andfeminismtogetherinoneexpression.

Posthumantheorizationsdecentre‘mankind’exceptionalism–organizedviatheprivileging

ofwhite,individual,rational,Europeanmasculinity,repositioninghumansaspartof,rather

thansovereignover,avibrantecologyofactivematter(Bennett,2010;Braidotti,2013;

Chen,2013;Haraway2016).Criticalposthumanismrejectsracialized,sexualized,and

genderedexclusionsfromhumanityandprioritizesindigenousandotherformsof

marginalisedknowledgeandmeaningmaking(Tallbear,2015;Weheliye,2014).Posthuman

performativityrevaluestheagentialpowerofnon-humanactors,objectsandthings(Barad,

2003,2007).PhEmaterialistresearcherssticktoandarestuckwith(Ahmed,2017)the

explicitlypheministorientationofpost-phallicposthumanismandnewmaterialisms

(Braidotti,2013;Author1etal,2018);andfindthisapproachgenerativeforcreatingqueer

kin(Halberstam,2016:Haraway,2017).Insistentthatwecannotlosethemomentumof

critiqueconjoinedwithanaffirmativepoliticsofchange,theposthumanfeministasks:what

arethepossibilitiesforinjectinghumanistempiricism(Braidotti,2013)withradical

extensionsthroughourdiscursive-materialresearchapparatus(Barad,2007)?Indeed,Karen

Barad’srethinkingoftherelationshipbetweenethics,knowinganddoing(hermashedup

ethico-onto-epistemology,seeGeerts,2016)andthereforeherrematteringofcausalityand

action,throughtheconceptof‘intra-action’hasbeenpivotalinthesemovesforempirical

researchers.Baradencouragesusnottoconceiveofchangeashappeningtoorfrom

something.Rather,sheinvitesusinsteadtoconsiderhowmeaningisalwaysinprocess,

alwaysmatteringandalwaysunknownbecause‘witheachintra-action,themanifoldof

entangledrelationsisreconfigured’(Barad,2007,p.393-394).Asshesuggests,‘thereareno

singularcauses.Andtherearenoindividualagentsofchange.Responsibility,andtheability

torespondtowhatmatters‘isnotoursalone’(Barad,2007,p.394).

Educationalscholarshaveseizeduponthesepost-foundationalmovestoknowingand

becomingandthechallengestheypresentfordominantandnormativesocialscience

researchmethodologies(ColemanandRingrose2013;Taylor&Ivinson,2013;Taylorand

Hughes,2016;Ringrose,WarfieldandZarabadi2018).Relatedtothe‘post-qualitative’turn

(LatherandSt.Pierre,2013)ineducationalresearchwefindyetanotherreworkingand

disruptingoftheruinsofscientificobjectivityandneutrality(MacLure2011,2015;St.Pierre,

2013;Gallagher2018)thatradicallyquestionsthemakingandvaluingofempirical‘data’

(Lenz-TaguchiandPalmer,2013;Koro-Ljungberg2015)bymappingtherelationality

betweenhumanandmore-than-humanbodies,affects,objects,sounds,discourses,digital

andearthylandscapes-awholerangeofim/materialforces(PedersonandPini,2016,see

commonworlds.net).

Byfundamentallyre-questioningwhatconstituteseducational‘data’(Lenz-Taguchiand

Palmer2013;St.Pierre,2013)andwhatdatacan‘do’(ColemanandRingrose2,2013),social

scienceresearchmethodologiesarebecomingincreasinglyandnecessarilyexpansive.Arts-

informedpractices,inparticular,areengagingandshakinguptheresearchprocessfrom

designto‘dissemination’innovelwayswithnewaffectivecurrencies.PhEmaterialist

researchersarebecomingmuchmorecraftyinmakingresearchmatterthroughcreative

andmobilemethodologiesthatcanofferpotentialnewwaysof‘doingsomethingwiththe

somethingdoing’(ManningandMassumi2014)viaarangeofedu-activismswhichare

miningthepoliticsofmatterineducational/communityengagementandqueer-feminist

publicpedagogy(e.g.HickeyMoody2015,2017;Hickey-Moodyetal.2016;Renold2018,

2019;RenoldandIvinsonforthcoming;Grayetal.2018;DenzinandGiardina2018;Harris

andTaylor2016;Springgay&Zaliwska2016;GallagherandJacobson2018).

Asqueerandfeministresearch-activistscholarsourparticularaimhasbeencreatingethico-

politicalresearchmethodologiesthatmightre-animatetheregulationsandrupturesofhow

genderandsexualitymediatechildrenandyoungpeople’slivesinschoolsandbeyond(see

alsoFoxandAlldred,2017;RasmussenandAllen2017;OsgoodandRobinson2018;

Ringroseetal.2018;Davies2018;Hodginsforthcoming;).Keytothisisactivelyseekingout

waystoconnectmoredirectlywithhowourfeministandqueerresearchpracticesoperate

atthethresholdsof‘research’‘publicpedagogy’and‘activism’–whatwesometimesrefer

toasthe‘more-than’ofresearchwhencommunicatingwhatwedoinmoreconventional

socialscienceresearchforumsandspaces(Renold2018,2019).Thishasinvolved

interrogatinghowwhatwedocomestomatteracrossthediverseassemblageswebecome

entangledwith,fromthemicro-politicaltolocalandnationalmacro-politicalterrains(

RingroseandRenold2014).Inspiredbythe‘intra’nessofentangledim/materialforcesthat

takeourresearch-activismsonunplannedrouteswehavebeguntotheorisethese

encountersas‘intra-activistresearchassemblages’(seeRenoldandRingrose2017).Joining

Barad’s‘intra’with‘activism’,signalsthewayschangeandtransformationisalwaysin

process,alwaysunpredictableandalwaysamatterofentanglement(the‘intra’ofintra-

activism)inexplicitlypoliticalways(shifting‘action’to‘activism’).Anditisthemakingand

framingoftheseintra-activistresearchassemblages,andourapproachtotheconceptof

affectas‘politicallyorientedfromthegetgo’(Massumi,2015,p.viii)thatbringsustothe

heARTofthematterinthispaper.WeemphasizeARTheretoforegroundhowJARring

emergesoutofthephEmaterialismarts-based,participatoryresearchfieldofinquiryand

interventionintothelivepoliticalecologyofeducation(e.g.Hickey-Moody,2017;Renold

2018;RenoldandIvinsonforthcoming).ErinManning’snotionofanoldmedievaldefinition

ofartas“theway”hasinspiredandhelpedustheorisethisprocess.Manningarguesthatto

conceiveofartasthemannerthroughhowweengage,helpsusglimpse“afeelingforthof

newpotential”(2016;47).Wehavelearnedhowthisrequiresacarefulattentiontothe

protopossibilitiesofideasastheyroll,flowandaretransformedthoughartefactsand

events.

