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Photo-Based Research with Vulnerable Groups: Breaking Frames for Researchers, Participants, and Audiences

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Qualitative Research in Criminology

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Abstract

Photo-based research, including but not limited to photovoice, photo-elicitation, and photo-narrative, can be a powerful tool for collecting and presenting data. Our aim in this chapter is to highlight the value of this type of research using examples from our previous photo-based research. Although there are numerous benefits of photo-based research, here we highlight the value of seeing—both physically and metaphorically—the experiences of others in new lights (i.e., breaking frames). We discuss how the breaking of frames for researchers, participants, and audiences can produce more impactful research. Importantly, the breaking of frames not only improves the quality and depth of research but can also have lasting impacts on the lives both of those being studied and of the audiences who view it.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Those interested in more about the methods of the project and the substantive findings of it can find this in Copes & Ragland (2016), Copes et al. (2018a, b, 2019, 2021).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Criminal Justice, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA

    Heith Copes

  2. Department of Sociology and Justice Studies, Eastern Washington University, Cheney, WA, USA

    Alex Davis

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  1. Heith Copes
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  2. Alex Davis
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Correspondence to Heith Copes .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Criminology, Interdisciplinary Research Center on Crime Justice and Security, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

    Rita Faria

  2. School of Public Affairs, Program in Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, USA

    Mary Dodge

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Copes, H., Davis, A. (2023). Photo-Based Research with Vulnerable Groups: Breaking Frames for Researchers, Participants, and Audiences. In: Faria, R., Dodge, M. (eds) Qualitative Research in Criminology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-18401-7_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-18401-7_1

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-18400-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-18401-7

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