Writing to Repair: The Affective Power of Letter Writing as Method Toward Renewal

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Sunday 8:00 am Four Seasons Ballroom 1
  In Roundtable Session: Expanding and Rethinking Methods (Table 5)

Abstract

This paper explores how embracing the affective dimensions of methodology, specifically through letter writing, can deepen our understanding of the harms we encounter in our lives and work, and the many potential avenues to remedy and repair. By presenting correspondence as a nuanced research method that integrates theory and practice, the paper argues that letter writing invites both researchers and participants to engage with emotionality and the more-than-human connections that shape our experiences. Through reflections from a correspondence project, the paper demonstrates how written communication fosters intimate reflection, allowing for a richer, more personal data collection process. The significance lies in how this method supports holistic repair and nuanced insights, offering a renewed hope for a more just world.

Author

• Elena H. Silverman, Indiana University - Indianapolis