Massumi(2013:57)arguesthat“artisaboutconstructingartifacts–craftedfactsof

experience.Thefactofthematteristhatexperientialpotentialsarebroughttoevolutionary

expression”.Sinceitsinception,thejarringmethodologyhasbecomeaprocessof

‘immanentcritique’(ManningandMassumi2015)thatmakesthe‘factsofthematter’in

ourresearch-activistassemblagesvisibletoawidersocialsciencecommunity.Wehave

theorisedthisprocessasthemakingandmatteringofda(r)taandda(r)taphacts(Renold

2018).InspiredbyMassumi’squote‘artifact’,da(r)ta(artsinformeddata)hasbecomea

workingconceptfortheprocessofusingart-fulpracticestocraftandcommunicate

experienceinourresearch-activisms,suchasthemakingofthe‘genderjars’.Da(r)taphacts

aretheart-fulposthumanobjectsthatgenerateaqualityofwhatDeleuzecalls,“extra-

beingness”.Detachedfromtheenvironmenttheyarecreatedin,da(r)taphactsmobilizea

more-than-humanpoliticsastheycarryaffectsandfeelingsofthiscraftedexperienceinto

newplacesandspaces.Mixingdatawitharttoformthehybridda(r)taisanexplicit

interventiontotroublewhatcountsassocialsciencedata,andtoforegroundnotonlythe

valueofcreativemethodologies,butalsothespeculativeimpactofart-fulpractices(Renold

2019).AsphEmaterialistpractice,the‘ph’replaces‘f’inda(r)taphact,toregisterand

treasuretheposthumanforcesofart-fulobjectsaspotentialpoliticalenunciatorsandto

encourageamoveawayfromfixed,knowableandmeasureablesocialsciencefacts(Holmes

2015).The‘act’inda(r)taphactssignalsourexplicitethico-politicalactivistintentions.

Webeginwiththestoryofatroublinggovernment-fundedprojecton‘Youngpeople’s

experiencesofgender’(Renoldetal.2017)thatexperimentedwithinventivephEmaterialist

methodologiesinthehopethattheymightaugmentour‘abilitytorespond’andstaywith

the‘gendertrouble’(Butler1990;Haraway2016).Weundertooktheconsultancyasanact

ofwhatMassumi(2017)referstoas“processualduplicity”,respondingtoastandard

researchtenderwitharesearchdesignthathadthepotentialtogetcraftywiththeneo-

liberaluniversity‘researchimpactagenda’(Laingetal.2017).OneofthepARTicipatory

methodsthatkick-startedaseriesofunanticipatedtwistsandturnsintheresearchwasthe

useofsmallglassjars,stickynotesand‘sharpies’(permanentmarkerpens)introducedat

theendoffriendshipgroupinterviewsinschools.Wewereexperimentingwithhowjarasa

discursiveexpressiveverbintra-actedwiththephysicalobjectofasmallglassjar.Thejar

becameanexplicitlyactivistinvitationtodecorateandfillwithmessagesanythingthat

communicatedhowgendermatteredtoyoungpeople(thismethodiscontextualised

furtherbelow).

Inthefollowingsectionwesharehowlively,disorientingandexperimentalpost-qualitative

phEmaterialistresearchcanbe/come,fromtheintra-actionsintheoriginal‘fieldwork’and

theunanticipatedspin-offsthatfieldedthepotentialofwhatmoreajarcandowhenour

research‘findings’onhowgendermatterstoyoungpeoplebecametroublingandwe

becametroublesomeinourrefusalforthisresearchtobeignored,silencedandcontained.

JARbecameanentangleddiscursive-affective-matter-realisingforceofwhataffirmative

ethico-aestheticphematerialistpracticefeelsanddoes.

Morethanajar:anemergentgenderjarringmethodology

“We,asaspecies,havecraftedjars…foradistinctpurposeinresponsetodistinctreal-

worldproblems[…]thejarbecomesmorethanjustajar”(Koro-LjungbergandBarko2012,

p.258-259)

Figure1

In2015wewerepartofaresearchteamcommissionedbytheChildren’sCommissioner

OfficeforEnglandtostudyhowgendercametomattertotheeverydaylivesofjustover

125childrenandyoungpeoplelivinginfourcontrastinglocalesacrossEngland(Braggetal.

2018).Theadvertisedtenderforthisgovernmentfundedresearchenabledustocrafta

researchdesignthatallowedustobeopenandupfrontthroughouttheprocessaboutthe

team’sfeminist,queerandparticipatoryandrightsbasedapproach(LeavyandHarris2018).

Centralherewasourethico-politicalaimtocreateresearchencounterswithandforyoung

peopleinschoolenvironmentsthatmightgosomewaytoenableustoexplorethe

regulatoryandrupturingeffectsofhowgendermattersinflow,andofferingasmany

different‘ethicalmoments’for‘becomingparticipants’(Author1etal.2009)enabling

youngpeopletotuneoutorwithdrawfromanactivityormoment,withoutnecessarily

havingtoarticulatethisdesireexplicitly.Theprojectwassupportedbyayouthfeminist

advisorygroup(Newid-ffem)–agroupEmmahadbeenfacilitatingforacoupleofyearsina

localWelshsecondaryschool.Together,andbuildingonandcontributingtoahistoryof

craftingsociallyengagedartsbasedresearchmethodology(Wangetal.,2017,Leavy2017)

weeventuallycreatedamulti-phasedprogressiveprocessthatallowedfordifferentmodes

ofexpressiontosurfacethrougharangeofda(r)tamakingmethodsincludingtalk,drawing,

mapping,photo-elicitationandimagesharing(e.g.memes/FBprofiles)overatwohour

periodwithsmallfriendshipgroupinterviews(seeBraggetal.2017forfulloverviewofthe

differenttasksandmethods).

