Translational Impacts of New Research Trends in Epigenetics and Cognitive Neuroscience on the Perinatal Experience: Arts-Based Research-Creation

The field of epigenetics sheds light on mechanisms by which maternal environment influences outcomes in child development and neuroscience findings indicate that experiences during neurobiologically critical periods irreversibly influence the brain. This research has been of enormous interest to the media and public. This is the first study to investigate systematically how popular translations of neuroscientific and epigenetic research are interpreted by women and whether/how they affect women’s experiences and mental health during the perinatal period. A parent project combines circumscribed digital ethnography and focus groups with pregnant women/new mothers. An arts-informed research subproject is constituted by a visually dominant methodology where film is the method of inquiry and mode of representation, prioritizing emotional richness in women s narratives of lived experience. Partnership with a film production company is a bidirectional relationship: research informing and invigorating the private arts/entertainment sector and the private arts/entertainment sector informing and invigorating arts-based research production and dissemination.

Faculty Supervisor:

Suparna Choudhury

Student:

Partner:

Catbird Productions

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Information and cultural industries

University:

McGill University

Program: