The speech explores the potential of combining art and science. In particular, it aims at proposing, explaining and illustrating the use and advantages of "creative nonfiction" as a style of writing social science. The first part of the paper introduces creative nonfiction as a method of writing which brings together empirical material and fiction. In the second part, based on my ethnographic research of European "crisis reporters'" professional identity and emotional labour, written in the form of a novel about a fictional journalist, I identify five main functions of the use of creative nonfiction in social-scientific research: illustrative, allegorical, organizing, effective, and reflexive. Finally, I discuss ethical implications of the approach and suggest that writing social science in the style of creative nonfiction can help to produce more engaging and engaged texts. While the speech focuses on the enriching potential of fictional narratives in science, it also includes examples of the use of other art forms in research, such as dance performance, theatre and poetry, and reflects on the rise of creative methodologies in general.
