A dialogue and reflection on photohistory: Engaging indigenous communities in research through visual analysis

May 1, 2015

This paper describes the application of a methodology termed “photohistory” in a study examining visual depictions of cultural and environmental changes in two First Nations in northern Ontario, Canada. Photohistory combines elements of participatory photography and ethnohistorical approaches, and is the historical collection and analysis of photographs with participants enabling potential temporal comparison of landscape transformations, identification of ancestors, and assertions of socio-cultural continuity. The authors describe the photohistory methodology in detail, highlight the issues that arose while attempting to implement photohistory in their study, and outline what they learned from this process.

Lemelin, R. H., Wiersma, E. C., Trapper, L., Kapashesit, R., Beaulieu, M. S., & Dowsley, M. (2013). A dialogue and reflection on photohistory: Engaging indigenous communities in research through visual analysis. Action Research, 11(1), 92-107. Full Text.

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