Strategies of Joy in Social Movements
Black Oral Storytelling
Thank you for taking the time to fill out a survey about Black oral storytelling. Please review the information below before providing your consent for the research team to use your survey responses as part of this research project [IRB # pending].
If you are interested in participating in other facets of this research (e.g., documentary, interviews, other storytelling gatherings), fill out this interest form (https://bryant.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_b96d8OaeUDlQRg2). One of the research team members will respond to you within a week.
Survey Information Sheet
Source: Brock DuPont
What is the Black oral storytelling tradition?
Oral storytelling in the African diasporic tradition includes elements such as “call and response” (i.e., dynamic interaction between the storyteller and the listener that supports the energy of the telling, building communal bonds through a participatory style that encourages the listeners to remember the stories), improvisation in response to context, communal participation, and passing down stories (history, folktales, legends, myths, etc.) of the African diaspora. Various performative art mediums in which the Black oral storytelling tradition is followed include (but are not limited to) spoken word, hip-hop, and oral storytelling.
Who is conducting this research project? Whom do I contact for more information?
Jocelyn T. Bell, Ph.D. (jbell13@bryant.edu) is the principal investigator of this project. She is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Bryant University. You can read more about her on the "About" page of this website. At a later date, different research team members will join her. Their information will appear here when that happens.
What is the research project about?
This research seeks to explore strategies of joy in social movements. Social movements’ strategic use of acts of joy as resistance against oppressive forces can help us imagine creative ways to work together for justice. How does focusing on strategies of joy, especially creating a vision of the future, shape how we strategize to make change and what we think a political act should look like? This study will include people with a vested interest in the Black oral storytelling tradition practiced in New England. The Black oral storytelling tradition has been a tool for engaging in joy as resistance for centuries across the African diaspora.
What will I be asked to do if I decide to participate?
If you decide to participate and you are eligible to participate, you will complete a 10 minute survey about your experience as a listener of Black oral storytelling, including topics about the impact of the stories and the experience of hearing the stories in community.
What are the risks and/or discomforts I might experience if I take part in the research project?
Because public discourse, legal interpretations, and public policy approaches to ethno-racial justice movements continue to evolve, it is not possible to fully anticipate all future political/legal risks. To minimize those risks, if you are asked to complete a consent form, you are able to choose at the level of confidentiality you want. You will periodically be reminded of your options. Also, you will not be asked to disclose illegal activities and you are advised not to share information you believe could place you at risk. Breach of confidentiality is also a risk, but a data security plan is in place to minimize such a risk. Also, some questions may make you feel uncomfortable. If that happens, you can skip those questions, ask that your responses to those questions remain anonymized, or withdraw from the study altogether. If you decide to withdraw from the study, your responses will NOT be saved.
Source: Christian Agbede
Are there any benefits to me if I choose to take part in this research project?
Participation can provide you with an opportunity to narrate your experiences in your own words and on your own terms. You will also be contributing to 1) the preservation of Black oral storytelling traditions, 2) the preservation and formation of strategies of joy for ethno-racial justice in the United States and around the world, and 3) the sociological knowledge on culture and non-violent ethno-racial justice efforts.
Will I be paid to take part in this research project?
You will not be paid to take part in this study. Jocelyn is constantly searching for funding, though, that can help change that. She's open to ideas.
Source: Desre Lanre-Ologun
How will information about me be kept private or confidential?
All efforts will be made to keep your responses confidential (except for where you waive confidentiality), but total confidentiality cannot be guaranteed. We will ask you to provide identifying information during the survey (e.g., your full name). Your identifiable information will not be stored with your responses. Instead, your responses will be assigned a subject # which will be stored separately from your identifiable information so others will not know which responses are yours. We will securely store the key code linking your responses to your identifiable information in a separate password-protected file which will be destroyed after data analysis is complete and study findings are professionally presented or published. No information that can identify you will appear in any professional presentation or publication.
What will happen if I do not want to take part or decide later not to stay in the research project?
Your participation is totally voluntary, and your decision whether or not to participate will not affect your future relations with Bryant University or its employees in any way. If you decide to participate, you are also free to discontinue participation at any time without affecting such relationships. You must notify Jocelyn in writing (jbell13@bryant.edu) of your decision to discontinue.
Source: Emediong Umoh