Operationalising community-based research through photovoice

Abstract

Community-Based Research (CBR) requires methods that are participatory, contextually grounded, and capable of recognising community members as legitimate knowledge holders. This paper critically evaluates the appropriateness of Photovoice as a participatory visual method within the CBR principles in a study examining how public spaces influence community social cohesion. A qualitative reflective design was adopted, drawing on three sources of evidence: semi-structured interviews with five research team members, selected participant narratives generated during the Photovoice process, and a post-implementation evaluation with 30 community participants focus group discussions. The findings indicate that Photovoice effectively captured lived experience, local meanings of public spaces, and changing patterns of social interaction. It also supported empowerment, co-learning, capacity building, and recognition of the community as a unit of identity by enabling participants to represent and interpret their own spatial realities. The method generated rich insights into how everyday public spaces foster interaction, care, intergenerational relationships, and collective wellbeing. However, some CBR principles were only partially achieved, particularly sustainability, long-term engagement, and equitable shared decision-making. it was highlighted that participant and researcher biases, ethical considerations, and resource constraints need to be appropriately managed to ensure that Photovoice generates meaningful outcomes. The study makes an original contribution to the body of knowledge by integrating Photovoice with CBR principles to demonstrate how participatory visual methods can operationalise CBR in practice while generating community-driven insights into the social value and transformation of public spaces.