Creativity for people in vulnerable life situations: Emerging understandings

From an occupational science perspective human life and existence takes place though the doing of activity such creative activity. According to Schmid creativity involves “the capacity to think and act in original ways, to be inventive, to be imagina¬tive and to find new and original solutions to needs, problems and forms of expression”. Hence, creative activity can be used and understood in multiple ways depending on the ways in which creativity is enacted, under given life circumstances and theoretical positions of explanation. Worldwide increasing numbers of people live in vulnerable life situations, from living with life-threatening illness as advanced cancer or dealing with social isolation due to unemployment or struggling with everyday life challenges caused by mental illness and poverty. Providing opportunities for creative engagement can promote personal, social and environmental transformations for people in such vulnerable circumstances to move from victimized to empowered possibilities from, which they can take agency and manage problematic situations in local contexts of living. Occupational scientists draw on different philosophical, theoretical and methodological traditions to explore and explain the potentials of creative activity Parallel with changes in life conditions for people around the world occupational scientists has in recent years moved from focusing on the individual to embracing the transactions with social others, environments of given societal and cultural contexts. Further development of theoretical resources about creativity from an occupational science perspective may enhance contemporary understandings of creativity and its potentials. The aim of this panel is to present and discuss emerging understandings and approaches to creativity in occupational perspectives To look at different positions from pragmatism to phenomenology and social practice theory in relation with the everyday life demands on people and societies we draw on studies of creativity in regard to: - Immigrants and the potentials of transformation through creative theater - The productive and restorative potentials of engaging in creating activities enhancing psychiatric rehabilitation - Creativity, storytelling and social agents for people with life threatening illness and their next of kin The panel will explore ways in which different theoretical positions when brought together with concrete examples from current practices can open for new understandings of creativity. 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