Participant Authored Audiovisual Stories (PAAS): Giving The Camera Away or giving the camera a way?

Authored by Marcelo Ramella and Gonzalo Olmos .This paper deals with qualitative research methodology based on sound and image data, in particular with audio-visual stories authored by the research participants (Participant
Authored Audiovisual Stories - PAAS). It reviews literature concerned with this field and
critically discusses conceptual and procedural elements related to the ‘act of giving the
camera away’ to research participants. Key elements emerging from the literature review and
the conceptual discussion are illustrated with two practical examples: research on sexual
health promotion with young people in Peru (project SaRA), and research on sport-based
social inclusion with young people in England (project Positive Futures). The paper
concludes that, as a research method, PAAS promise a sound platform from which to explore
social phenomena, especially when what is at stake is understanding the relationship between
the agency of subjects and their socio-cultural contexts. Pointers for further research on the
tool are also signalled.

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credit: London School of Economics and Political Science

Methodology Institute

Papers in Social Research Methods

Qualitative Series no 10