Send message to Authors

Paper short abstract:

We would like to bring a hands-on exploration of how visual storyboards can transform research on marginalized communities specially in Mumbai and Delhi in development studies.

Paper long abstract:

Development studies have long relied on traditional methods that reduce complex crises to quantitative metrics, often overlooking the lived experiences of marginalized communities. This paper addresses the limitations of these dominant approaches by exploring participatory visual storyboards as a tool for amplifying the voices of urban informal workers in Mumbai and Delhi, displaced by climate-induced displacement. Using a blend of visual ethnography and feminist research principles, the study co-created storyboards with displaced workers, documenting their experiences of resilience, vulnerability, and agency.

This methodology challenges the conventional binaries of victimhood and agency, offering a more nuanced, polyvocal approach to representing crises. By foregrounding marginalized perspectives, the study reveals how visual storytelling can bridge the gap between academic research and grassroots realities, fostering more inclusive, reflexive, and ethical development practices. In doing so, the paper advocates for the integration of visual methodologies into development pedagogy, proposing a shift towards a more participatory and empathetic discipline. The findings suggest that visual storyboards can transform the way crises are studied, represented, and addressed in development studies, making space for marginalized voices and creating pathways for actionable change.