Inclusivity and aesth/ethics in third participatory a/r/tographic spaces

Abstract

Abstract In this article, my a/r/tographic practice explores the complexity and uncertainty of educational situations in a third pedagogical space for inclusivity through the creation of a comic story. I draw, narrate and reflect on a situation during a participatory audio-visual project with nine young people (9–15 years old), where a learning proposal leads to different and unexpected results for three participants with learning disabilities. This experience invites me to reflect on the extent to which the creation of participatory audio-visual narratives in third pedagogical spaces can lead to inclusivity. To explore this issue, I first question the idea of third spaces of learning as places for democracy and transformation for inclusivity, free from power relationships. Furthermore, I propose complexity and acceptation of constraints as a path of unexpected transformation. Finally, I conclude by situating ‘aesth/ethics’ in a/rtography and propose the contiguity of image and text in comic narratives as an inclusive means to committing to living enquiry through with consent, capacity and confidentiality.