MAshNup as method: a gestalt qualitative practice using metaphor, arts-based research, and narrative analysis

This article provides a rationale, step-by-step process, and illustration of a playful qualitative method that provides deep reflection and understanding of the ways that people are viewing, narrating, and feeling a specific aspect of their experience. We call this iterative and multi-sensory approach MAshNup , with the word itself indicating the gestalt nature as a ‘mash-up’ and the capitalization highlighting the key elements of M etaphor, A rt, and N arrative. MAshNup serves a variety of purposes across scholarly, pedagogical, and professional venues, but it is an especially useful qualitative method to use among groups of people making sense of situations or experiences that are difficult to articulate via typical, text-based, question–answer interviews. This difficulty in articulation may be due to the experience being traumatic, ambiguous, or yet-to-be named. The article describes MAshNup’s methodological and paradigmatic roots, overviews its key elements, and details the step-by-step process using two extended examples. Along the way, we provide visuals as well as an action worksheet for use with participants. We close with key advantages and purposes of MAshNup, limitations of the method, and what this method might suggest about future directions in qualitative practice.