Capture stories with visual ethnography

Visual Ethnography in Social Science

Apply now

This full-time two-week course offers a blend of theoretical insights and practical experience, inviting students to explore how visual methods can enhance ethnographic research across diverse social science disciplines. While the focus lies on the genre of ethnographic filmmaking, the course also delves into related methods, including photography, arts-based ethnography, and participatory action research.

About this course

Students will engage with the various ways visual media can represent people, behaviors, and societies, gaining foundational knowledge of the history of visual ethnography and its interdisciplinary applications. Ethical considerations and reflexivity in visual ethnographic research will also be central to the course discussions. The course structure includes readings, lectures, guest talks, and interactive working groups. Ethnographic films will be screened to inspire reflection and critical discussion, providing students with concrete examples of the genre.

On lecture-free days, participants will work on two core assignments. A group assignment: Collaboratively produce a short ethnographic film based on qualitative research. Students will gain hands-on experience in visual data collection, editing, and the ethical and reflexive dimensions of filmmaking. Please note that students need to have some basic skills in conducting in-depth interviews, observation, and/or ethnographic fieldwork. An individual assignment: Write a concise essay reflecting on the ethnographic film and its research process, engaging critically with course literature and personal insights. Both assignments allow students to choose a topic aligned with their research interests. By the end of the program, students will have acquired foundational skills in visual ethnography, enabling them to incorporate these methods into their own research activities.

Continue reading below for more information.

Summer courses

View the full programme

Fees, discounts and scholarships

Find out more

Application and admissions

See how to apply

Course level

Master

Contact hours

Language

English

Tuition fee

€765 - €1360

Learning objectives

During this course, students will:
• Receive an introduction to the history and theory of visual ethnography within social
science research;
• learn about different visual research methodologies that can be embedded within
ethnographic research across disciplines;
• Gain an understanding of the advantages and limitations of visual ethnography;
• Learn how to screen, analyse and discuss ethnographic films;
• Collect visual data and learn the basics to make an ethnographic film;
• Enhance their critical thinking of reflexive and ethical dilemmas around visual
ethnographic research;
• Discuss how visual ethnography can be used within their own research.
About the course lecturers

Lianne (A.L.) Cremers is a visual and medical anthropologist, who works as an assistant professor at the Department of Organization Sciences, the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Her research focuses on human responses to infectious diseases, notably tuberculosis and COVID-19. In her work, she aims to assess collaborative governance and sense-making processes around health crises and how these are deeply entangled with embodied experiences, societal resilience, and structural violence. With her use of visual methods, she has made several ethnographic films about her research: https:⁠/⁠/vimeo.com/user69279402
Cato Janssen is a visual and organizational anthropologist, who works at the Department of Organization Sciences at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and the Department of Political Science at the University of Antwerp. Her research focuses on collaborative governance and the importance of participatory practices in engaging diverse stakeholders and fostering a resilient approach to adversity. With her work and specifically her ethnographic films, she aims to improve the visibility of the emotional and social struggles faced by vulnerable groups in times of crisis.
Megan van der Vorst is an anthropologist specialized in organizational ethnography, who works as a research associate and PhD-candidate at the Department of Organization Sciences at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Her current research focuses on organizational trauma and healing in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis, particularly its long-term impact on vulnerable groups like secondary school students and long term care facility workers. She examines how organizational structures and practices, especially those that create high-pressure environments, contribute to stress-related absenteeism and other challenges for employees. Looking ahead, Megan’s PhD research will delve into the organizational science of work stress, aiming to help organizations identify and address the sources of stress within their structures. By doing so, she seeks to enable organizations to proactively support the well-being of their employees, ultimately enhancing overall organizational resilience.
Course syllabus

In March, you'll find the preliminary syllabus for 2025 here.