Thefirsthouropenedwithvisual-discursivepromptsthatinvitedgeneraltalkonnames,

clothes,bodies,popularcultureandtheirinteractionwithhumanandnon-humanothersin

differentspacesandplaces,andtimes,includingsharingmoments‘scrolledback’fromtheir

mobilephones(RobardsandLincoln,2017).Thesecondhourintroducedactivitiesexplicitly

focusingongenderasaconceptualandonto-epistemologicalcategory–forexample,as

genderidentityandgenderstereotypes;andotheract/ivisms,including,gender-relatedacts

ofviolenceandgender-justiceandequityactivisms.Toenablediscussionofthemuch

under-researchedfocusonchildrenandyoungpeople’sviewsonrepresentationsof

transgender,non-binarygender,genderfluidity,genderqueerandagenderidentitiesand

expressions(seeGilbertandSinclair-Palm2018,Braggetal.2018)weintroducedaseriesof

imagesofhighprofiletransgender,non-binaryandfeministactivists,includingmedia

celebrities.Matter-realisingJudithButler’senduringlygermane“gendertrouble”,this

secondhourwaspivotalinexploringhowyoungpeoplewerenavigatinganincreasingly

visible‘genderrevolution’(NationalGeographic2016)inlocalpeerculturesanddaytoday

livesmorewidely.

Thefinalda(r)tataskwasthe“jarring”activity,whichdirectlyinvitedyoungpeopleto

considerinanywaytheywanted,how“genderjars”.The15minuteactivityinvitedeach

youngpersoninthegrouptoenterintoamoreprivateandactivistspacebygenerating

theirownmessagesforchangeandinwaysthatcouldbedirectedatthefunderormore

generallytoawiderpublic.Thematerialsonofferforeachparticipantincluded,oneglass

jar,withascrew-topmirrorlid;aselectionofmulti-coloured‘sharpies’(apopularcoveted

brandofpermanentmarkerpens);andsmallpiecesofpaperintheshapeofspeech

bubbles.Theywereinvitedtobeascreativeastheylikedandcouldwriteonthejar,inthe

jar,usingwords,pictures,symbolsetc.Withtheirpermission,ouraimwastoilluminatethe

jarswithbatterypoweredtea-lights,messagesstillinside,andassemblethem,as

da(r)taphacts,atthelaunchofthecompletedresearchforotherstointra-actwith,totouch

andbetouched,andmaybejoltedintoactionbyyoungpeople’smessagesforchange.

Whilewewereespeciallykeentoexperimentwithhowtheword-thoughtjarmightintra-act

withthephysicalobjectjarasacommunicativevesselthathistoricallyhasplayeditspartas

acarrierofdifficulttocontrolandcontainsubstancesandobjects(seeKoro-Ljungbergand

Barko2012),itisimportanttore-emphasizehowthegenderjarringactivitytookshapeand

form,asthefinaltask.Thesessionprogressivelybuiltuptothegenderjarringactivity

throughaseriesofcreativepractices,sothatbythetimethejarswereintroducedthey

werealreadylivelywithanimmanentandaffectivemicro-politicalitythatwasintra-acting

withthed(a)rtaandtalkearlierinthesession.Thus,howtheassociationsof‘jar’as

unsettling,destabilising,vibratingandjoltingmightmatter-realise“topressurizethe

processofthought-expression”(2018,p.130)wasoccurringinaspecific‘time-space-

matteringmoment’(Barad2007).Moreover,whilethejarswereintroducedspecificallyas

potentialda(r)taphactsinthemaking(thatis,aspotentialcarriersforchange)theyoffered

multiplepossibilitiesformappingjarringaffectsinthed(a)rtamakingsessionitself.For

manyyoungpeople,asweillustratebrieflybelow,difficulttoarticulatefeelingsthatmay

havebeenthought-feltinthesession,nowhadadedicatedoutlet,andcouldbe‘contained’

inapsychosocialdynamicthroughtheprocessofwriting,insertingandsealingtheminthe

glassjars.Weexplorethesematteringsthroughtwojarringvignettesbelow.

Makingda(r)taandd/artaphactswith(how)genderjars

“Weperceive-withobjects…participatingtherelationstheycallforth…creatingthe

potentialforfuturerelations”(Manning2009,81)

Figure2

Thejarringactivitybecameacollectiveprocesswhichofferedmultipled(a)rta-makingand

matteringpossibilities(figure2).Forsome,thejarseemedtobecomeacontainerforwhat

couldnotbevoicedinthesession,withsomeyoungpeople,spendingtheallottedtime

silentlyscribblingandstuffingmessagesinside,atasteadyorfuriouspace.Others

decoratedonlytheoutsideofthejar,withabstractcoloursandshapes.Forexample,one

olderyoungperson(age17)drewfragmentedgendersymbols,explicitlystatingthatthey

wantedtheirjartoshowhowtheyhatebeinglabelled,categorised,consumedorcontained.

Subvertingthetaskentirely,onegroupcreatedanadditionaljarwhichtheyturnedintoa

giftfortheresearchertoexpresshowaffirmingthesessionhadbeenforthem.Inthis

section,wesharetwoshortjarringvignettes:jarringqueer-kinandjarringschizoid-

femininity.TakinginspirationfromBraidotti’s‘alternativefigurations’,eachvignettehas

beencarefullycraftedtoprovidereaderswithapartialglimpse,throughwordandimage,at

howthejarringmethodintra-actedinsidethefullsessionandahintathowthejarsbecame

livelymore-than-humanpARTicipants,callingforthrelationsthatgesturetothecomplex

processofhowgenderismatteringinthelivesofyoungpeople.

