Paper
Collaborative Visions: Reimagining Visual Representations Through Ethnography and Photography
presenters
dafina gashi
Nationality: Italia
Residence: Germany
Presence:Online
This research explores the combined use of photography and ethnography to examine the representation and perception of migrant women's bodies. The goal is to offer a nuanced perspective on their experiences, avoiding reducing ethnography to mere "data extraction" (Ingold 2014).
Ethnographic methods and their reflective nature have deeply influenced my artistic work. By tracing my background in photography and anthropology, I emphasize the integrated use of visual and ethnographic representations as tools for interaction and co-construction of meaning. This approach aims to "liberate" migrant women's stories from stereotypical representations tied to their migratory background, portraying them instead as women narrating their own stories.
These multimodal research practices position anthropology as a discipline focused on "the production of knowledge and ways of knowing, rather than merely the collection of data" (Pink 2013, 35). Photography, seen as a conversational practice (Gunthert 2015), uses captured images to initiate and sustain meaningful dialogues.
Adopting a feminist lens, this method reimagines visual knowledge construction by emphasizing the collaborative and creative aspects of research. It seeks to undo inequalities by offering a platform for marginalized voices, fostering an inclusive and participatory process that challenges traditional power dynamics in knowledge production.
Keywords:
#visual knowledge construction #photography #bodies #women