Research

Introducing two key initiatives: In collaboration with Starling Lab, the “Preserving Our Past” initiative is safeguarding children’s war art testimonies to ensure their stories aren’t lost, aiding future transitional justice. Concurrently, our “Investigating Insights” initiative studies children’s crisis art, revealing resilience and creativity, providing profound insight into the young mind’s response to adversity.

Preserving Our Past: Safeguarding History

The Mom, I See War Museum is committed to preserving the archive’s records by collaborating with the Starling Lab, which is a joint initiative between Stanford University and USC Shoah Foundation. The internet, as a repository of civilization’s collective memory, is prone to threats such as misinformation, deepfakes, hardware failure, and technological obsolescence. The Starling Lab brings together historians, archivists, and engineers, with the aim of ensuring that crucial online data stands the test of time.

Safeguarding the Mom, I See War collection is vital in ensuring that the experiences of children are not forgotten or denied, ultimately providing future generations with the opportunity for transitional justice. By partnering with the Starling Lab, we strive to secure the testimonies and stories of these young lives for generations to come.

Investigating Insights: Exploring Key Themes and Discoveries

The Mom, I See War archive is the world’s largest collection of drawings created by children during a critical event. Its volume offers valuable insights into human resilience, mental fortitude, and imagination during times of crisis, as experienced by the still-developing minds of children. Using ideas from visual literacy, such as organizational patterns and specific visual metaphors, several researchers have embarked on studying these aspects in the MISW archive to gain a deeper understanding of the human imagination and its response to challenging circumstances.

Tracey Bowen

Dr. Tracey Bowen is a Professor at the University of Toronto Mississauga, specializing in Digital Media and Visual Communications. Her research spans various disciplines, focusing on experiential learning, professional identity construction, innovative pedagogies, visual literacies, and graffiti writing. Central to her work is understanding how individuals visualize and communicate abstract concepts in everyday environments, particularly students transitioning to the workforce. Bowen has presented at numerous conferences, published extensively in various journals, and co-edited two books. She currently serves as Vice Dean of Teaching and Learning at the University of Toronto.

Dr Max Evans

Dr. Max Evans is an Associate Professor in the School of Information Studies at McGill University. His research primarily focuses on the management of information and knowledge, with specific interests in knowledge sharing, trust, and emotional intelligence. Co-founder and co-director of the Knowah Knowledge Sharing Research Lab, Max is also an Associate Editor of Wiley's Knowledge and Process Management journal, a Full Member of the International Association for Knowledge Management (IAKM), and at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Music, Media, and Technology (CIRMMT). Max has had numerous publications in top academic journals and an exhibit at the Ontario Science Centre showcasing his research. Since 2019, Max has been developing and empirically testing an ability-based emotional intelligence (EI) program for adolescents.