I wanted to put together my thoughts from the literature I’ve been reading. I’m presenting it as my version of an annotated bibliography so you can see that ideas that have caught my imagination from what I’ve read. These are my thoughts, so they don’t represent the whole complexity of the literature but are things that I’ve identified as being relevant to my research and interests in these areas.
I wanted to introduce photovoice through the literature. In these four sources I’ve followed photovoice from its inception to its implementation and use within the library and information sector (LIS). The sources introduce photovoice as a way of researching and empowering a community (Wang and Burris, 1994). There is then a call to use photovoice within LIS (Luo, 2017), followed by two contemporary examples that have inspired my own research project (Hicks and Lloyd, 2018; Tewell, 2019).
1. Wang, C., & Burris, M. A. (1994). Empowerment through Photo Novella: Portraits of Participation. Health Education Quarterly, 21(2), pp.171–186.
This is one of the first articles that I’ve found that discusses the inspiration of photovoice. In this case, the authors are referring to the method they’ve used as photo novella. The article explains the creation of the process and how it was used in their public health research (Wang & Burris, 1994).
“Photo novella is a participatory process that integrates empowerment education, feminist theory, and documentary photography” (Wang & Burris, 1994, p.172).
Identifying the inspiration behind photo novella (that we now think of as photovoice) Wang and Burris highlight three key projects:
- The 1984 Peru-Mujer project that used researcher created line drawings in booklets as a basis of discussion with “illiterate and semiliterate rural women”. Demonstrating how discussion around visual prompts can facilitate deeper understanding of a community.
- The work of educationalist Wendy Ewald in 1975 who gave children cameras to photograph their lives. Ewald’s work demonstrated the empowering impact of cameras on the lives of the overlooked.
- In the 1980s the work of a documentary photographer, Jim Hubbard, who through teaching homeless children to take photographs gave the children a chance to express their own experience and their point of view.
A fundamental strength of the photo novella method was the dialogue between the women, about the photographs.
“We learned early on the necessity of including the women’s explanations for their photographs. The combination of their images and their words explaining what they represent to them was not just compelling the way only a picture can be, but they were true to the eye behind the camera” (Wang & Burris, 1994, p.180).
Wang and Burris recognise the potential limitations and challenges of the project and photo novella as a method, highlighting a number of challenges they experienced. They explore the role of documentary photography and the negative implications that has had on the photographic subjects. Whilst the photographer can gain global recognition and use the image to promote their ideas and thoughts on a specific situation or context, many of the subjects are not acknowledged and don’t receive any financial benefit from the notoriety of their image.
In contrast Wang and Burris (1994) use photo novella as an empowering method to facilitate individuals in bringing their ideas, thoughts and experiences to policy makers. Inspired by feminist theory, empowerment education and documentary photography photo novella gives a voice to those who are often overlooked or struggle to make their voices heard. The discussions around the photographs amongst the participants gives them an opportunity to discuss elements that they may not get the chance to do normally, and from those discussions may arise potential solutions. It was really interesting to read about the projects that influenced the development of their research project.
2. Luo, L. (2017). Photovoice: A creative method to engage library user community. Library Hi Tech, 35(1), pp.179–185. https://doi.org/10.1108/LHT-10-2016-0113
The article looks at the potential benefit of photovoice to the library and information science community. Luo (2017) introduces the methodology and then summarises three articles that used the photovoice method in relation to library and information research.
Luo (2017) suggests that traditional research methods such as interviews, surveys and focus groups may not be successful with all user groups, including international students.
“Photovoice is a qualitative method often used in community-based participatory research (CBPR), where community members take photos related to a particular issue and tell their stories behind the photos in a facilitated discussion. Community members are believed to be more imaginative and observant of community issues than the most experienced photographers and photo journalists” (Luo, 2017, p.179). This links to the observations made by Wang and Burris (1994).
