Visual artefacts as boundary objects in participatory research paradigm

This article is based on the findings of an ethnographic field research conducted at Sudarshan Layout, an urban slum in Bangalore, India in February 2009. The research was participatory in nature and was conducted in collaboration with Ambedkar Community Computing Center (AC3), a group consisting of local youth of Sudarshan Layout. Various visual research methods such as a ‘self-documentation’ exercise, involving the creative use of a digital camera, and ‘social map-drawing’ exercises were employed. These methods led to the creation of various visual artefacts such as hand-drawn social maps and digital photographs. In this article, I argue that these visual artefacts (hand-drawn social maps and digital photographs) acted as boundary objects, enabled a dialogue and promoted negotiation of meaning between the participants and me. In the article, I describe how these visual artefacts facilitated the participatory research and assisted in collaboration, communication and cooperation between us.