Using Participant-Produced Drawings as an Alternative to Photographs in Ethnographic Research

Mazzetti, AS

doi:10.1108/S2398-601820200000005005

Using Participant-Produced Drawings as an Alternative to Photographs in Ethnographic Research

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Angela Mazzetti ORCiD

Downloads

Accepted version [.pdf]

Licence

This is the authors' accepted manuscript of a book chapter that has been published in its final definitive form by Emerald Publishing Limited, 2020.

For re-use rights please refer to the publisher's terms and conditions.

Abstract

In this chapter I explore the ethical challenge of preserving participant anonymity when using visual methods in ethnographic research. Referring to my own ethnographic study in post-conflict Northern Ireland, I explore the how social, cultural and political contexts may accentuate the need to preserve anonymity. discuss my rationale for opting not to use photographs in this context and put forward the case for using participant-produced drawings as an alternative to photographs. Drawings accomplish similar rich benefits as photographs but may ameliorate the ethical challenges inherent in photographic work of maintaining participant anonymity.