INTE 6720 Action Research Critique #6

I found the article “Hip Hop Learning: Graffiti as an Educator of Urban Teenagers” by Richard S. Christen using the Auraria Library databases. When I initially found the article, the AL search engine identified it as a full-text article. But when I clicked the link, I encountered an error message. I want to give a shout out to Eric Baker at the Auraria Library for helping me track down a full-text copy of the article.

I selected this article because it focuses on using graffiti as a teaching tool. I was hoping I would read more about using graffiti in school, but Christen (2003) writes more about graffiti as a teaching tool in the real world. Christen (2003) study is not focused on specific questions and it is not designed as action research. I don’t consider this work action research because it is not designed to address a need or problem. Additionally, Christen does not identify himself as a stakeholder in graffiti culture in any way. Instead, the study is designed to prove that graffiti is a teaching tool in urban communities. He believes graffiti is most powerful when it teaches urban youth how to operate in the dominant culture while preserving and celebrating their own culture. Christen (2003) proves this claim by accounting graffiti history and how graffiti transformed into an influential medium in urban communities.

At first, I felt like a lot of what I was reading was telling, not showing. I received feedback from Remi about this showing, not telling and I’m trying to keep an eye out of ways other researchers are doing this. As I continued to read, however, Christen (2013) begins to “show” by including unadulterated quotes from graffiti writers. For example, when writing about females in graffiti culture, Christen (2003) include this quote from Lady Pink.

“Girls have a lot to put up against and you have to harden yourself to being called a whore and a slut, and that you’re only going into the train yards to get down on your knees for a bunch of guys.”

By including quotes like this, Christen (2003) demonstrates how he maintains authenticity in how he uses his interviews. Although the quote is gritty and can cause discomfort, it allows outsiders to understand Christen (2003) findings around the discrimination and degradation of female graffiti writers. Additionally, I think it shows me how he uses interviews as evidence to prove his claims. In other articles, I have noticed researchers including quotes from interviews in sections on data collection or findings. Christen (2003), however, weaves participant quotes throughout most parts of the article.

Lady Pink