Cufflinks, photos and YouTube: the benefits of third object prompts when researching race and discrimination in elite higher education

Abstract

Research suggests that interviews, unaided by additional methods, may be an ineffective way to explore young people’s experiences with sensitive issues. Researching minority youth’s experiences on personal or emotionally charged issues requires research techniques that enable young people to reflect on issues in a way that reduces the potential discomfort involved in such discourse. This article discusses the methodological approach of incorporating interviews with ‘third objects’ via photos, cufflinks and video in a study aimed at facilitating conversations with black British university men about the significance of their parents guidance during their formative and adolescent years, and their experiences with racism during their higher education studies. The overarching message of this article is that when exploring personal and sometimes emotional topics, the implementation of third object visual and physical prompts with semi-structured interviews can contribute to the depth of findings by unearthing the seldom heard counter-narratives of marginalised ‘others’.

Stripping back the novelty: A critical reflection on the dual use of a comic-based approach to engage participants and publics

“…This paper has reflected upon their use, highlighting the value comic-based approaches can have to engage individuals with complex issues in a way text or visual elements alone might not. This also builds upon the methodological value of using the visual in the form of a third object for a point of shared attention between participants in making sense of issues presented to them (Dumangane, 2020;Harper, 2012).…”

“…Therefore, the use of the comic-based approach was intended to create a third object prompt (Dumangane, 2020) to focus discussions upon. These third objects can provide participants with some critical distance on key issues and as Harper (2012) argues in relation to photos, can provide something that both the researcher and participant are trying to make sense of.…”

‘Where do you feel it most?’ Using body mapping to explore the lived experiences of racism with 10‐ and 11‐year‐olds

“…Research shows that using visual images can allow young people to reflect on their lives (Clark & Morriss, 2015) and help build rapport between the young person and the researcher. By using open questions and positioning the young person as the expert, the researcher–researched power imbalance was reduced (Dumangane, 2022). The pictures we showed were designed to elicit discussion of racism on a local and international level.…”

Bringing fictional characters to life: reflections on co-creating a comic book with members of the public

“…Comic books can also be considered as a ‘third object prompt’ [ 13 ] in research, an approach traditionally utilised in social work research with children. Objects can act as a distraction from discussions around personal or emotional issues by enabling individuals to use an inanimate element to reflect, frame and attach their own meanings and understandings to objects and images [ 13 ].…”

“…Comic books can also be considered as a ‘third object prompt’ [ 13 ] in research, an approach traditionally utilised in social work research with children. Objects can act as a distraction from discussions around personal or emotional issues by enabling individuals to use an inanimate element to reflect, frame and attach their own meanings and understandings to objects and images [ 13 ]. They offer a critical distance for discussion on sensitive issues, re-directing the conversation away from the ‘personal’ and the ‘researcher’ to focus on what is presented in the comic book.…”