O'Brien, V and Wittlin F (2009) Participatory Visual Ethnography, Visual Activism and Community Development in the Rocinha Favela. The Challenge of Global Social inquiry, British Sociological Association Conference, Cardiff, 16th April.

1. Participatory Visual Ethnography,
Visual Activism and Community Development
in the Rocinha Favela.
Vincent O’Brien Flavio Wittlin

2. ‘Expert’ Research

3. ‘Expert’ Research
Researcher

4. ‘Expert’ Research
Researcher
Target
Population

5. ‘Expert’ Research
Researcher
Target
Subjects
Population

6. ‘Expert’ Research
Target
Researcher
Population

7. ‘Expert’ Research
Target
Researcher
Population
Analyse

8. ‘Expert’ Research
Interpret
Target
Researcher
Population
Analyse

9. ‘Expert’ Research
Interpret
Target
Researcher Disseminate
Population
Analyse

10. ‘Expert’ Research
Experts
Interpret
Target
Researcher Disseminate
Population
Analyse

11. ‘Expert’ Research
Experts
Interpret
Target
Researcher Disseminate Policy Makers
Population
Analyse

12. ‘Expert’ Research
Experts
Interpret
Target
Researcher Disseminate Policy Makers
Population
Analyse
Providers

14. Participatory Research
Researcher
Focus
Participant

15. Participatory Research
Researcher
Focus Analysis
Participant

16. Participatory Research
Dissemination
Researcher
Focus Analysis
Participant
Dissemination

17. Participatory Research
Dissemination
Researcher
Action
Focus Analysis
Participant
Dissemination

19. Why use visual
methods?
• Visual representation is embedded within all
human societies
• Visual communication complements verbal and
textual communication
• Provide a rich source of data, not recordable
in other forms
• ‘Expose’ author and researcher perspectives

21. Cultural

22. Capture

23. Visibility Capture

24. Visibility Capture
Dialogue

25. Visibility Capture Expertise
Dialogue

26. Rocinha Favela, Rio de Janeiro

27. Rocinha Favela, Rio de Janeiro
Population 150,000- 200,000
(est.)

28. Rocinha Favela, Rio de Janeiro
Population 150,000- 200,000
(est.)
60,000 Houses

29. Rocinha Favela, Rio de Janeiro
Population 150,000- 200,000
(est.)
60,000 Houses
$5m per month drug trade

30. Rocinha Favela, Rio de Janeiro
Population 150,000- 200,000
(est.)
60,000 Houses
$5m per month drug trade
Migrant population

31. Rocinha Favela, Rio de Janeiro
Population 150,000- 200,000
(est.)
60,000 Houses
$5m per month drug trade
Migrant population
Literacy - 66%

32. Rocinha Favela, Rio de Janeiro
Population 150,000- 200,000
(est.)
60,000 Houses
$5m per month drug trade
Migrant population
Literacy - 66%
Income - $25 per month

33. Rocinha Favela, Rio de Janeiro
Population 150,000- 200,000
(est.)
60,000 Houses
$5m per month drug trade
Migrant population
Literacy - 66%
Income - $25 per month
Violence between drug gangs and
Police

46. Rat Infestation

47. Visual Activism

48. Visual Activism
• Construction
• requires reflexive engagement
• facilitates personal change
• encourages collaborative analysis and raises
awareness of community issues

49. Visual Activism
• Construction
• requires reflexive engagement
• facilitates personal change
• encourages collaborative analysis and raises
awareness of community issues
Dissemination
• encourages community debate
• contested interpretation of issues
• informs and supports social advocacy

50. Visual Activism
• Construction
• requires reflexive engagement
• facilitates personal change
• encourages collaborative analysis and raises
awareness of community issues
Dissemination
• encourages community debate
• contested interpretation of issues
• informs and supports social advocacy
Sustainability
• develops reflexive research and analytical skills
• participatory, collaborative, personal and community
development
• creative public outputs can raise income to support
development