“ Staying with the trouble ”: Participatory visual research as transformative learning with young women

Gender inequality and gender-based violence (GBV) continue to pose significant challenges worldwide, particularly in South Africa. Addressing these issues requires a commitment to ‘staying with the trouble’ in every possible way. This article draws on research conducted with fourteen first-year women students studying education at a South African university, highlighting the potential of participatory visual methodology (PVM) to facilitate transformative learning and social change. I adopt the theoretical perspective that transformative learning encompasses both personal transformation and social change, as individual and societal transformations are intrinsically interconnected. The central research question posed is: How can transformative learning be facilitated through participatory visual methodology with young South African women? Over a decade of research with these young women employed various participatory visual methods, which enabled them to explore, reflect on, and critique their experiences of gender inequality and GBV. By gaining new perspectives, they were able to envision different ways of being an Indigenous woman, positioning themselves as agents of social change within their communities. This article critically examines participatory visual research as a means of enabling transformative learning in the context of gender inequality and GBV in South Africa.