INITIATING CRITICAL REFLECTION TO COUNTER SOCIAL PROBLEMS: Applying photovoice in the Baka community of the Dja Reserve, Cameroon

Harrison Awuh, Maarten Loopmans

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

This chapter explores the application of a method called photovoice to investigate social problems in the Baka communities of the Dja Reserve, in Eastern Cameroon, that have faced and are affected by conservation-induced displacement (CID). Photovoice was applied to assist the Baka to identify and discuss problems and social issues in their communities and to initiate critical reflection and processes of change to mitigate these issues. The guidelines of the critical reflection approach in Freire’s dialogical theory of action were applied to investigate social challenges faced by the Baka communities in their new living environments. The displaced and resettled Baka were given the opportunity through photovoice to express themselves and develop proposals concerning what can be done to alleviate social problems of their communities. The results of the photovoice intervention revealed that in spite of certain restrictions of the method, it has the potential for initiating processes of change, which may also have very concrete and practical outcomes in the communities in question.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationCulture in Sustainability
Subtitle of host publicationTowards a Transdisciplinary Approach
EditorsSari Asikainen, Claudia Brites, Katarzyna Plebanczyk, Rogac Ljiljana Mijatovic, Katrina Soini
Place of PublicationJyväskylä
PublisherOpen Science Center, University of Jyvaskyla
Pages90-107
Number of pages17
ISBN (Print)978-951-39-7267-7
Publication statusPublished - 2017

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