Where Do We Belong? An Autoethnographic Exploration of the Sense of Belonging Through Arts-Based Inquiry and AI-Assisted Songwriting

Abstract

This paper investigates a Chinese New Zealander, immigrant, and arts-based researcher’s evolving sense of belonging through autoethnography and arts-based inquiry. Building on insights from the author’s previous critical autoethnographic studies of identity transformation, this work seeks to communicate complex experiences in new, resonant ways, turning to AI-assisted songwriting as a means to delve deeper into the question of belonging. AI-assisted songwriting enables the researcher to confront the traditional boundaries of authorship and explore how identity can be expressed and interpreted through collaboration with a non-human entity. This partnership allows the author to take on multiple roles, as composer, performer, and listener, mirroring the complexity of an evolving sense of self and challenging conventional notions of ownership in creative work. Rather than replacing the embodied engagement of autoethnography, this study invites a rethinking of practice in the AI age. This creative collaboration provokes reflection on key questions: Can AI authentically reflect the deeply personal experiences central to the narrative of belonging? What ethical implications arise when AI technology is used in critical self-inquiry? This paper contributes to the growing discourse on generative AI and autoethnography by offering insights into how AI can be both a tool for creative expression and a catalyst for deeper self-reflection. By embracing both the possibilities and challenges that AI presents, this paper intends to expand the boundaries of critical autoethnography and invites others to consider how AI technology can be integrated into their own research practices with care, intentions, and reflexivity.