Jarringqueer-kin

WemeetLou(age13,whiteBritish)withhertwo“BFF’s”(bestfriendsforever)Cherieand

AllanatanacademyschoolontheoutskirtsofLondon.Inthefirstnamingactivitywelearn

aboutLou’sfraughtrelationshiptotheirbirthnameJamie-Lou,anexperiencewhichis

reiteratedandexpandedonseveraltimesthroughouttheinterview.Loudescribeshowher

primaryschoolpeersusedtoconstantly“takethepissoutof”havinga“countrysinger”

stylenameandhowambiguous‘girl’(Jamie)and‘boy’(Lou)signifiersfuelledalotof

gender-basedbullying.Byyear6(age10)Louusedhe/himpronounsandbecameLouison

theschoolregister.LouisthenbecameJamie-Louinsecondaryschool,andisknownas

‘Lou’,usingshe/herpronouns.Loudescribeshergenderidentityatage13as“in-between

girlandboy”anda“tomboy”.Shetalksatlengthabouthavingtonegotiateunwantedand

painfulfamilypressures,fromhermumandsisterinparticular,toact‘feminine’and

‘becomeagirl’.Indeed,Butler’s(2004)‘hegemonicheterosexualmatrix’isinfullswingas

thewholegroupdescribebeing“hassledallthetime”fornotconformingtothegenderand

sexualnormsthatregulatewhoandhowtheycanbeinschool.Overthecourseofthe

session,therearemultiplestoriesofhowLou’sbest-friendshipswithAllan(fromprimary

school)andCherie(insecondaryschool),havebeentransformativeinshiftingtheirfeelings

ofbeing“outcasts”atschool,athomeandinvariouspublicplacesandspaces.Usingthe

interviewtotellstoriesofhowtheirgrouphasexpandedovertimetoembraceother

‘outcasts’,whatemergesinourtwohoursession,isasupportivehumanandmore-than-

humanmatrixofsharedbe/longingsanddoings.

Whenthejarisintroduceditseemstomatter-realisetheaffectivequalitiesofthese

embodiedintimaciesinuniqueandinterestingways.OnonesideofLou’sjar,inbluemarker

pen,aretwohumanstick-figuresholdingtwoballoonseachwiththenumbers12and13

locatedinsideeachballoonoutline.Underneatheachstickfigureisaloneballoon

unanchoredandfree-floating.Ontheoppositeside,alargecolourfulcharacter(seefigure3)

wearingtrousers,andaboldredT-shirtwiththeslogan,“youcandoit”gripsasmall

balloon.Ontheremainingsidesarenames;Jamie-Louinlargeredfontandontheadjacent

side,thefourfirstnamesofLou’sclosest“BFFs”.Significantly,itistheonlyjarfromthe

entirecollectionthatscribesindividualfriends’namesorthenameofthemaker.

Figure3

Insidethejar,Louhaswrittenasseparatemessagesonthestickynotes,statementsof

collectivehopesanddesires(transcribedbelowinrandomorderretrievedforwritingthis

section):

“Peopleshouldbetreatedthesameasother”

“Nouniform”

“Wecanbewhatwewant”

“Peoplewithproblemshouldnotbetreateddifferent”

“Youshouldnotjudgepeopleforwhattheirnameis”

“Wecanbeanddowhatwecan”

Inthegroupinterview,Lou,CherieandAllanarticulateasharedstrongbeliefthat“when

yougetolder…everyonejustacceptswhoyouareandwhatyoudo”.Indeed,eachmessage

inLou’sJarseemstocarrythispotentiality,demandingamoreacceptingfutureforidentity

formationandrecognition.Rupturingtherulesandregulationsofhowgenderhas

mattered/ismatteringeachstatementoffersaseriesof‘cans’and‘shoulds’forhowgender

mightonedayemergeasproblem-free,andwheredifferencecanthriveinanon-

judgemental,equitableworld.Theonlydefinitivestatement,withouttheprecursorofa

‘should’or‘can’is,“nouniform”-anenduringthemeinourschool-basedresearchthat

surfacedracialized,classed,genderedandsexualiseddiscoursesofdiscomfort,fearand

shame(Braggetal.2017).WithLou’shopesanddreamsforamoreequitableworldsealed

upinsideherjar,thejar’soutsidesgetpersonalwithanalreadyhappeningun/contained

‘candoit’assemblageofnamedt(w)eenBFFsandballoons.

JackHalberstam(2016;369)argueshowgender-queernessconvokes“differentwaysof

beinginrelationtoothers,differentnotionsofoccupyingspace”.Underscoringthe

importanceof“friendshipnetworks…whenassessingstructuresofintimacy”,thisqueer

sensibility,Jacksuggests,offersan“alteredrelationtoseeingandbeingseen”.Lou’sjarin

itsmakingandmatteringbeyondthefieldworksite,appearstogiveform-forcetothis

complexentanglementofintra-personalandpoliticaldreamsanddeclarations,permanently

makingthebelongingsofhowthe‘I’(Jamie-Lou)and‘we’(BFFs)ofidentitymatterwith

markerpens.Andwitheachturningofthejar,thenamingsmeet(party?memory?)

balloons,markedwithagecategories(12/13),whichareheldbyandseemtoaffectively

holdeachhumanfigure–balloonsfilledwitht(w)eenagedreams?hopes?fears?desires?

whichcouldbereleasedatanytime,withonealreadyontheloose.Thisemergent,fragile,

proto-celebratoryqueer-kinjarringconvokesthepotentialandlimitsof‘can-do’trans-

individuality–that‘wecanonlybeanddowhatwecan’.

Jarringschizoidfemininities

Shanice(age13)isoneoftheonlyJamaicanyoungpeopleinherschoolyear,whichis

predominantlyethnicallywhite.Shetalksanimatedlyaboutherextendedfamilywholivein

SouthLondonandsocialmediahasbecomeanimportantavenuetobesocialandstayin

regularconnectionwithherfamilyandfriendsbeyondschool.ShaniceisactiveonAsk.FM,

Instagram,WhatsAppandSnapchat.ShedrawsuponAsk.FMmemesduringtheinterviewto

exemplifyorexpandonissuesthatdifferentmembersofthegroupraise.Forexample,

whenherfriend,Jani,bringsuptherelentlesspressuresongirlstopost“pretty”images

online,shesharesthismeme(figure4)anditintra-actswiththetalktosparkadiscussion

aroundthetensionbetweenwantingtobeseenasbeautiful,butresistingactingonthis

desireforfearofbeingjudgedas“attentionseeking”.

