Participatory Photography As Theory, Method and Praxis: Analyzing an Entertainment-Education Project in India (1) (Report)

Abstract In this article I analyse the role of photographs, generated in a participatory manner, in entertainment-education practice and research. The main tenets of participatory communication as well as certain notable experiences in using participatory photography are discussed. Our experience with using participatory photography with listeners of an entertainment-education radio initiative in Bihar, India, where participants combined introspection, reflection, and action, is then analyzed. Through photographs and their accompanying narratives, our participants drew connections between the entertainment-education text they consumed and their lived experiences, articulating certain ideas that were previously silenced, overlooked, or rejected. Often, inspired by the storyline of the entertainment-education text, the narratives called for wider community discussion, mobilization, and action. We conclude our article by discussing the potential and caveats associated with using this visual approach in human communication research.