From this week’s readings, I was particularly interested in the image-based research method that was mentioned in Knight. The description was very brief, so I decided to Google the topic to learn more about it. This led me to a posting in the INF1240 blog from last year, where Professor Grimes posted some additional links about image-based research.
One of these links (Centre for Visual Methodologies and Social Change) brought me to photovoice, an image-based research method, which I thought was really interesting. Photovoice is a participatory research method, where participants take photographs to document their experiences. This method is generally used in research concerning marginalized groups, as it allows for these groups to represent their own experiences instead of having their experiences described and reshaped by others. So much is up to interpretation when it comes to research, therefore, what better way is there to gather data than from (literally) a participant’s point of view?
At first when I read this week’s readings, I thought maybe I had printed the wrong ones, because they seemed so different from the other readings. As I made my way through them, though it took me a while, I started to see the link between what we had read so far and where these readings were taking us. In the past weeks we had read and spoke of ethnography. What was missing from our discussion was opening up the topic to social, political, and economic factors that influence social and cultural practices. A number of key terms popped out at me as I read the readings including: cultural meaning/individual meaning, social inequality, discourse, dominance, elite, hierarchy, communication, social power, privileged access, access to resources, access to discourse, naturalization, social representations and the notions of us and them or ‘Others.’
ReplyDeleteI think that what is key here is understanding that our research exists and takes place within a sociopolitical realm. The way in which ‘power elites’ create, sustain and legitimate the power they hold is an important part of understanding the power dynamics of our society. These elites have privileged access to resources (ie. news media) which enable them to reinforce their own ideals and maintain their position in the hierarchy. What we as researchers must consider is the way in which these structures of power and dominance have become naturalized. We must also pay special attention to the way in which this dominant ideology and these social representations trickle down to influence public opinion and how they form the basis of our social structure, social relations and social understanding.
I agree entirely! I feel this method truly allows one to see - for lack of a better word! - how groups live, what their lives are truly like, and how they view their lives-- what do they deem important, or at least important enough to take a picture of it. When reading this, I kept thinking how wonderful it would be to do this type of research with children or adults who have developmental disabilities. Perhaps they are unable to articulate what it is they experience, but to have them take a picture would allow one to see how they view the world.
ReplyDeleteeKwong8 - If photovoice/ participatory research methods are of interest to you, check out http://www.hopeinshadows.com/. Not a research project per se but a great project engaging community. Hope in Shadows is a photography competition that takes place in the low-income area of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. The competition promotes the depiction of the community by its residents "through their own eyes". Work a look!
ReplyDeleteCatherine Richards
Thanks for sharing, Catherine! I like how the photos come with descriptions to give you some context - some about the people featured in the photographs, and some about the photographer themselves.
ReplyDelete