Participatory Visual Methodology for, With, and About Recent Immigrant Girls: Cultivating Decolonizing Physical Culture on Instagram

• In Event: Between Two Worlds: Lessons From Narrative Inquiry and Immigrant Youth

Abstract

Recent reports have indicated that recent immigrant minority (RIM) girls are the least physically active in the U.S. and are categorized as “bodies-at-risk” for obesity and other health issues. Driven by neoliberal globalization, dominant discourses of girls’ “at-risk” position them as "others”. This study thus explored how participatory visual methodology enhanced cultivating a decolonizing Thirdspace on Instagram in which the participants co-constructed and shared their physical culture. Preliminary results indicated that incorporating participatory visual methodology on visual social media platform served as an empowering and pedagogical space by 1) enabling RIM girls to express and expand their understanding of physical culture and 2) advocating a supportive and culturally relevant virtual community against the dominant “othering” discourse.

Authors

• Ji hyeon Lee, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Laura Azzarito, Columbia University

• Ioana Literat, Teachers College, Columbia University