Figure4

Intheinterview,Shanicebrieflydrawsattentiontotheracialiseddynamicsofperforming

schizoidfemininity,inthiscasemultiple,contradictory,competingelementsofidealised

femininitysuchaskeepingupone’sappearancebutnotbeingopenlyvainorcompetitive

(seeRenoldandRingrose2011).Shestatesthat“everyboylike,ifyou’retoodarkyouget

likecussedforthat.Butthenifyou’relightyougetlike,yeah,yeah,butthenboysstart

saying,ohlightskinsaretoo...ohno,Ineedagirlwithcurlyhair,andit’sreallyannoying...

butintheireyes,theydon’treallycareaboutyourpersonality.”Shanicedescribeshow

certainInstagrampostshavehelpedhertostop‘crying’aboutsomeboys’comments(see

figure5):

Figure5

Shanice’sfrustrationovercontradictoryandunfairstandardsfacingBlackgirlsinparticular

intensifiesinthejarringtask.Ontheoutsideofthejar,threesides,makepersonaland

affirmativebody-beautiful-mestatements,couchedinwell-wornneo-liberaldiscourseof

Dove-confidence(seehttps://www.dove.com/uk/dove-self-esteem-project.html):BEAUTY

(inblue):I’mme,andbeautiful(inpink)andLoveyourselfbeyouxx(inblack).Onthefourth

sideaseriesoffivequestionmarksunderscorethewordGENDER(inpink)thatopensupa

moreuncertainandcuriousjarringofhowgendermatters,thecontradictionsofwhich

becomemoreacuteinsidethejar.

Indeed,eachnoteispopulatedwithda(r)tathatseemstodramatizeabattlebetween

society’scontradictoryrulesofblackgirlhoodandherownlife(figure6)–messageswhich

intra-actwithinspirationalslogansthataretakendirectlyfromsocialmediamemesand

pedagogicalstatementsaboutwhat‘sket’means.

Figure6

"You'resofullofyourself"NoIhadalotofinsecuritiesandalowselfesteemwhichI

workedextremelyhardtoovercomeandnowIrealizethatI'mawesomeandIdon't

careifyouthinkotherwise.

Societyhasmadesomegirlsthinkthattheydon'thaveaperfectbodybecausethey

don'thaveenoughbootyorboobs.Wehavetochangethat,becauseeverybodyis

beautifulintheirownway.Someonesomebodyisgoingtoappreciateyounotyour

body(loveheartsymbol)

YOURBEAUTIFUL

Ibelieveeverybodyshouldbefeminist.

Howcanyousuckman'sdick,butbescaredtoeatinfrontofhim?.

Don'tcomeatmewiththat"Iheard....aboutyou".Iknowpeopletalkaboutme,I'm

theshitmovingon.

Sket:Someonewhosleepsaroundandisjustageneralwhore.Alwaysbitchyto

everyoneandmostlymean.Youcouldalsocompareitwithaslag

In15minutes,Shanicecreatesad/artaphactthatasyoureachinandpulloutthemessages

(aprocessthatisdifferenteachtime)transportsyouintoadynamicmicro-politicalschizo

assemblagethatpowerfullyconfrontssociety’sinyourface,“comeatme”schizoid

femininity;wherebodyandselfarebothseparatedandtogether(“somebodyisgoingto

appreciateyounotyourbody”);wherefeelingsofinsecurity,shame,agencyand

empowermententanglewithacompulsory“Idon’tcare”,“I’mawesome”attitude;where

‘Sket’iscarefullydefined,withaknowingandowningthatofferspotentialforresignification

(seesimilarpracticesinthereclaimingof‘slut’,RingroseandRenold2012).Isthisa

d/artaphactoforfor‘immanentcritique’(ManningandMassumi2015)?HasShanice’sjar,if

onlyinthemomentofitsmaking,becomeameanstomatter-realise“theshitmovingon”

fromtheoppressive,schizoidconstraintsofhierarchical,racialised,sexualised,abjectand

yetexpectedandrewardedfemininity.

WhiletheJarringtasktookoff,inwaysthatwehopewehavebeenabletosharealbeit

brieflyabove,whatwedidnotanticipateatthetimewashowthefactsofthematterings

thatsurfacedthroughthemethodsusedtogenerated(a)rtacreatedwithyoungpeople

wouldjoltandaffectinwaystootroublesometobesupportedbythefunder(thedetailsof

whichcannotbemadepublic).Tothisdaythose100+jarsremainunderlockandkey,

preserving,likeajarcan,stored,inwaiting,tointra-actinfutureart-fulencounters.The

messages,indigitalformatleast,havereachedthewiderworldthroughourpublished

researchreport(Renoldetal.2017),butwecontinuetograpplewiththeuncannynatureof

thejartobothcontainandconvoke.Carefullyattendingtothecomplexitiesregardingthe

politicalcapacitiesofd(a)rtaineachresearchassemblageisacriticalaspectofresearcher

response-abilityandanintegralpartofphematerialistethicalpractice.

WhatJar’sYou?:co-creatingphEmaterialismresourcesandeventswithyoungpeople

“It’salwaysgoodtomakespacefortheunpredictable.Sometimesthemostexciting

thingshappenwhenyouleastexpectthem”(www.agenda.wales,Renold2016,p.69)

Affects,writeMassumi,canbefascistandviolent,blockinganddisabling-butthereis

alwaysmovement.AsErinManningwritesabout,inhernotionofartas‘theway’,as

process,ratherthanformorobject,whilethesejarsmaybestuckinform,theirprocesshas

evolvedandthejarphEmaterialistpracticecontinuestoin-formourpractice.Thefeeling-

forceofthejarringactivitygeneratedsuchevocativeandprovocativeda(r)tathatEmmare-

routedandreturnedthemethodology,anditsactivistpotentialbacktoWales,insertingand

integratingitintoaradicalresourcethatwasunfoldingandrisingatspeed.Instarkcontrast

toEngland,physicalandpoliticalproximitytopolicyandpracticemakingassemblagesin

Wales(relationshipsforgedandfoundeduponyearsofcarefullycultivatedcollaborations)

enablednewopeningstotakethisactivistpotentialofthejarringmethodologyonitsway.

