Images and voices of territorial activism: lessons learned using photovoice

Purpose Photovoice has been used to analyze territory, emotions and certain forms of political engagement. However, its potential to study how territorial activists perceive and experience their spatial context and their collective action remains largely unexplored. This article delves into the application of photovoice to research the experiences of territorial activists and draws lessons that enrich its use. Design/methodology/approach Four photovoice workshops were conducted with territorial activists. They were part of ten organizations based in four marginalized areas in Chile with high levels of poverty and complex social and environmental issues. The participants ranged in age from 19 to 65 and were mostly women (8 out of 12), in line with the predominant composition of the organizations. Findings The article argues that photovoice offers valuable insights into territorial collective action by revealing the intersection of social dynamics with geography, emotions, discourse and the spatiotemporal aspects of activism. Furthermore, it contends that the images captured and selected by activists enable us to expand our understanding of inhabited territories, thus challenging dominant narratives surrounding impoverished areas. Originality/value In addition to demonstrating the potential of photovoice to explore activists' perceptions and feelings, the article reflects on methodological innovations and offers recommendations for future applications of this methodology, which includes, for example, the inclusion of Internet-sourced photographs, and the combination of public and personal images, as strategies that allow participants to discuss prevailing stereotypical representations, thus establishing their own situated interpretations.