Paper short abstract:

This paper proposes the use of audio-visual material, created by the research participants, in the process of anthropological knowledge production.

Paper long abstract:

How to reclaim the value of ethnographic knowledge after it has been subjected to such extensive scrutiny by all the "pos" and "isms" (pos-modernism, pos-colonialism, and so on)? How to ease the anxiety brought about by present-day demands of the academic environment?

Perhaps, one way forward is to rethink the very process of knowledge production by experimenting with alternative methods of research. To be sure, an increasing number of anthropologists have been using new forms of narration, including visual narratives, in their ethnographies. A growing interest in the dialogue between research and art manifests itself in exhibitions, festivals and conferences. Nevertheless, these creations usually fall into the margins of mainstream anthropological production. Thinking "out of the box" and using unconventional research methods is frequently viewed with skepticism, devalued as non-scientific and therefore commonly relegated to a secondary role in the representation of anthropologists work.

In my research, an ethnography with "street youth" in Maputo (Mozambique), I propose exploring the possibilities of engaging in a collaborative project of creative production with the research participants by making use of new media and digital technology (image databases, virtual exhibits…). "Playing" with these new modes of expression and communication might stimulate a fortunate stroke of serendipity. In addition, the research participants should gain more control over their own representation.

By challenging anthropology's methods of observation with experimental practices it may be possible to create new paths for research in anthropology.