Anthropology, participation, and the democratization of knowledge: participatory research using video with youth living in extreme poverty^*

* We suggest you accompany the reading of this essay with images found at: www.tallerrodrigobueno.blogspot.com.ar

^**

** The first version of this article was presented at the XI Argentine Congress of Social Anthropology, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Argentina, 23–25 July 2014.

Abstract

This article aims to open up a debate on methodological aspects of ethnographic research, arguing for the legitimacy of the information produced in a research taller or workshop using a participatory methodology and video production as a methodological tool. Based on the theoretical foundations and analysis of a taller experience with the participation of youth from a neighborhood of extreme poverty in Buenos Aires, Argentina, we argue that this approach is a pedagogical intervention that contributes to the democratization of knowledge and visibility – in this case – of the social role of young people.

Keywords:

• Youth
• video ethnography
• participatory research

Notes

* We suggest you accompany the reading of this essay with images found at: www.tallerrodrigobueno.blogspot.com.ar

** The first version of this article was presented at the XI Argentine Congress of Social Anthropology, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Argentina, 23–25 July 2014.

1. Heritage and recreation policy between generations: The role of children and youth in the debate for the democratization of institutions under the direction of Graciela Batallán and Silvana Campanini. Directorate of Science and Technology, University of Buenos Aires (UBACyT) 2011–2014.

2. We are grateful to the participants and the community organization, El Hormiguero, who supported our research in the neighborhood. We were welcomed into the neighborhood because of the good work the staff at El Hormiguero was doing to support and advocate for the neighborhood.

3. The military dictatorships that came to power in both countries during that time meant that these first experiences were implemented under the protection of NGOs dedicated to democratic principles in Argentina and Chile (Centro de Investigacion Educativa, CIE in Argentina and Programa Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones en Educacion, PIIE en Chile).

4. The workshop was coordinated by Graciela Batallán and Lilina Dente. The team was formed by anthropologists Martin Kraft (video documentary), Florence Ritta Goldstein and Loreley records and analysis of field material). This workshop was preceded by a similar experiment conducted with young immigrants in a public high school in the city of Madrid, Spain, coordinated by Graciela Batallán and Adela Franzé Mudanó (Universidad Complutense de Madrid) in 2008.

5. The group was composed of thirteen boys and girls from ages 12–17. The experience was carried out over two and half months. Each week we met for four hours. Filming took place between meetings.

6. The team developed five booklets specially designed for the workshop: No. 1: ‘Research: A tool to understand and analyze the social reality’; No. 2: ‘The research questions’; No. 3: ‘The fieldwork and interview’; No. 4: ‘Conversation with others’; No. 5: ‘Thinking about the editing of the documentary’.

7. The Cooperation Visual Anthropology Area (AAV) of the Institute of Anthropological Sciences. Faculty of Arts at the University of Buenos Aires allowed the convergence between the fundamentals of workshop research and visual anthropology. We thank Carmen Guarini for his comments on the footage.

8. The struggle for the development of the ‘villas’ in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires intensified in 2013 with street protests and meetings in the Legislature asking for compliance with the law No. 148 of 1998 which provides for ‘redevelopment and the right to live in decent housing conditions in the city’. This is the first law to recognized the right of those who live in the ‘villas’ to design development projects with the City Government representatives. This law remains unenforced.

9. The first source refers to a research workshop held in Madrid in 2008. The second source is an ethnographic interview in which the interviewer adds visual props such as photographs to evoke emotional memories from participants. (Interview with Cesar Gonzalez by Ana Cacopardo for the program Debidas stories, Canal Encuentro, Ministry of Education of Argentina).