*Note* This scheduling program was not designed by folks who do a lot with APA Style and unfortunately it defaults to listing authors in alphabetical order. We cannot fix this for this online schedule, but the author orders are posted in the order submitted in the printed program available via pdf here.
Over the past two decades, visual methods have grown increasingly popular in narrative, critical, feminist, and participatory research (Prosser, 2011). Mapping and photovoice, in particular, have been lauded by users as accessible and creative tools capable of transcending many of the limitations of conventional text-based methods (Futch & Fine, 2014; Wang & Burris, 1997). At the very least, mapping and photovoice provide enticing alternatives to positivist methods, particularly when working with populations who may experience language and literacy barriers. At their best, they expand the ways we express, represent, and construct our multiple selves; they shift power and agency into the participant’s hands; they provoke critical dialogue between visually documented lived experiences and sociopolitical forces; and they illuminate tensions, contradictions, and struggle as they highlight diversity within, and across, shared experiences (e.g., Futch & Fine, 2014; Katsiaficas et al., 2011; Wang & Burris, 1997). This workshop offers a practical introduction to mapping and photovoice. Drawing from our own experiences using these methods, we will guide workshop participants through a brief overview of the epistemological underpinnings of each method; an explanation of how they are used both to generate research data and enrich qualitative analyses; hands-on exercises with both techniques aimed at exemplifying the strengths and limitations of each method; suggestions for how to analyze visual data; and a discussion of the many applications and implications for broadening our epistemological lenses. It is hoped that by the end of this session, participants will see the world differently.