Interestingly in describing the process of a photovoice project Luo (2017) explains that in stage 5, after the participants take the photographs, Luo states “we select a subset we find interesting particularly and ask the participants to do the same” (Luo, 2017, p.181). Reflecting on this it appears that the author as ‘researcher’ identifies what they want to discuss, rather than being participant led.
In the facilitated discussion Luo (2017) calls on the photographer of the selected image to explain the reasoning behind the photograph. The question arises as to whether the individual knows that they’ve been selected and what happens if several of the photographs come from one participant? This puts a lot of pressure on the individual to justify their work. It potentially reinforces the power dynamic inherent in library culture, as identified by Tewell (2019). I prefer the idea that the participants choose their own photographs to put forward.
Aligning with the findings of Wang and Burris (1994) in their photo novella method, Luo states that “The ‘co-researcher’ role empowers community members to become vocal about the needs of the community and contribute to a sense of community ownership” (Luo, 2017).
The article looks at three studies the used photovoice to explore a library related topic. The studies from Canada, Australia and Egypt are used by Luo (2017) to emphasize the key stages of the photovoice method and how it can be used to explore user needs. The examples explored typical library issues, information literacy practice including academic integrity.
3. Hicks, A., & Lloyd, A. (2018). Seeing information: Visual methods as entry points to information practices. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 50(3), pp.229–238. https://doi.org/10.1177/0961000618769973
In their article Hicks and Lloyd suggest that visual research methods are flexible and adaptable to modern life (Hicks & Lloyd, 2018).
The paper looks at two studies that have used photovoice as a methodology, building on the work of Wang and Burris (1994). They explain how photovoice gives power to the participant as they choose what to photograph and bridges language and cultural barriers (Hicks & Lloyd, 2018).
“In relinquishing control of data generation to participants, visual methods provide an entryway to previously inaccessible locations and broaden the range of settings in which information research can take place” (Hicks & Lloyd, 2018, p.233).
The authors highlight the ethical and security/safety issues integral to photovoice, therefore presenting the importance of clear training and enhanced guidance for participants.
In recognition of how images may misrepresent things, Hicks and Lloyd (2018) emphasize the importance of discussion (whether interviews or focus groups) to understand and contextualise both the photos and the intent behind them (think of Wang and Burris (1994) – the photograph of the woman as a tiny dot in the large field she was working on alone. The facilitators suggested she zoom in to get a better picture, but she wanted to capture the enormity of the challenge the woman faced farming all that land on her own).
The clear links with the work of Wang and Burris was really interesting to see as Hicks and Lloyd (2018) bridged the gap from the public health origin of the research method to its application in the LIS sector.
4. Tewell, E. (2019). Reframing Reference for Marginalized Students. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 58(3), pp.162–176.
This article presents a photovoice project with undergraduate students at an American university, it specifically looks at information seeking behaviour (Tewell, 2019). By contextualising their project in the LIS literature Tewell (2019) acknowledges that “libraries reinforce cultural norms” (p.162) based on ingrained expectations, assumptions, and biases. They highlight that marginalised communities, or those outside of the cultural majority (for example “students of colour, LGBTQ students … are infrequently considered in library and information research” (Tewell, 2019, p.163).
Information practice is informed by a number of different factors including cultural background, information seeking, and cross-cultural differences.
Reflecting on the power dynamics inherent in library interactions Tewell (2019) justifies the use of photovoice as a way of exploring community perspective, rather than just the researcher’s interpretation. In presenting their research with 11 undergraduate students from various backgrounds Tewell (2019) stresses the importance of communicating with users rather than overgeneralising.
“This underscores the point that if librarians wish to determine how to best support students, there is no better way to find out than to ask directly (Tewell, 2019, p.173).
Reviewing these papers, which span thirty years of photovoice, you can see that the key message of empowerment that Wang and Burris (1994) embedded in their photo novella research is maintained. The fundamental premise is providing a platform for communities to have their voices heard, facilitating discussion amongst a community that presents their experience in a visual and approachable way for outsiders to understand.
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