Intergenerational Family Dialogues: A Cultural Historical Tool Involving Family Members as Co-researchers Working with Visual Data

Abstract

Intergenerational family research is both rich and complex. The choice of theoretical and methodological approaches that afford investigation into the everyday lives of families can be challenging. This chapter introduces a methodological tool that enables researchers and family members to work together as co-researchers using visual data generation techniques to explore their everyday lived experiences. Framed in cultural-historical theory the intergenerational family dialogue builds on the broad concept of informal conversations enabling the exchange of ideas between young children, their parents and grandparents. Family members act as co-researchers involved in the iterative process of generating and analysing visual data. The chapter contains illustrations drawn from a study of three Australian families investigating their everyday family practices. Intergenerational family dialogues were found to facilitate the exploration of family development and learning in motion, over time and between generations. Although the dialogues are anchored in a specific family, the findings contribute to a wider understanding of community and societal practices.