Current Research Projects

See It Through My Eyes:
Building Place and Autonomy at the Urban Margins

Violence disproportionately affects marginalized communities. Communities affected by violence are not only poorer, but they hold a stigma that portrays them as naturally violent and irreparable. The stigma becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, especially for youth, where poverty and lack of access to resources predominate. I collaborate with a youth team from Puerto Nuevo (located in Callao, Peru) to challenge stigmas about shantytown residents and transform how society portrays neighbourhoods like theirs.

Our project employs participatory research and photography to examine how young people living at the urban margins build a sense of belonging and autonomy within the constraints of violence. We aim to bring youths’ perspectives to the general public and start a discussion about violence, survival, and joy in marginalized urban communities.

Project activities:

• February 2023: Photography workshops for kids
• May 2023: First collectively curated photo exhibit in Puerto Nuevo
• August 2023: Project presentation at the Society for the Study of Social Problems conference (Philadelphia, U.S.)
  
• February - July 2024: Interviews and focus groups