Photovoice experiences in the Mediterranean and Western Balkan area, analysis of the drivers and barriers to a successful implementation

Journal title WELFARE E ERGONOMIA
Author/s Evelina Barbanti, Ljiljana Cumura
Publishing Year 2023 Issue 2023/1
Language English Pages 16 P. 59-74 File size 350 KB
DOI 10.3280/WE2023-001005
DOI is like a bar code for intellectual property: to have more infomation click here

Below, you can see the article first page

If you want to buy this article in PDF format, you can do it, following the instructions to buy download credits

Article preview

FrancoAngeli is member of Publishers International Linking Association, Inc (PILA), a not-for-profit association which run the CrossRef service enabling links to and from online scholarly content.

This paper regards photography and defines its social function as an enabler in expressing and communicating a community’s needs, resources, desires and reporting events, focusing on photovoice projects. Photovoice is a qualitative action research method used in community-based participatory frameworks to promote the exploration of relevant topics and the surfacing of issues and resources. The topic exploration was conducted through desk research and online outsourcing of information. The research describes photovoice implementation processes in the Mediterranean and the Western Balkan region with various targets, mainly on climate change, and migration and wellbeing, where applicable. The study defines the barriers and drivers in the implementation of Photovoices initiatives, focusing on analysing the implementation processes of the most fitting projects collected, four from each selected macro area. Further, the research collects good and best practices to provide suggestions for future Photovoice initiatives and starting points to be explored and deepened in future research and analysis activities. Finally, the study assesses, where possible, the target groups and community level of engagement in the activity. After analysing the eight projects, the paper recommends the usage of Photovoice as a tool to tackle climate change, migration consequences and wellbeing, mental health and human rights topics, since it provides data as well as awareness, engagement, and empowerment.

Keywords: Photovoice; Social impact; Photography; Community; Action research; Desk research.

  1. Harper K. and Afonso A. (2016). Cultivating Civic Ecology: A Photovoice Study with Urban Gardeners in Lisbon, Portugal. Anthropology in Action. 23.
  2. Augustová K. (2021). Photovoice as a Research Tool of the “Game” Along the “Balkan Route”. In: Nikielska-Sekula K. and Desille A., editors, Visual Methodology in Migration Studies. IMISCOE Research Series. Springer, Cham. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-67608-7_11
  3. Bennett N. and Dearden P. (2013). Why local people do not support conservation: Community perceptions of marine protected area livelihood impacts, governance and management in Thailand. Marine Policy, 44: 107-116.
  4. Coronado C., Fernández da Santa S., Freijomil Vázquez C. and Andina-Diaz E. (2020). Using photovoice to explore the impact on a student community after including cross-sectional content on environmental sustainability in a university subject: a case study. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 21(7): 1331-1350. DOI: 10.1108/IJSHE-01-2020-0031
  5. Ćumura Lj. and Petrović V. (2022). Paulo Freire: From Critical Consciousness to the Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Knowledge - International Journal, 55(5): 959-964. -- Retrieved from: http://ikm.mk/ojs/index.php/kij/article/view/5760 (Doi in progress).
  6. Davis J.F. and Mitchell T. (2021). Understanding Racial Capitalism using the Photovoice method: Black tourism in France. Journal of Marketing Management, 38(15-16): 1691-1726. DOI: 10.1080/0267257X.2021.1917643
  7. Derr V. and Simons J. (2019). Environmental Education Research A review of photovoice applications in environment, sustainability, and conservation contexts: is the method maintaining its emancipatory intents? Environmental Education Research, 26. DOI: 10.1080/13504622.2019.1693511
  8. Gullón P., Díez J. Conde P., Ramos C., Márquez V., Badland H., Escobar F. and Franco M. (2019). Using Photovoice to Examine Physical Activity in the Urban Context and Generate Policy Recommendations: The Heart Healthy Hoods Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 16: 1-16.
  9. Nykiforuk C.I.J., Vallianatos H. and Nieuwendyk L.M. (2011). Photovoice as a Method for Revealing Community Perceptions of the Built and Social Environment. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 10(2): 103-124. DOI: 10.1177/160940691101000201
  10. Rudkin J.K and Davis A. (2007). Photography as a tool for understanding youth connections to their neighbourhood. Children, Youth and Empowerment, 17(4): 107-123.
  11. Russo S., Hissa K., Murphy B. and Gunson B. (2021). Photovoice, emergency management and climate change: A comparative case-study approach. Qualitative Research, 21(4): 568-585.
  12. Semigina T. (2022). Методологія фотоголос (photovoice) у дослідженнях ізсоціальної роботи / Photovoice methodology in social work research. Social work and education, 9: 210-225. DOI: 10.25128/2520-6230.22.2.3
  13. Wang C. and Burris M.A. (1997). Photovoice: Concept, Methodology, and Use for Participatory Needs Assessment. Health Education & Behavior, 24(3): 369-387. DOI: 10.1177/109019819702400309
  14. Wang C. and Burris M.A. (1994). Empowerment through Photo Novella: Portraits of Participation. Health Education & Behavior, 21(2): 171-186. DOI: 10.1177/109019819402100204

Evelina Barbanti, Ljiljana Cumura, Photovoice experiences in the Mediterranean and Western Balkan area, analysis of the drivers and barriers to a successful implementation in "WELFARE E ERGONOMIA" 1/2023, pp 59-74, DOI: 10.3280/WE2023-001005