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2024 – Audiovisual methodologies

In recent years, the field of social sciences has witnessed a significant shift in both data collection methods and knowledge production. This transformation is particularly evident in disciplines such as anthropology, geography, and sociology. Researchers are increasingly turning towards audiovisual methodologies, including photography, moving images, and sound to enrich their scholarly work and provide deeper, more nuanced insights into their subjects of study. Alternative forms of writing have thus emerged as powerful tools in the social sciences, challenging traditional academic narratives and offering fresh perspectives to share and disseminate knowledge by engaging the senses. These methods often incorporate creative and reflective approaches, allowing researchers to engage more intimately with their subjects and convey complex cultural and social phenomena. They, indeed, foster greater inclusivity and participation in the research process. Participants are often more engaged and willing to share their stories when approached through creative and non-traditional methods. This inclusivity enhances the depth and authenticity of the collected data, leading to richer and more representative scholarly outputs.

The use and status of photography within the different fields of social sciences have come a long way since its various colonial incarnations of capturing “the real” and cataloguing humankind.  Photography no longer serves as mere illustration of fieldwork and several sharp critical turns taken over the last three decades in the fields of anthropology and history have radically transformed not only our way of viewing and producing photographic images but also of questioning the ideological underpinnings of archival practices. Further, the recent intensification of the dialogue between art and social sciences further opens up critical and creative means of writing social sciences and visual storytelling.

Moving images, or video recordings, offer a comprehensive medium for documenting and analysing social phenomena. In anthropology and sociology, for example, ethnographic films and documentaries enable researchers to present continuous, real-time accounts of social interactions, rituals, and events. These visual narratives not only enhance the descriptive quality of research but also enable a more interactive and engaging form of scientific communication.

Sound recordings are increasingly used to capture the auditory dimensions of social life. In sonic ethnography, soundscapes—composed of ambient sounds, music, conversations, and voices—offer a rich auditory context that can convey the atmosphere and ambiance of a setting in a unique way. These auditory data are particularly valuable for understanding communities’ lived experiences, as they add a sensory dimension to social research. Similarly, the production of podcasts, as an alternative form of writing, democratizes access to complex academic research through accessible and engaging formats for a broad audience.

At a time when advanced technological tools such AI-generated images and sounds are revolutionising our way of creating and consuming information, it becomes all the more crucial for social science researchers to address issues related to the use and practices surrounding the production of images and sounds in scientific approaches. If these technologies offer unprecedented opportunities to capture, analyse, and disseminate data, they also pose significant ethical and methodological challenges. Considering this context, critically engaging with and questioning audiovisual tools and their associated methodologies is an urgent necessity. In a field that is constantly evolving, this 8th edition of the Social Sciences Winter School in Pondicherry aims to encourage critical reflection on these issues and to promote in social sciences research the integration of these innovative methodologies, which will undoubtedly play an increasingly important role in advancing our understanding of complex social realities.

 

// Winter School General Programme //

<Day 1> // Monday, November 11

> 11:30-12:30 / Registration of participants / Entrance Hall

> 12:30-13:45 / Snack break / Garden

> 13:45-14:15 / Welcome Address / Nehru Hall

Dr. Renaud Colson, Director of the IFP / Dr. Delphine Thivet, IFP, Head of the Social Sciences Department / Dr. Alexis Avdeeff, IFP, Convener of the Social Sciences Winter School 2024.

> 14:15-15:15 / Inaugural Conference / Nehru Hall

Local History of Documentary Making in Tamil Nadu

The conference will be given by Amudhan R.P., a Tamil documentary filmmaker and media activist (http://amudhanrp.blogspot.com). He will be introduced by Kannan Muthukrishnan, who leads the research programme on contemporary Tamil culture at the IFP.

> 15:15-16:00 / Plenary Lecture / Nehru Hall

The Significance of Visual Methods in Studying Artisanal Practices: The Case of Wooden Cargo Shipbuilding by Gopinath Sricandane, who currently runs a two-year project EAP-1309 funded by the British Library’s Endangered Archives Programme.

> 16:00-16:30 / Tea break / Garden

> 16:30-17:00 / Visit of the French Institute

> 17:00-18:00 / Start of the Workshops / Nehru Hall / Coromandel Room / Conference Room

 Kick-off and objectives

  <Day 2> to <Day 4> // Tuesday to Thursday, November 12-14

 > 09:00-13:00 <> 14:00-18:00 / Workshop I / Nehru Hall

Filming Through The Anthropological Lens

> 09:00-13:00 <> 14:00-18:00 / Workshop II / Coromandel Room

Writing with Light: Approaches to Photographic Archives and Visual Storytelling

> 09:00-13:00 <> 14:00-18:00 / Workshop III / Conference Room – Heritage building

Pondiphony, Pondysphonies

  <Day 5> // Friday, November 15

> 10:00-12:00 / Masterclass by Stanzin Dorjai Gya / Nehru Hall

Stanzin Dorjai Gya hails from a remote village called Gya in Ladakh, North India, situated at more than 15,000 feet in the High Himalayas. Like other children of Gya Village, Stanzin had a semi-nomadic childhood, spending half of the month tending his family’s herd of yaks and cashmere goats, while attending school during the other half. In 1995, unable to pass the necessary standardised tests to complete high school, Stanzin began attending an alternative school, SECMOL (Students Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh), where he learnt more about the visual medium. Fascinated by the camera and filmmaking, he made this his life’s passion. He later continued his education and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree at Jammu University in 2005. He founded the Himalayan Film House in Leh, wherein he has directed and produced notable feature films and documentaries on regional, national and international issues (http://www.stanzindorjaigya.com/).

For this masterclass, Stanzin will reflect on his unique journey and screen his film Jungwa: The Broken Balance, 2012, 53 mn (https://www.stanzindorjaigya.com/main/jungwa-the-broken-balance.html).

> 12:00-13:00 / Awarding of Certificates to the Participants / depending on the weather

 > 13:00-14:00 / Farewell Lunch / First Floor Hall — Heritage Building

\\ Winter School Evening Events \\

<Day 2> \\ Tuesday, November 12 > 18:00-21:00 \\ COCKTAIL@IFP / Terrace

<Day 4> \\ Thursday, November 14 > 19:00-22:00 \\ COCKTAIL@ConsulateOfFrance

<Day 5> \\ Friday, November 15 > 18:30-20:30 \\ PROJECTION@AllianceFrançaise

Screening of the documentary film by Ladakhi director Stanzin Dorjay Gya, The Shepherdess of the Glaciers (2016, 74 min), which has won numerous awards at international festivals, with the director present. The screening will be introduced and followed by a discussion led by Abeer Gupta, Co-Director of Achi Association India (https://www.achiassociationindia.org), focusing on the issues and challenges facing contemporary Ladakhi culture and society.

The screening of the film will take place at the David Annoussamy Auditorium of the Alliance Française of Pondicherry (58, Suffren Street).

We want to thank our institutional partners and sponsors: