The personal is political: a feminist reflection on a journey into participatory arts-based research with sex worker migrants in South Africa

ABSTRACT

This article offers a personal reflection of my journey into participatory arts-based research with sex work migrants in South Africa. It begins by sharing some background information of how my own experience as a migrant woman, and my layered (sometimes conflicted) identities, have continued to shape and influence much of my scholarly work, including my commitment to engaging in research that supports (or at least tries to support) social justice. Through this article, I offer an example of how the ‘personal is political’ is entwined in feminist values of research and engagement. Those who experience the issues under investigation must be considered equal partners in research processes. Collaborative forms of knowledge production can support social justice, particularly if efforts strive to shift the centre from which knowledge is traditionally generated and disseminated.

Cet article propose une réflexion personnelle sur mon voyage au cœur de la recherche participative basée sur l’art avec des travailleurs du sexe migrants en Afrique du Sud. Il commence par présenter des informations de base sur la manière dont ma/mes propre(s) expérience(s) en tant que migrante, ainsi que mes identités superposées (et parfois en conflit) ont continué d’éclairer et d’influencer une grande partie de mes travaux de recherche, y compris mon engagement à prendre part à des recherches qui soutiennent la justice sociale. À travers cet article, je cherche à illustrer que le slogan « le privé est politique » est intimement lié aux valeurs féministes de recherche et de dialogue. Ceux qui font l’expérience des questions examinées doivent être considérés comme des participants égaux et à part entière aux processus de recherche. Les formes collaboratives de production de connaissances peuvent soutenir la justice sociale, en particulier si les efforts cherchent à modifier le point central à partir duquel les connaissances sont traditionnellement générées.

En este artículo ofrezco una reflexión personal sobre las implicaciones que provocó en mí el contacto con una investigación participativa basada en el arte, realizada con mujeres migrantes que ejercen trabajo sexual en Sudáfrica. Así, comienzo compartiendo cómo mis antecedentes, mis propias experiencias como mujer migrante y mis varias (y a veces conflictivas) identidades siguieron formando parte e influyendo en gran medida mi trabajo académico, lo que incluye mi compromiso de participar en investigaciones que respalden la justicia social. A través de este artículo quiero ejemplificar cómo la afirmación de que lo "personal es político" se encuentra entrelazada con los valores feministas de investigación y participación. Quienes experimentan los problemas a los que se alude en cualquier estudio, deben considerarse participantes plenos e iguales en los procesos de investigación. Las formas colaborativas de producción de conocimiento pueden apoyar la justicia social, en particular si los esfuerzos en este sentido intentan cambiar el centro desde el cual tradicionalmente se genera el conocimiento.

KEYWORDS:

• Feminist research
• participatory research
• arts-based research
• public engagement
• migration
• sex work
• South Africa

Acknowledgements

My sincere appreciation goes to the participants who took part in the projects described in this article. Without their generosity, courage, and wisdom this work would never have come into being. I would like to acknowledge Jo Vearey for her ongoing support; Greta Schuler for her commitment on the Izwi Lethu: Our Voices newsletter project, and Quinten Edward Williams for sharing his expertise of the arts with me. Finally, I would like to thank the Sisonke National Sex Worker Movement, the Market Photo Workshop, and everyone else who made these projects possible.

Notes on contributor

Elsa Oliveira is a postdoctoral fellow at the African Centre for Migration & Society (ACMS), where she also co-coordinates the MoVE (methods:visual:explore) project. Postal address: African Centre for Migration & Society, P.O. Box 76, Wits 2050, Johannesburg, South Africa. Email: [email protected]

ORCID

Elsa Oliveira http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2367-5708

Notes

1 For more information, see https://socialwork.du.edu/research/project/our-stories-our-medicine-archive (last checked 17 July 2019).

2 For a detailed description of Working the City, see Oliveira (2016) and Oliveira and Vearey (2015).

3 The Sisonke National Sex Worker Movement was launched in 2003. Its core mission is to advocate for the decriminalisation of sex work in South Africa and to offer sex workers a platform where they can voice (and share) their everyday experiences, needs, and aspirations. For more information, see www.sweat.org.za/what-we-do/sisonke/ (last checked 2 September 2019).

4 The MPW was founded in 1989 (during apartheid) by world-renowned photographer and anti-apartheid activist, David Goldblatt. Since then, MPW has continued to play a pivotal role in the training of South Africa’s photographers, ensuring that visual literacy reaches neglected and marginalised South Africans. For more information, see https://marketphotoworkshop.co.za/ (last checked 2 September 2019).

5 Read about the Bua Modiri workshop process by visiting the project website: https://buamodiri.wordpress.com/ (last checked 2 September 2019).

6 For more information, see www.mahpsa.org/arts-based-research/move/ (last checked 2 September 2019).

7 Copies of the ebooks are available at https://issuu.com/move.methods.visual.explore (last checked 2 September 2019).