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A Child's Right to Participation: Photovoice as Methodology for Documenting the Experiences of Children Living in K enyan Orphanages
Author(s) -
Johnson Ginger A.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
visual anthropology review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.346
H-Index - 18
eISSN - 1548-7458
pISSN - 1058-7187
DOI - 10.1111/j.1548-7458.2011.01098.x
Subject(s) - photovoice , photography , participatory action research , citizen journalism , agency (philosophy) , perception , sociology , visual research , ethnography , photo elicitation , gender studies , psychology , pedagogy , political science , visual arts , social science , art , anthropology , neuroscience , law
Through ethnographic research, including participatory photography or “photovoice,” this research project explored the changing landscape of childhood faced by children living in orphanages in K enya amidst ongoing political violence and disease epidemics. In particular, the research focused on documenting children's perceptions and experiences in two orphanages: the urban K ayole R ehabilitation C entre, a governmental agency in N airobi; and F lying K ites K enya, a rural nonprofit organization in N jabini. Each child was given a reusable 35 mm camera and instruction about photography. Children were asked to take pictures of daily experiences and people of importance to them. Participatory photography projects with orphaned children in both locales revealed a new conception of “family.” Ethical considerations when using visual methodologies with children are also discussed.