Event Title

Considerations of Photography, Social Justice, and the Role of the Outsider

Location

Hart 113

Start Time

12-5-2016 11:25 AM

End Time

12-5-2016 11:40 AM

Description

In 2015, I worked with about fifty individuals in Malawi, lending each volunteer a camera, asking them to document things in their village or homes they thought were special, that needed "fixing" or change, or simply the things that are meaningful in their daily lives. My previous work has shown that westerners’ views of Malawian social problems often conflict with what Malawians themselves view as their biggest needs. And not only westerners: elite Malawians who work in government or in non-governmental organizations often claim to be "voices for the voiceless" but are largely responding to donor and government priorities. This FLRG funded project is a unique practical and theoretical attempt to skirt some of the inequalities that seem inherent to development work. By allowing average Malawians to document their lives, I hope to use the power of visual aids to have Malawians speak for themselves, identifying their needs, goals, and joys. The outcome of the summer pilot project is promising: respondents said they enjoyed the project, thinking through these issues, and want to work together on an actual local development issue.

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Moderator: James Pearson

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May 12th, 11:25 AM May 12th, 11:40 AM

Considerations of Photography, Social Justice, and the Role of the Outsider

Hart 113

In 2015, I worked with about fifty individuals in Malawi, lending each volunteer a camera, asking them to document things in their village or homes they thought were special, that needed "fixing" or change, or simply the things that are meaningful in their daily lives. My previous work has shown that westerners’ views of Malawian social problems often conflict with what Malawians themselves view as their biggest needs. And not only westerners: elite Malawians who work in government or in non-governmental organizations often claim to be "voices for the voiceless" but are largely responding to donor and government priorities. This FLRG funded project is a unique practical and theoretical attempt to skirt some of the inequalities that seem inherent to development work. By allowing average Malawians to document their lives, I hope to use the power of visual aids to have Malawians speak for themselves, identifying their needs, goals, and joys. The outcome of the summer pilot project is promising: respondents said they enjoyed the project, thinking through these issues, and want to work together on an actual local development issue.