Pictures in our Heads: How can photography be used as a way to reflect on our own stereotypes?
I am bringing photography into anthropology which is called visual ethnography, to open up whole new ways of seeing the worlds we study, enabling a focus on the emotions, the sensual, the artistic, and creative elements that digital media, especially, are providing entire new ways to represent.
I take ethnographic photos of people with distinct and separate cultural identities, such as Hasidic Jews living in Stamford Hill, London. In my project I am creating an exercise to get people to think about their own stereotyping process. I start a conversation about stereotypes first in their heads to confront themselves first on their ideas. Then I show my photographs and talk to them what might have changed in their heads. My focus is young generation living in London. I am using photo elicitation technique, in which images are used by visual sociologists in a kind of interview format for prompting all kinds of discussions.
As discussed with anthropologist Dr. Stephen Hughes future applications of this project is in mandatory citizenship courses for secondary schools or in recruitment departments by people who interview candidates. He explains if their stereotypes prevent them to evaluate people according to their skills and what they can offer, then they limit their business. Diversity is important in work places because ‘multiculturalism is encouraged by multinational companies as it helps them to achieve better understanding of the global market place’[1]. As agreed with anthropologist Dr. Stephen Hughes my next step is to set up my focus group in structured pairing, such as North London versus South London or between Jewish and Muslim communities so that I confront different stereotypes with each other. This study made clear the set of questions and images can be used as part of this photo elicitation technique and proves to have an impact to change people’s mind either by confronting the stereotype or challenging it.
[1] Changing Ethnic Mix: Impact of Immigration and Ethnicity on Consumer Market Demand 2010’, Available: https://www.portal.euromonitor.com/portal/analysis/tab, [October 2005].
