Noland, C. M. (2006). Auto-photography as research practice: Identity and self-esteem research.

          Journal of Research Practice. 2(1). Retrieved July 7, 2018 from http://jrp.iccap.org/

          Index.php/jrp/article/view/19/65

Article Summary: This article highlights the importance of auto-photography in the study of self-esteem and identity of marginalized groups. It uses surveys as well as other research instruments to study and assess the images that the participants use to speak for themselves and use represent their identity. Using photography helps the researchers circumvent problematic issues such as language and age. The research studies the representations of Latina girls and Indian women using both qualitative and quantitative measures. 

Article Assessment: Noland provides the reader with a new approach to the study of identity and self-esteem that involves photography. The author also presents a well-thought-out and easily re-constructible research methodology. This article was instrumental in shedding light on the importance of giving a platform of self-expression to an otherwise marginalized group in the hierarchical academic institution in Beirut, Lebanon. 

Key Article Quotations: 

“Auto-photography is an improvement over traditional measures in that it allows those who may not be fluent [in] the researchers’ language (or the dominant language of the country) to express themselves with confidence and clarity. Those who are marginalized are afforded the same opportunities, to avoid the sometimes biased traditional (and often Western) identity and self-esteem measures” (pp. 13-14). 

“Because auto-photography provides participants a chance to speak for themselves, it helps researchers to avoid exclusive reliance on potentially culturally biased research instruments” (p. 2). 

Annotated by

Abir Ward Richani  (2018)