Past event

Photovoice qualitative method and how it can be used to inform sustainable development research Photovoice and sustainable development research

Mary Abed Al Ahad, an associate lecturer in Population and Health Geography and a researcher in the fields of air pollution, climate change, health and social inequalities at the School of Geography and Sustainable Development will deliver a workshop on the method of Photovoice and how it can be used to inform sustainable development research. This 1.5-hour workshop will provide participants with an overview about the Photovoice qualitative methodology and how it is employed in research followed by hands on application of the method on the topic of solid waste management practices.
Briefly, the photovoice method involves participants (workshop attendees) taking pictures that express their perspective on, views about and feelings around a topic, in our case solid waste management practices. The pictures are then projected, and participants select a couple of images to use as a stimulus in a group discussion. Discussion focuses on why the photographs were chosen, what makes them meaningful and what participants think about each other's pictures. Participants here act as co-researchers because they take the photographs and interpret their meaning for the researchers. This differs fundamentally from traditional research where the power often lies solely with the researcher.