A Phenomenological, Photo–Narrative Study of Violence and Resilience Among Urban Native Women

This phenomenological, photo-narrative study explored the experiences of violence and of resilience among Indigenous women living in the Chicago metropolitan area. Six adult women participated in a two-stage study: a series of eight "hybrid circles" where participant photos were taken and shared, and a subsequent individual photo-narrative interview. Narratives indicated that participants had experiences both similar to and dissimilar from other marginalized groups of women, including reservation-based Indigenous women and urban non-Indigenous women. This was particularly evident in photographs depicting the balance between Indigenous tradition and Euro-American “urban” culture, as participants found themselves describing the complexities of living as an Indigenous woman in a space long “cleansed” of widespread Indigenous presence. Participant reflections of the study suggested the use of photography and photo-narrative as meaningful methods for discussing sensitive and/or vulnerable topics; by highlighting first-person visual narratives, this project demonstrates the necessity of including urban Indigenous women’s voices in broader conversations around gender, race, and violence. It also illustrates ways in in which narratives surrounding photographs—in both criminology and among Indigenous peoples—can be used in strengths-based rather than weakness-first ways.