In the Frame: Photovoice and Mothers With Learning Difficulties
By Booth, Tim; Booth, Wendy; Disability And Society, Vol. 18, No. 4, pp. 431-442Publication Date: June 2003
Paper focuses on a photovoice project conducted with mothers with learning difficulties. Photovoice involves providing people with cameras so that they can use the pictures they take to help put their lives into perspective. Photovoice has three main goals: (1) to encourage people to reflect upon and record aspects of their own identity and experience; (2) to enable people to find inner strength and common cause with others through sharing and discussion; and (3) to project a vision of their lives that might help to educate others. This particular project was conducted as part of a Supported Learning Project for mothers with learning disabilities. A total of 16 mothers volunteered to take part in the project, while all were given a Kodak disposable camera. The participants were asked to take pictures of people, places, and things that were important to them. Once the pictures were developed, each album was discussed with the individual participant in order to gain an understanding of the pictures’ significance, while the mothers were invited to share their photographs as a group as a basis to get to know one another better. The primary theories derived from the project are discussed, as they included the following: (1) the primacy of children, (2) the importance of place, (3) the significance of friends, (4) the absence of partners, (5) the low profile of family, and (5) the invisibility of supports. The authors discuss how the project led the participants to view themselves with a stronger sense of individuality. The project was conducted by researchers at the Department of Sociological Studies at the University of Sheffield in England.
Published by: Taylor & Francis, Limited (Website:http://taylorandfrancis.org)
Taylor & Francis, Limited (Web Site: http://taylorandfrancis.org )