Followingtheroyalassentofthepotentiallyground-breakingViolenceAgainstWomen,

DomesticAbuseandSexualViolenceAct(VAWDASV2015)Waleswasbuzzingwithpromise

andpossibility.AstheGenderMattersprojectwasforciblycomingtoahalt,Emma

facilitatedthestARTerproject(SafeToAct,RightToEngageandRaise)withanadvisory

groupof12youngpeopleacrossurban,coastalandsemi-rurallocalitiesinWales.Theirfirst

activitytosharewhatmatteredtothemwasthejarringactivityandsixmonthslaterthis

wasdesignedtobecomeoneofthecentralactivitiesinthe75pageactivistresource

‘AGENDA:Ayoungpeople’sguidetomakingpositiverelationshipsmatter’(Author12016,

figure5)inWhatJarsYou?(seeFigure7)

Figure7

Co-createdwithyoungpeople,AGENDAisaninteractiveonlinefeministactivisttool-kitwith

thesoleaimtosupportyoungpeople,age11-18,tospeakoutaboutandgetinvolvedin

localandglobalsocial,culturalanddigitalchange-makingpracticesongender-basedand

sexualviolence-issuesthatarealltoooftensilenced,undermined,sensationalised,

simplifiedorpathologised.InspiredbytheLatin,“thingstobedone”,“matterstobeacted

upon”,AGENDAisanaffirmative,ethical-politicalandcreativeapproachtoengageand

changedeeplyentrenchedandcomplexissues.ItisphEmaterialisminaction,jam-packed

withover30creativechange-makingideassourcedfromlocalandglobalyouthactivist

stories,withda(r)taphactsmade,foundorhyper-linkedto.Indeed,somanyoftheissues

addressedintheresource,includingthegenderpaygap,misogynoir,poverty,mental

health,streetharassmentandLGBTQIrights,areareasthattheyoungpeoplefromthe

GenderMattersprojectwereinsertingintotheirgenderjarsasmattersofconcern.

Crucially,then,AGENDAwascreatinganopeningforthejarringtocontinuetojoltinan

explicitlyactivistresourcethatwaslayingthefoundationsforhowelsegender-basedand

sexualviolencecanbeaddressedwithyoungpeople.Andyoungpeople’sda(r)taphacts

werejarringtheway(seethemakingoftheruler-skirt,Renold201).Indeed,AGENDAtakes

thejarringmethodologyanddispersesitspotentialthroughouttheresourcebecauseitisall

aboutcreatingart-fulencountersthatmakespaceforyoungpeopletolearnandspeakup

aboutgender-basedandsexualviolencethroughthemicro-politicalpracticesofothers.It

alsoincludesasection,highlyrelevanttothispaper,called‘tacklingthedream-busters’.This

wassomethingthattheyoungadvisorygroupwereparticularlykeenonincluding,knowing

howdifficultandriskyraisingawarenessontheseissuescanbeandnotjustintheirown

peergroupsandonline.Aswewerealltoopainfullyaware,thedream-bustersarealsoadult

otherswhostruggleorrefusetohear,supportoractupon‘whatmatters’oncetheyhave

surfaced.

AnchoredwithsponsorshipfromWelshGovernmentandmulti-agencysupport,and

enhancedbytheglobalripplesofthe#metoomovement,AGENDA’saffirmativeapproach

torisky,radicalandovertlypoliticalcontenthasflourished.SchoolsinWales,and

increasinglyinEngland,arereachingoutforsupport,andAGENDA(accompaniedbyour

outreachteam1)isfindingwaystobecomeresponse-able,sharingwhat’spossibleineach

contextandspace.TheWhatJarsYou?activityalsoseemstohavebecomeoneofthemost

popularandaffectiveintheentireresource.Itcaptureseverythingaboutthematerial-

affective-discursivequalitiesofhowtostepintotheart-fulnessofmicro-politicalactivisms.

Indeed,da(r)taphactsco-createdwithyoungpeopleatthelaunchofAGENDAhavebecome

use-ful,intra-activepedagogicalandethicalobjects.Over40youngpeopleattendeda

morningofpre-launchAGENDAworkshopswhichincludedbeinginvitedtotakepartinthe

WhatJarsYou?starteractivity.In30minutestheyfilledtheirjarswithda(r)taandtwo

volunteers,carryingthejarsinwoodentrayswiththewords‘whatjarsus’,‘fragile’,‘making

changematter’(seefigure8).Asthe75policymakersandpractitionersarrivedtoregister,

theywereeachgiftedajar.

1Thecoreteamincludes:MatthewAbraham,VictoriaEdwardsandKateMarston.

Figure8

Theaimwasforthejarstoaffectthosewhoostensiblyholddecision-makingpowersandto

connectthemtotheeverwideninggulfofyoungpeople’sexperiencesthroughobjects,

da(r)taphacts,explicitlycreatedthroughandforpoliticalchange.

Wehaveexperimentedwiththisprocessonmanyotheroccasionssince,andeachtimewe

arecraftingan‘event’whichoffersan‘immanentcritique’throughnewprocessesand

products,whichintheinstanceoftheAGENDAlaunchwasabouttrustinginhowthejars,as

d/artaphactsmighttakeonaqualityof‘extra-beingness’,transportingideasand

experiencesforotherstointra-actwith,andinwaysthatkeptpersonalidentities

anonymous.Creatingdistancefromthepersonalandindividualthroughthecollective

giftingwasvital(giventhebacklashthatoutingwhatmatterstoyouontheseissuescan

incite)andthejarshadthecapacitytodothis,toholdthesepotentialrevolutionaryaffects

–toyieldan‘extra-beingness’.Infact,becauseconferencedelegatesknewthatthejarshad

beencreatedthatmorningforthembytheyoungpeoplewhowerestillphysicallyinthe

room,thewaytheyconnecteddirectlytofeltexperience(theiraffectivelyquality)seemed

totakeonanextra-charge–intensifyingtheirextra-personal,transindividualvitality.

