This document discusses considerations for conducting research on migration and health in southern Africa. It addresses topics such as the appropriate use of visual methods, participatory research approaches, knowledge production and ethics. Specifically, it emphasizes the importance of power dynamics, collaboration with partners, disseminating findings through advocacy, and ensuring research benefits the communities involved. The overall goal is to produce knowledge that can inform responses to migration and health challenges in a way that promotes social justice and equity.

1. Researching the research:
the politics of producing, communicating and using knowledge
[to improve responses to migration and health in southern Africa]
Jo Vearey PhD
jovearey@gmail.com
#artsmethods

2. What is it about “the visual” that is allowing us / forcing us
to have these discussions?
– Are we reinforcing the idea / suggesting that there is
something “special” about “the visual”?
– What is “special” about “the visual”? Anything?
Why are these discussions not taking place in “other”
spaces?
– What should we do to be changing this?
– Within and outside “the academy”
The visual makes “it”* visible.
* I don’t know what “it” is

3. Research methods?
[what is appropriate v’s popular]
Partnerships; collaboration
Participatory?
(re)presentation?
What constitutes knowledge?
– Whose knowledge?
– How is knowledge
constructed?
ethics
methods
knowledge
production
power
politics of
knowledge
time
funding
precarity
What is data? [process? output? artefact?
engagement?]
• Who owns data?
• Does data have an impact?
Dissemination and sharing
• What is research translation?
• What should be communicated?
• How to communicate?
• Advocacy?
Who benefits?
involvement

4. www.migration.org.za/move
https://www.facebook.com/t
hemoveprojectsouthafrica

5. Context
• identity, representations, power,
agency
• mobilities
• work: productive, reproductive
• determinants of health
• structural and direct violence
• inequalities and inequities
• social justice and social change
• dual imperative
• research translation
0.74
0.67
0.72
0.75
0.74
0.75
0.73
0.72 0.72
0.62
0.64
0.66
0.68
0.7
0.72
0.74
0.76
Bloem
fontein
C
apeTown
D
urbanEastLondon
EastR
andJohannesburg
Pieterm
aritzburgPortElizabeth
Pretoria
Ginicoefficient
Gini coefficient in selected South African cities
(Figure adapted from UN-HABITAT, 2008: 72)

6. Approach
• power, reflexivity
• involvement, participation,
collaboration, partnerships
• process and outputs
• dissemination
• endpoints and onward prompts
• advocacy and awareness
• evolving, iterative, grounded

7. Ethics
• University Research Ethics Committees
(RECs)
• consent, confidentiality, anonymity,
archiving, ownership, dissemination
• Time / continued consent?© Monica Mabasa, 2010
© Iketleng, 2010

8. Research interests
• identity, representations, power,
agency
• mobilities
• work: productive, reproductive
• determinants of health
• structural and direct violence
• inequalities and inequities
• social justice and social change
• research translation
Ethics
• University Research Ethics Committees
(RECs)
• consent, confidentiality, anonymity,
archiving, ownership
• Time / continued consent
Knowledge production
and methodology
• power, reflexivity
• involvement, participation,
collaboration, partnerships
• process and outputs
• endpoints and onward prompts
• advocacy and awarenes
• evolving, iterative, grounded

9. knowledgePRODUCING
COMMUNICATING
USING
knowledge
knowledge

10. Process, artifacts, data

11. sex work in
South Africa

12. sex work in
South Africa
qualitative studies
exploring lived
experience
quantitative,
cross-sectional
survey
participant
observation in
policy processes
contribution to
policy
development
partnerships with sex
workers and civil
society movements at
multiple levels
engagement
with media
academic
writing co-writing with
sex work
participants
graduate
student
training
interactions
and work with
IGOs