Multiple Facets of People and Place: Exploring youth identity and

aspirations in Madurai, South India

Amanda Brown and Suzanne Powell

IntroductionMobile methods & Photography

Key points:

• Breaking down barriers to working with young people

• Allowing a rich collection of visual data

The American College, Madurai, India

Meeting the students

•Methods they weren't familiar with• Problems understanding• Making the students comfortable

Our PlaceIntroducing methods to the students

Newcastle upon Tyne

Aspirations and place

• Aspiration• Goals• Desires • Future plans

“…place attachment shapes how young people see the world. Where people live matters in terms of their access to transport and education, training and employment opportunities and the horizons that they have.” Green and White (2007)

Research Findings

Mapping and walks Researcher projects

• How this worked in practice. • The rich visual data illustrates how well the methods worked.

Mapping and Photography

“This is the centre; this is like centre of city. Another thing, it’s quite interesting because no one can see us.” (Male Student)

“We spend at least – in a day – two hours here […] Not only lunch time; if you don’t like a class… just to escape. So this is a hotspot for all the students – nothing much, nothing much but it’s a place to get out […] you can be much more free here – talk whatever you want.” (Male Student)

“We’ll have a coconut water, it’s refreshing. People over here, when it’s too hot for the body to cool down the internal temperature, they drink this.” (Male Student)

Researcher Projects“That’s the most important person in my life, my friend…I’m so irresponsible, I don’t know my talents, I don’t know my capacities. She makes me aware about my own capacities, talents… she’s not studying with me, but now and then, she’s boosting me to be – one day you will become somebody, you will become somebody, you will be a role model. You have the talents, you have the capacities.” (Female student)

From this……

To this……

“My father always preferred me togo into engineering or doctor. In India, they want their children to do engineering or doctor” (Female student)

In summary……• Mobile methods and photography allowed a deeper engagement with the students • The visual data tells a rich story, please see our booklet for this