Landingtentativelybutalwaysinafieldofpossibility,wehaveseentheimpactofthe

AGENDAjarstake-off.Inmanyways,thejarringmethodologyhasbecomeaminorgestural

force(Manning2017,p.),drawingout‘thepotentialattheheartofaprocess’,through

‘forceimbuedmaterial’thatismakingitselffeltacrossarangeofcarefullycultivatedevents,

asda(r)taandd/artphactsthatparticipateinprofessionalandpublicpedagogy,includingin

ourhighereducationclassrooms(Ringroseetal.2018;seeBraidottietal.2018).Indeed,

theyhavealsobeenignitingaseriesofresearchactivismsinprimaryandsecondaryschools

acrossWalesandbeyond,registering,disruptingandpropelling‘whatmatters’forwardand

insomecasesre-assemblingtherules,joltingandconnectingtherawnessofyoungpeople’s

troublesandragewitheachother,andwithpractitioners,teachers,socialworkers,youth

workers,policeofficersandgovernmentministers,fromthesouthWalesvalleystoNew

York,inapanelwiththefirstministerforWales,sharinginnovativewaystoadvancegender

equality(https://vimeo.com/258109983).Andwitheachsitevisitnewda(r)taphactsare

madetomatter,andwithpermission,theyaregiftedandsharedtoin-formfuture

pedagogy,practiceorpolicyfromthemicrotothemacro.Thelatestiterationhasinvolved

workingwithteachersin10primary,secondaryandspecialschoolswhoareinviting

studentstousethejarringmethodologytomakeda(r)taandcraftd/artaphactstoinform

andsharetheschools’developmentoftheirrelationshipsandsexualityeducationwith

governors,parents/carers,andotherschoolsacrossWales.Thisispartofacreativenew

approachtomakingRelationshipsandSexualityEducationmatterinwaysthatforeground

childrenandyoungpeople’svoice,rightsandexperience.Alivingphematerialistcurriculum

forschoolsisvibratingwithpotential(seeRenoldandMcGeeney2017b)andthejarsarein-

formingthiswork.

#impactjarsandimage-i-nation:digitalintra-activismsin-formingpolicy,practiceand

prizes

Furthercapacityforthejars‘extrabeingness’tovibrate,unsettleandconnectacross

networkedpoliticalpublics,wasexploitedthroughactivatingadigitalphEmaterialist

presenceinthepolicyfocusedtwittersphereoftheUKEqualitiesSelectCommitteeInquiry

intoyoungpeople’sexperiencesofsexualharassmentandviolenceinschools.Whilevitalin

itspotentialtosurfaceanarealongneglectedandterritorialisedbytheindividualising

binarylogicofanti-bullyingdiscourses,withtheirvictim-perpetratorsubjectpositionsand

obfuscationofthecomplexwaysinwhichyoungpeopleturnoneachothertoshamehurt

andabuse(SchottandSØndergaard2014),thisinquiryreallydidjarwithus.Fortoolong,

childrenandyoungpeople’sexperienceofsexualharassmentinschoolshaslongbeenon

thefundedandun-fundedresearchradarandresearchagendasoffeministacademic

educationalscholars,whosepapers,reportsandbooksforwellovertwodecadeshave

consistentlymappedouttheseexperiencesbutaretoooftenneglectedbypolicymakers.

Herewasyetanotherinquirycallingforevidenceandwewereenragedthatacademic

researchevidenceneverseemstomatterenoughinandofitselftocreatethe‘force-feeling’

(Manning2016)toeffectchange.Thejarscalledusintoaction,again!

Thistime,wegotcreativewiththedigitalonto-powerofthejars.For30daysleadingupto

theconsultation,weputquotesfromourEnglishandWelsh-basedresearchonsexual

harassment(Renold2013;Ringroseetal.2012)insideadigitalimageofajar(figure9),with

theironichashtag,#researchmatters(seefigure10)andtweetedeachimagetotheWomen

andEqualitiesselectcommittee.

Figure9

Figure10

Thisimage-i-nativeinterventionwastodrawattention,notonlytothedigitizedjar

d(a)rtaphact,highlighting,throughpapersanddirectverbatimquoteswhatchildrenand

youngpeopleendureinschool,itwasalsosignallingwhatjarstheresearchcommunity

whenresearchevidencestrugglestomatterandprodpolicyandpracticeintoaction.As

faithful,multi-taskingscholars,wesubmittedevidenceinthetraditionalformatthroughour

‘evidence’reports,butitwasthedigitaljarsthatcapturedthecommittee’sattention.Two

daysaftertweetingthejars,wewerebothinvitedtoactasinformalconsultantsinshaping

theinquiry,thusopeninguprareandcrucialspacestoaugmentthedigitalintra-activismby

connectingtheinquiryleadfacilitatorwithawiderassemblageofgenderjarringcolleagues

engagedinfeministresearchonthisissue.

Threeyearson,wehavebeenharnessingthehapticvisuality(Marks2000)ofthejarsas

digitalda(r)taphactsasstillandmovingimagesacrosspolicyandpracticeterrains–images

whichconvokesensationsoftouchandmovementthroughlookingandwhichhavebeen

createdforchildrenatpublicengagementeventstointra-actdirectlywith(seefigure10).

Figure11

MuchofthisdigitalmatteringhasbeenoccurringinWales,acountrywitharichhistoryof

socialjusticeandequalitiesagendasandrisings,andadevolvedgovernmentwithadistinct

policycontextwherethe‘marginsofmanoeuvrability’(Massumi2015)areoperatingina

relationalfieldwhererevolutionarypotentialhasbeenmoreableto“amplifyandbloom”

(seeRenold2019).MostnotablythismatteringhasoccurredinthecraftingoftheWelsh

Governmentdocument,“Thefutureofthesexandrelationshipseducationcurriculumin

Wales”.Here,acolourimageofalineofjarsback-droppedbyasouthwalesvalleys

landscapeisthefirstimagethatgreetsthereaderonopeningthedocument.Itwascreated

by10yearoldsinanextendedversionofthejaractivityinaproject,“CraftingEquality:

StitchingourRights”whichinvolvedselectingandplacingcolouredbuttonsthatconnected

tothefeelingsoflivinginanunjustworldinajar(figure12,RenoldandMcGeeney2017a,

p.2):

Figure12

Thisimage,amongotherdigitalda(r)taphactsnowsemioticallyintra-actswiththe

recommendationsforaradicalnewvisionofrelationshipsandsexualityeducationinWales,

makingyoungpeople’svoicesmatterandJARinaprocesswhichhadlimitedcapacityto

meaningfullyconsultwithchildrenandyoungpeople.

