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Teaching Gender in Social Work - MailChimp

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The most effective application of these techniques will occur when they<br />

are creatively comb<strong>in</strong>ed -- because they comprise an <strong>in</strong>tegrally <strong>in</strong>terconnected<br />

system that is far more useful as a holistic system, than <strong>in</strong> any l<strong>in</strong>ear summation<br />

of its parts. 55<br />

There are important dist<strong>in</strong>ctions between these approaches: “Photo-<br />

Therapy is used by therapists <strong>in</strong> their work help<strong>in</strong>g others, while Therapeutic<br />

Photography is done by <strong>in</strong>dividuals by and for themselves <strong>in</strong> non-therapy<br />

sett<strong>in</strong>gs for the purpose of their own personal growth and <strong>in</strong>sight, creative<br />

artistic statement, as an agent of personal/political/social change or communitystrengthen<strong>in</strong>g<br />

-- or even more broadly when us<strong>in</strong>g the camera for the purpose of<br />

qualitative research or as part of organized community-based research projects<br />

(such as “PhotoVoice”). These practices are not opposites -- they are different<br />

ways of us<strong>in</strong>g emotional <strong>in</strong>formation that has been unconsciously embedded<br />

<strong>in</strong> people’s personal snapshots.” 56<br />

Conclusion<br />

The read<strong>in</strong>g of visual data as cultural texts enhances students’ understand<strong>in</strong>g of such<br />

issues as social order, gender roles and <strong>in</strong>equalities. Pictorial constructs of normality<br />

and social problems are characteristic of certa<strong>in</strong> historical periods; visual evidence<br />

may illum<strong>in</strong>ate social issues of the past as well as contemporary society. The <strong>in</strong>terpretation<br />

of visual texts may serve to highlight peculiarities <strong>in</strong> social relations and<br />

<strong>in</strong>dividual experience and offers a new understand<strong>in</strong>g of the visual with<strong>in</strong> a culture<br />

and a society. We have outl<strong>in</strong>ed the historical and <strong>in</strong>terpretive frameworks of such<br />

methods as photography and video. We have also provided maps that can be used<br />

<strong>in</strong> social work tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g and research and <strong>in</strong> the practice of <strong>in</strong>tervention and lobby<strong>in</strong>g<br />

for social reform. In develop<strong>in</strong>g the visual component of social work tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g,<br />

we cross the fields of cultural studies, anthropology, communication and media<br />

studies, film, art, design, psychology, sociology and education. The application of<br />

visual methods <strong>in</strong> social work teach<strong>in</strong>g comb<strong>in</strong>es practical and technical elements<br />

as well as reflexive and theoretically-driven aspects. Participatory visual methodology<br />

serves to amplify the voices of silenced groups, while offer<strong>in</strong>g opportunities for<br />

community education and social action.<br />

55<br />

Source: Weiser, 1999 available at http://www.phototherapy-centre.com<br />

56<br />

ibid.<br />

83

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