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Paper short abstract

Collaborative Multimodal Ethnography and Digital Storytelling: Methodological strategies to study the experiences and trajectories of recovering individuals in a therapeutic community in Portugal

Paper long abstract

This work explores the application of collaborative multimodal ethnography in the study of the trajectories and experiences of residents in a therapeutic community in Portugal. Grounded in the work of Sarah Pink (2015), who highlights multimodal ethnography as an approach to understanding complex contexts, the research adopts digital storytelling as part of the methodology. Inspired by Lambert (2013), who recognises digital stories as emancipating practices, the research developed weekly workshops that brought together photography, video recording, audio and editing.

Residents actively participated in the creation of narratives that reflect their experiences of identity (re)construction and social reintegration, challenging stigmas associated with drug addiction. The multimodal approach allowed to reveal often invisibilised dimensions, such as the emotional and social challenges in the recovery process. Moreover, the methodology sought to strengthen the participants' agency and creative expression.

This research aims to value residents' voices and contribute to the construction of collaborative ethnographic knowledge, fostering social inclusion and mental health in a collaborative environment. The work also reflects on the ethical challenges of representing experiences in therapeutic contexts non-extractively and sensitively.

By combining anthropology and digital narratives with therapeutic practices, this study highlights the importance of multimodal ethnography to address uncertainties in contexts of vulnerability, in order to promote resilience, social justice and understanding of recovery and social reintegration trajectories.