Moreover,inanunexpectedtwisted‘turn’ofevents,theAGENDAresourceandtheJARS

return,ironicallymakingtheirmarkinanofficialinstitutionalspaceonthethemeof

‘researchimpact’duringEmma’sinterviewfortheEconomicandSocialResearchCouncil’s

(ESRC)outstanding“impactonsociety”prizeforherworkonpARTicipaotryapproachesto

creativeactivismswithyoungpeopleviathephEmaterialistAGENDAresource.Co-

producingthefilmwiththefilm-maker,shesharedthestorythroughaseriesof

da(r)taphacts.Makingtheprocessforce-felt,priortotheinterview,fourcoremembersof

theschool-basedfeministWAM(wearemore)whoformedimmediatelyfollowingthe

AGENDAlaunchcreated‘IMPACTAGENDA’jars.AstheinterviewdrewtoacloseEmma

giftedthejarstothepanel,brim-fulwithmessagesofhowtheresourceandtheirown

agendashavemadeadifferencetotheirlivesandthelivesofothers(figure13).

Figure13

Transindividual,non-representational,more-than-human,inthisgiftingmoment,these

ethical-politicald/artaphactsweremakingthepoliticalityofresearcher-response-ability

force-feltandmattering(Barad2007).Andifyoulookcloselyatthe

promotional/celebratoryfilm(https://esrc.ukri.org/news-events-and-publications/impact-

case-studies/transforming-relationships-and-sexuality-education/)youcanspottheoriginal

GenderMattersjars,temporarilyreleasedfromtheirlockedcupboard,makingacameo

appearance,tosignalhowsometimesresearchcanflyandsometimesitcanfold,but

phEmaterialistresearchwillalwaysjar,andwillalwaysbeontheturn.

Conclusion:‘ontheturn’,jarringthefuture

“Tomakeasituationimportantconsistsinintensifyingthesenseofthepossiblethatitholds

in itself and that insists in it, through struggles and claims for another way ofmaking it

exist”.(DebaiseandStengers,2017:19)

Inherbook,LivingaFeministLife,SaraAhmed(2017)writesaboutbeingroutinelywound-

upbyotherswhentheyareconfrontedwithfeministkilljoys.Feministkilljoys,she

continues,whocallouttheproblem,tendtobecometheproblem.TheyJAR.WeJAR.For

us,engagingwiththegenerativeaffectivequalitiesofourjarringmethodologywehave

beenexperimentingwithaprocessthatwefeelisbeginningtocapturethewaysinwhich

phEmaterialistresearchpracticesareproductivelyworkingwithbecomingmore-thanthe

problem.Indeed,thedrivingforceinwritingthispaperforthisspecialissuehasbeento

provideapartialcartographythroughwordsandimage,howlively,disorientingand

experimentalthematteringofourJARRINGpracticeshavebe/comesincetheyfirstsurfaced

asada(r)tamakingactivityintheGenderMattersproject.Ourstory,joinsotherprojects

andpracticesthatarebeginningtoshareandtheorisehowpostqualitativephematerialist

encountersarecomingtomatterbeyondtheacademy.

JayneOsgoodandKerryRobinson(2019;177)writeintheirfinalchapterfrom‘feminists

researchinggenderedchildhoods’that“dothisworkrequiresalogicofunknowability,a

logicofopenness,andalogicofuncertainty”.Perhaps,inthetelling,whentime-space

contractstoproducetheillusionofcoherence,ithascomeacrossasaknowableandlinear

process,asonecolleaguereportedatarecentevent,“Iloveyourjarproject”.Rather,JARis

simultaneouslythediscursive-affective-matter-realisingforcesthatwhenstilledandprised

apart,beginstocapturewhatacollective,affirmative,response-ableethicscanfeelanddo.

Itbeganwithhowwhatwedomatters,andstring-figurelike,continuedandcontinuesto

matterinexpectedandunexpectedways.

Ourresearchintra-activismsarerootedinDebaiseandStengersnotionof‘speculative

pragmatism’–doingsthatarealwaysalready‘ontheturn’(a17thCenturydefinitionofjar)

inwaysthathelpusstay“opentotheinsistenceofthepossibles,andofthepragmatic,as

theartofresponse-ability”(2017,p.19).Inandacrosseachsectionwehaveattemptedto

maphowourjarringpracticeshaveinsistedongeneratingwhatmatters,insidecarefully

craftedencounters,eventsandresources,thathave,indifferentways,contributedtoin-

formpolicy,practiceandpedagogyinourfieldofinquiry.Thesecraftingsandgraftingshave

required“passionandaction,holdingstillandmoving,anchoringandlaunching”(Haraway

2016,p.10).Andwhiletemporaryexistsanddepartures(somevoluntary,someforced)have

alwaysbeenpartoftheprocessamidstthefoldingsandperishingsofmomentsand

projects,newhopesandpossibilitieshavesometimesemergedandflourished.

ReturningtothesensoryandaffectiveintensitiesofJARringwebringthisarticletoaclose

withthe1520sdefinitionofjar,whichis“bird-screeching”!Whenwebecameawareofthis

variationinjars’etymologicalhistory,weinstantlybeganlikeningourtroublesomejarring

methodologiesandresearchactivismstoGuattari’swritingsonthemessengerbird.Ina

sectionon‘existentialrefrains’,Guattari(1989/2013,p.147)introducesthemetaphorof

themessengerbird‘thattapsonthewindowwithitsbeak,soastoannouncetheexistence

ofothervirtualUniverses’,thatis,otherwaysofbeingthatmightrupturethestatusquo.

Thisstatementconjuredanimageinourminds-eye-itshaptic-visualityresonatingwithour

jarringwaysofhowwhatwedocomestomatter.Sometimesinourparticipatoryresearch

withyounggenderandsexualbecomingsandactivisms,ourresearch-activistbeaksgently

tapawayatthestatusquo,andsometimeswebecome,SaraAhmed’shammer-smashing,

callingouttheviolenceofhowgenderandsexualityjars.Sometimeswebecomescreeching

sirens,creatingresearchactivistassemblagesthatsupportthosewhowanttoexpresstheir

experiences,butatadistance,orhiddenfromviewentirely.Silent,screechingand

anywhereinbetween,wearealwaysentangledaspartofourPhEmatieralistapproachin

themore-thanofwhatwebecomepartof,andouremergentjarringmethodologyis

diffractivelypARTicipatinginthisprocess.Ithasallowedustothinkthroughandmatter-

realisethetransversaljourneyofhowaddressinggenderandsexualityinchildrenand

youngpeople’slivescontinuestovibrate,shake-up,unsettleandjolt(OsgoodandRobinson

2018).And,amidstalltheuncertainty,wehavelittledoubtthatitwillcontinuetobe

productivelyJARring.

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